After a 12 year layoff I’ve finally got somewhere to leave the modelling gear out & have re-started a Tamiya 1:35th scale Merkava MBT & am putting the finishing touches on but I need to make the wire hawser that wraps round the back of the turret. The one out of the box has disappeared & up to now have tried various fuse wires, fishing line & stretched sprue but they all look crap.
Any suggestions or sites I can look on?

Up to now mine looks exactly nothing like this one…

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234999539-the-lion-of-the-desert-merkava-mk-i/

Guitar string? Stiff nylon string twisted and glued?

You can buy strips and sheets of thin plastic that can be cut and bent as you like. Any decent model shop,train shop and even some toy shops should stock it. Used to build a lot of armour including scratch builds and conversions,but into Sci For at the moment.

Edit: sorry brain fart, thought you meant the turret basket. The same shops should sell copper tow ropes, or you can try using string and paint it.

Brass modelling rods probably what you’re after!

Have you checked for aftermarket sets? lots of aftermarket tow cables on Ebay in 1/35

Try Eureka Merkava tow cable 1/35. Can be bought for about £3.

Brass modelling rods probably what you’re after!

Have you checked for aftermarket sets? lots of aftermarket tow cables on Ebay in 1/35

Try Eureka Merkava tow cable 1/35. Can be bought for about £3.

Excellent, thanks!

The problem with fuse wire is getting the strands straight before you twist it & the problem with sprue is getting it the right thickness (ish) & the problem with fishing line is stopping it from springing back after letting go.
No rush, It’s been in it’s box for years! 😕

You can probably order the seperate sprue? You can with the rc cars. Maybe try a big stockist? I’d avoid the cars if I were you my wife bought me one for xmas. I’m up to five this year.. Somewhat addictive to build!

Try also http://www.modelhobbies.co.uk

this is a useful site
http://www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=70578&p=8

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-X-200mm-Bendable-Stainless-Steel-Wire-Keychain-Cable-Key-Rings-/111968348173?hash=item1a11d5680d:g:gdAAAMXQVERSqH4z

?

A mate does a lot of tank modelling, I’ll ask him what he uses for stuff like that. He scratch-builds quite a bit, but there’s lots of prefabricated stuff in brass sheet, and better, more articulated tracks for example.

My mate got back to me with a suggestion from these people: https://accurate-armour.com/our-products/135th-accessories/a039
That’s German WW2…

This is modern British: https://accurate-armour.com/our-products/135th-accessories/a050

Lots of stuff for armour modellers on there!
😀

the last time i did anything like this i used the strands from electrical wires and plated them in to a cable to the desired thickness , the plats looked close enough to the twists in a hawser in 1/72 scale.