Don Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 My first build for this Group Build, my 1/35 TAMIYA Sherman, needs some drying rack time. So I figured I would go ahead and get working on this 40 year old kit: I bought it back in the mid to late 80's with the idea of making it a knocked out T-34/76 in a diorama with a Panzer IV. The Panzer IV got built but the diorama idea never materialized. I had started it... but then boxed it back up after not pursuing the diorama...took it out again sometime in the early 1990's...worked on it a bit...then boxed it back up and forgot about it. Here is where it currently sits completion wise: Lower hull has been assembled, as has part of the turret. The road wheels need to be assembled and attached, as do the sprockets and idlers. Grab handles need to be assembled and attached, stowage, exhaust shrouds, two crew figures need to be assembled and painted (not my strong suit), and the three external fuel tanks need to be assembled and attached. Then we have these: OUCH! These 40 year old rubber band tracks are really brittle and badly warped. I may need to seek out aftermarket replacements but I would prefer to keep this OOB. Plans are missing and decals are completely shot. No worries on the decals as many photos show Soviet World War II T-34's without any markings at all. Plans can be found online...so again, no worries there. My goal here is for a quick build. Nothing fancy. Straight OOB. I also want to test Mig Pigments for the first time on this model to achieve a light dusty look...like what many Russian and German vehicles looked like in the hot summer sun on the Russian steppes. Well that's it for now. Stay tuned. Regards all, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CorsairMan Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 There's got to be tracks for that guy out there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 There's got to be tracks for that guy out there. Yeah there are. But they cost more then the kit . I think if they stay together and don't fall apart, I can get them straightened with warm water. I will find out tonight... :o Stay tuned. Regards, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rightwinger26 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Best of luck to ya! I hope it works out, I've always liked the look of the T-34 also. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Good news! I was able to get the tracks apart after a soak in warm water and got them fairly straight (remember, these are those old TAMIYA rubber band tracks...they were rarely straight when they were new and these are 40 years old!): They are still pretty fragile, but I think I can use them. I also assembled the three rear external fuel tanks. Fit was really bad here so I will have some sanding ahead of me tomorrow: Fortunately, these external fuel tanks were notorious for getting beaten and banged (and blown up... ;)). So they will clean up nicely with elbow grease. And lastly, I worked on the exhaust shrouds and pipes. As TAMIYA would have you assemble them the pipes seem to protrude from beneath the shrouds too far to my liking based on my references: Easy fix by shortening the inside portion of the pipe (nobody even sees up in there anyway): Sorry for the bad photos Gents. Its late...the lighting is terrible...and I have had enough for one day. Building continues. Regards all. Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Sorry, one more as kind of a side. One of my New Years Resolutions heading into 2015 was to build more figures and improve my figure building skills. Right now I tend to shy away from figures and merely button up my tanks. Well my Wife knowing this, bought me this kit for Christmas: As you can see its a T-34 albeit an 85 rather then a 76. But look at those figures that come with the kit!! Its a real beauty of a kit and I am really looking forward to it. But I knew that if I didn't get this shelf queen built, it probably would never get completed. So my motivation is to complete my 40 year old T-34/76 before I can start my Christmas present :D . Nothing like a little motivation to get a wiggle in your builds. :lol: Cheers fellas! Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 I got a lot of work done on my T-34/76 today. The turret top has been installed (the two shelf looking things inside the turret hatches are for the crew figures. They will be invisible once the figures are placed inside the turret openings), the road wheels have been assembled and dry fitted to the running gear (I went with the all metal road wheel configuration seen in late 1943 early 1944 as opposed to having two rubber rimmed and three steal rimmed wheels per side). The idler wheel was meant to be attached to a steel axel as these old TAMIYA kits could be built to be motorized. It would NOT fit! I ended up drilling it out to make it fit. You don't notice as its covered by the idler hub: You will also notice that I installed the aerial mount, two tool boxes, exhaust shrouds/pipes from last nights work, the T-34/76 single head lamp, tow hooks, and front machine gun: I still need to attach turret grab handles, upper hull grab handles, turret vision ports on either side, the three external fuel tanks, turret hatches (in the open position), and a few other bits and pieces. I still need to assemble the two crew figures. This is all on tap for tonight. Stay tuned. Work continues...comments welcome. Regards all, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rightwinger26 Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Sir! Much appreciated. Regards, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I'm going to pay close attention to painting this beast. I've got a few 1/48 in the stash, and need to learn the ways of AFV painting... :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 I'm going to pay close attention to painting this beast. I've got a few 1/48 in the stash, and need to learn the ways of AFV painting... :) LOL...I am no expert, but I truly do appreciate your vote of confidence. With regards the painting of Soviet World