Olifant Mk. 1A (1.5:1 Scale)

Work on the project began in the mid '70s, with South African engineers taking inspiration from the Israeli Sho't Centurions and applying similar upgrades to what would eventually become known as the Olifant tank. The first prototype of the Olifant rolled out of the factory in 1976 and underwent testing. Shortly afterwards, the Olifant Mk.1 entered production service in 1978, with production lasting until 1984. In the early 80s, the Olifant was upgraded to the Mk.1A modification, which featured a domestic version of the L7 cannon as well as other upgrades.

The Olifant Mk.1A remained in service with SANDF into the 1990s before being succeeded by the Olifant Mk.2. In total, over 150 Olifant Mk.1As were produced, some seeing action during the conflicts with Angola in the early 1980s.