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  • 2 weeks later...

Whoa...sweet :jaw-dropping:! Having built the Dragon T-72, T-80, and M-84 kits with the odd shaped turret (among other things) I definitely need to grab one each of these Trumpeter kits.

Thanks for the sprue shots.

As an aside, I picked up my first Trumpeter armor kit recently (1/35 LAV-25 Piranha) and am very impressed. Look for a build here soon.

:cheers:

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Without knowing the details; Meng one costs the same (T-90 that is) and is considered to be more accurate.
I to had heard the same thing.

Well, this is what I know...

Price depends where in the World you reside. Obviously, shop around and make your decision on information you trust.

Meng and Zvezda are both of the later welded turret whereas the Trumpeter offers both cast and welded. The one in my post is an early T-90 Cast Turret.

Pluses - Only cast turret. Most accurate track tensioner. Most accurate idlers. Track return guide plates are included. Scraper blade is both accurate and deployable. If parts are carefully cleaned up, the fit is very good.

Negatives - Ditch recovery log is not machined and molded in vinyl. The real ones are machined. The anti radiation cladding on the loader's hatch is the wrong shape (easy to fix with sheet styrene). For the Early with the Eagle markings, the tracks are the later one, the drive sprockets are the later one, and the exhaust are the later one. Also, the Guards emblem are mirrored (luckily I have plenty of spare decals as well as replacement tracks and sprockets plus a leftover exhaust from a Tamiya T-72 kit that got upgraded with aftermarket).

Russian modelers prefer the Trumpeter kit as they find it to be more accurate in some areas (but Meng's is very good as well, according to the reviewer). Russian text:

http://scalemodels.r...-v-korobke.html

Stephen "Cookie" Sewell considers Trumpeter's kit better engineered:

http://www.missing-l...reviewcs_1.html

So, I am happy with my Trumpeter kit.

Regards,

Edited by sharkmouth
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  • 2 months later...

What Sharkmouth said,

For ultimate accuracy go Trumpeter.

For easier build go Meng.

Either will give you a good result the Trump somewhat more fiddly to build but slightly better for accuracy.

Trumpeters A team works full time in 1/35th..

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They are definitely getting much better. Still have some issues (see their BMP-1 for examples of what should have easily been caught prior to finalizing the molds) but compared to 3-4 years ago, they are churning out some seriously nice plastic. Never thought I'd see so many nice modern Soviet / Russian subjects being released.

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(see their BMP-1 for examples of what should have easily been caught prior to finalizing the molds)

What is wrong with their BMP-1? I am aware of their buoy cage missing the mesh pattern, a fuel port missing, and the commander's hatch having the edge recessed versus proud. The last one is not an issue if building the BMP-1P as it has the anti-radiation cladding which hides the issue (and thankfully only increases the thickness by the proper amount (with the hatch being recessed as the cladding was too thick otherwise).

Their BMP-2 is nicer but went a step backwards with the tracks.

Regards,

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What is wrong with their BMP-1? I am aware of their buoy cage missing the mesh pattern, a fuel port missing, and the commander's hatch having the edge recessed versus proud. The last one is not an issue if building the BMP-1P as it has the anti-radiation cladding which hides the issue (and thankfully only increases the thickness by the proper amount (with the hatch being recessed as the cladding was too thick otherwise).

Their BMP-2 is nicer but went a step backwards with the tracks.

Regards,

There is a very good summary of the kit over on Armorama. I can't access the site from work, I believe there was also an issue with the turret itself and a few other issues. Some were easily fixed, the turret not so much.

Don't get me wrong, the kit is a huge improvement over the old Dragon one, I just used it as an example of a kit that should be pretty much perfect given the widespread availability of BMP-1's around the world to be measured, photographed, etc.

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There is a very good summary of the kit over on Armorama.

I know of this list (posted by Grapple on Armorama). I have copied it here. The only turret issue is based on having people (me included) not mentioning that the turret base is equal insized and centered below the roof and doesn't occupy the complete turret base. The rest are simple ommissions.

