Splash's T-34 *** Finished***

[splash]

I'm looking forward to starting this Re-Pop of the Matchbox T-34 I know it has issues with its wheels and can be improved by using a set of wheels from the Hasagowa kit, but I think I might go for what comes in the box.

[gnomemeansgnome]

That's a nice one, Alan. I built it years ago and have this Revell re-issue as well. Beware that spurious DShk heavy mg on the turret roof as they never carried one there.

[BWP]

Good luck with it Splash, but I'm afraid the only way to "improve" the MB T-34 is to replace the wheels, tracks, lower hull, upper hull and turret.

No, seriously, as a T-34, it's dreadful. I'll backtrack a bit and say that the hull itself (the basic shape) is OK. Everything else (including the fittings on the hull) is wrong. It actually makes the Airfix T-34 seem like it might be OK (it isn't, other than in comparison with this one).

(Well, OK, the diorama base is rather nice.)

If you're building it OOTB, well, it should go together well enough. There's nothing complicated about it.

[BWP]

That's a nice one, Alan. I built it years ago and have this Revell re-issue as well. Beware that spurious DShk heavy mg on the turret roof as they never carried one there.

The MG is actually quite nice, easily the best thing about the kit. You are correct, though, it has absolutely no business being here.

[gnomemeansgnome]

To be honest my original reason for getting that boxing (off of eekbay a few years ago) was for that heavy mg which I plan to use for a Middle East diorama some day.

[splash]

Trust me to buy a pup but looking on the bright side, I don't normally build AFV's so it will be good practice working on small scale AFV's.

Apart from the body shape and wheel issues, I understand the external fuel tanks are the wrong shape and size, so I will probably leave them off and just add grab rails to the sides.

As you say the base is nice and maybe by adding long grass this might cover up the issue with the wheels.

[splash]

[rob_van_riel]

Does any of the incorrectnesses look like it would prevent the machine from rolling up to the enemy and killing them very dead? If not, it meets all the requirements for a war time production tank. It's hard to build them exactly to specs when there are people of the factory floor shooting at you..

[splash]

Does any of the incorrectnesses look like it would prevent the machine from rolling up to the enemy and killing them very dead? If not, it meets all the requirements for a war time production tank. It's hard to build them exactly to specs when there are people of the factory floor shooting at you..

That's an excellent point, especially when you think of all the localised modifications that would have been added during a war.

[BWP]

Does any of the incorrectnesses look like it would prevent the machine from rolling up to the enemy and killing them very dead? If not, it meets all the requirements for a war time production tank. It's hard to build them exactly to specs when there are people of the factory floor shooting at you..

What on earth are you talking about? A model is either a reasonable scale representation of the original subject or it isn't. The model isn't going to be shooting anyone, and the real thing didn't have to worry about not being an accurate depiction of itself.

The Matchbox T-34 is a very poor representation of a real T-34. That's not a matter of opinion, it's simple fact.

[BWP]

That's an excellent point, especially when you think of all the localised modifications that would have been added during a war.

Generally speaking, the early model T-34s didn't last long enough to be "modified" (a couple of months was the typical life-span), and in any case they weren't "modified" in any way that the Matchbox kit represents. It's difficult to know what exactly was the inspiration for the MB kit. The Airfix T-34 is terrible in many ways but it is basically accurate and, given the difficulties of obtaining good Soviet data in the '60s, many of the mistakes it makes are somewhat understandable (in particular, it's based on a Czech-built example from the '50s). The MB kit contains many, many features that are simply completely fictional. No research could have turned up those wheels, or those fuel tanks, or that MG on top of the turret. They just made all that stuff up. The available information on the T-34 in the '70s wasn't that limited!

The best T-34/76 in 1/76 scale is the Fujimi kit, which is close to being as good as you could hope for (apart from the typical problem of simply terrible vinyl tracks). It also has an unexpected and unusual benefit: it includes two full sets of wheels (two different types), giving you a spare set to use on either the MB or Airfix kit. (The Airfix kit's wheels are pretty good, except that the holes in the sides of the tires are depicted as bumps for some reason. Easy enough to shave them off, as not all tires had the holes.)

The Fujimi T-34/85 kit is also pretty good. Interestingly it's not just the T-34/76 kit with a different turret, the kits have no common parts at all.

[fredk]

Right; Enough, lets agree that the Matchbox kit is inaccurate in details but in the end its just a model kit

A model kit splash has decided to build; if he wants to do it OOB or modify it, even make it a whiff - its his model.

Have you got a part missing splash?
Looks like a vacant space middle of left sprue. Maybe just another figure?

[chrism]

It is also a model which Splash has kindly offered and at his expense, to build, be it OOB or detailed/corrected - for the CBK display at Telford, and it was after he offered to build it for us, that I SUGGESTED he might like to build it in this group build, and by doing so, partake with the forum etc etc. I really did not expect as SIG LEADER to look in on here and see so much negativity and pickyness shown towards a fellow forum member opting to build the kit.

[splash]

Have you got a part missing splash?
Looks like a vacant space middle of left sprue. Maybe just another figure?

I thought the same thing when I looked at the photo, but it's just the way matchbox designed the plastic feed into the mould, so no parts missing.


Chis I don't think it's a case of negativity, Bruce is absolutely correct in what he says, there are several other reviews on the web that say exactly what he has said, the difference is both Rob and I are on the same wave length and don't worry about the lack of accuracy, as far as I'm concerned if it's got tracks and a turret then it's a tank (and I know that's not a true statement, I get wound up when people call an Abbot SPG a tank ).

Don't get me wrong some times I feel exactly the same a Bruce, if this had been a Seaking or Wessex build I would be pulling my hair out and ranting all over the place.

I'm still looking forward to the build.

Regards Splash

[splash]

Check out this link of a T-34 in German markings being recovered from a lake.

http://www.12mbdragoons.com/panzer/

It's going to be helpful for me as it show hand rails on the side and front that would be easy to add.