War II era armor...suffice it to say you have a large palette... ;)! More in a later update. Thank you for your comment. Much appreciated. Kind regards, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 More progress last night and earlier today. My T-34/76 is rapidly approaching the painting stage. Crew assembled and dry fitted for photo purposes, turret hatches mounted. I thinned the front left fender and right rear mud guard for battle/operational damage. The Germans nicknamed this turret hatch configuration of the T-34 "Mickey Mouse"...it fits I think: In the above photo you can see that the turret periscope is attached, external fuel tanks have been cleaned up and mounted, grab handles attached to the upper hull sides, grab handles attached to turret sides and back (I used a homemade jig to make sure they were level on all three sides as TAMIYA does not provide holes or attachment locations), two figures are now mounted on sticks to facilitate painting, stowage cleaned up (one bedroll and one ammo crate dry fitted for picture purposes only), one spare track dry fitted to the turret as additional armor (it will be affixed after painting). Really, all I need to do is wash the model, let it dry, then prime, paint, weather the tank, stowage, and the figures and call it finished. Should be wrapped up within the week. Told you...quick build. Building continues...comments welcome. Regards all, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 More progress last night and earlier today. My T-34/76 is rapidly approaching the painting stage. Crew assembled and dry fitted for photo purposes, turret hatches mounted. I thinned the front left fender and right rear mud guard for battle/operational damage. The Germans nicknamed this turret hatch configuration of the T-34 "Mickey Mouse"...it fits I think ... Really? It's interesting to think about US popular culture having that reach back then... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Really? It's interesting to think about US popular culture having that reach back then... Yes indeed. Adolf Galland, the famous Luftwaffe ACE had Mickey Mouse as his personal nose art. There were a number of German tanks and aircraft that used Disney characters of the day to personalize their mounts. Regards, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Here she is under an initial coat of paint and one light misting to allow for color differences: Soviet armor was painted in many different shades of green (sometimes one tank was a slightly different shade of green then the next one on the assembly line). The general rule of thumb is to choose a color of green that falls somewhere between light olive drab and black green. That's quite a lot of greens to choose from! Personally I go with TAMIYA XF-13 J.A. Green as my base coat and then lighten it to suit my desired color fading for the specific build. There have also been stories of Russian tanks being driven off the assembly line and not painted at all. They were sent out in raw steel color (blackish-brownish-steal-grey...think steal beam color used in building construction). Also, multicolor camouflage schemes on Soviet World War II tanks was rare, despite kit manufacturers penchant for including them as markings options. I don't mean winter whitewash over green (that WAS used a great deal) but more green and brown (often called Russian Earth) patterns. They did paint tanks in green/brown camouflage, but they were few in numbers compared to straight green. My goal is to have this build wrapped up this weekend and refocus on my Sherman. The tank needs to be weathered, as does the track, track needs to be installed, figures finished and installed. Really not that much when you get down to it. I am also thinking of doing a simple base to mount my T-34/76 on. Thanks for looking all. Work continues...comments more then welcome. Regards, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WymanV Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Those bare metal T-34s were made at the factory at Stalingrad, while the battle raged on the outskirts. They armed them, crewed them and sent them straight into the battle off the floor. I have the Maquette 1/35 T-34 Stalingrad and it's another one I look forward to building. Looking good so far. Those older Tamiya armor kits are nice little quickie builds. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 A little off topic, but I thought some folks might enjoy this: It's a completely intact T-34 recovered from a bog in 2000. It broke through the ice during the war and was forgotten. What's unique is that it wears captured markings (German). It had live rounds of ammo still inside and was remarkably preserved. So much so that just days after it was pulled from the bog, it's plugs were changed, fuel, oil, and other lubricants changed...and it fired up! Amazing. I guess finding tanks and even aircraft in bogs in Europe happens more then we know. Anyways...I will have new pictures of my soon to be completed T-34/76. Regards, Don. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 FINISHED!!!! This was my second time using Mig Pigments and I still have a lot to learn. I normally use pastels. These figures are my first in at least a decade...again, much room for improvement: My goal was to achieve a dusty dry look as was seen in the late summer months where rain may not come for a week or more: The idea is that my T-34/76 is one in a column of Soviet tanks moving in the tall grass against German forces (a dangerous endeavor when you consider the camouflage open to German anti-tank guns, mines and well hidden infantry with anti- armor weapons). This explains the crushed tall dry grass behind and in front on the tank: Thank you all for your kind notes and words of encouragement. I do appreciate them! More pictures to be found here: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=281385&st=0&gopid=2682442entry2682442 As always, comments and opinions are more then welcome. Kindest regards, Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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