"1. The base of turret is by 2 mm smaller than should be and because of rotation centres of base and turret roof are not the same, it is visible in two front quadrants of turret on the sides of gun mantlet. Trumpy designers missed the fact that turret walls are made of armour plates of various thickness, they made vertical weld seams/joints but those steps are missing... The way of correction is not so difficult - you can add 1/10 mm plastic sheet in two layers and this would be the only "big plastic surgery"...

2. ATGM loading hatch is approximately 1,5 mm narrower than should be. But you can see that only at the moment you can know that and you concentrate your effort on that.

Then there are some details misinterpreted or missing:

3. There is no entrenching tool or clamp to hold it on the right part of hull roof next to the turret, although there already is front sheet metal stripe to hold that there.

4. There is no crowbar, its front holder or clamp at the left rear corner of hull next to the antenna.

5. Towing cables are missing to be held on both sides of the hull roof next to the squad hatches as are missing their fitting elements except of small hooks behind the turret.

6. Central fuel tank filler with thin sheet metal collar is missing between two left squad hatches.

7. There are weld seams between the exhaust and right cooler mesh misinterpreted and they (the angle) should be moved "one screwhead to the right" and one seam should be added.

8. Three screwheads on the roof armoured plates joint on the right of the turret are missing and should be added.

9. Thin sheet metal lip or collar around the exhaust is missing and should be added.

10. Air compressor outlet between the front drainage pump armour cover and exhaust is missing and should be added, it is small detail but important for weathering and "oilshitting" fans - there is usually black stuff of oil and condesated water leaking there and it makes nice "rainmark"...

11. Side position lamps (slightly behind the turret) on the hull roof should be rotated strictly perpendicularly to the long axis of hull...

12. Those PE reinforcements to the idler wheel are pretty late features and I haven't seen them even on BMP-2s, only those idler wheels with mesh surface reinforcement have them.

13. Boxy shaped wiring covers behind front lights are late feature (typical for BMP-2, Svatava, etc) too. BMP-1s have only small valve shaped joint box and a screwhead shaped bushing...

14. Mesh cover of engine air inlet behind the turret is less than simplified and spider shaped reinforcement is missing on it.

15. There are two grabhandles on so called "big armour hatch" above the gearbox, those handles should be parallel. Right one is ok, left one is misoriented along the hatch edge... This one should not obscure the view through periscope...

16. There should be 9 stripes with buckles around turret walls to hold rolled tarpaulin. None is there, either molded on the turret wall or provided as separate or even PE part.

17. Vertical bar next (right) to the gunner's hatch on the turret roof should be hollow, it is a tube in fact. It was intended to accomodate red/white/red boxy alarm float tied with a thin rope to the towing cable when vehicle was fitted to cross deep water obstacle..."

Luckily, I have SP Designs very affordable BMP-1P set which fixes the turret, rear doors, upper troop hatches, fuel port, and buoy cage for only a few dollars from SAAM:

http://saammodels.tripod.com/bmp-1.html

SPD281.JPG

Regards,

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Luckily, I have SP Designs very affordable BMP-1P set which fixes the turret, rear doors, upper troop hatches, fuel port, and buoy cage for only a few dollars from SAAM:

http://saammodels.tripod.com/bmp-1.html

SPD281.JPG

Regards,

$5.00? That has to be a mistake, if not, that is truly a bargain! I've never heard of them before, any issues ordering online?

Thanks very much for the link, I've been surprised at the lack of aftermarket stuff for the BMP-1, glad to see someone is interested in this kit. Still wish someone would release a nice interior set for the BMP. With all those hatches, it would look fantastic.

Edited by 11bee
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I've never heard of them before, any issues ordering online?

SAAM (Sergeant At Arms Models) is run by Jacques Duquette for Sergey of SP Designs, I've never had an issue ordering from them and have been pleased with the quality so far as it saves me time.

Regards,

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