The AMX-13 was designed in 1946 to give France an air-portable tank to support paratroopers.

It became a very popular armoured vehicle and around 7,700 were manufactured between 1952 and 1987 in a wide range of versions..

The AMX-13 (thus names because the original versions weighed 13 tonnes) began as an air-mobile light tank fitted with a 75mm cannon in an uncommon two part oscillating turret.

Production began in 1952 and they began entering service in 1953.  The tank version gun was upgraded to 90mm and then to 105mm.

The rugged and relaible hull also allowed development of other versions including armoured personnel carriers, anti aircraft vehicles, bridge layers and self-propelled howitzers.

They were exported to almost 30 countries and remained in service with 14 at the beginning of 2012.
This model represents an AMX-13-105  in the early 1970s..

Heller 1/72 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in February 2012.