The Model Box

Here're a few pictures I've gathered around the net focusing on the Russian T-34. This is the first Russian subject I've attempted to make a model of and I found that the pictures help me with the build, especially since my kit came with Japanese directions -- a language I neither read nor write. I've collected the first few pictures I've gathered up into a PDF file and posted it at my Scribd page. You can download the document here. I've also searched the web for other modellers who've made this particular kit and I was blown away by the skill these modellers have exhibited. Here are some of my favorite builds: Erik Forsgren's Tamiya T 34/76 Joaquin Garcia's Tamiya T 34/76 in Polish sevice Panzermania's T 34/76 Ehkranami Up next, my W.I.P. pictures.

I've been cleaning our cabinets at home and found another cartload of old Tamiya models. Some were built halfway and abandoned while others are still mint in their plastic bags. I randomly chose one and started work on it. The lucky model is a 1:35 Tamiya T 34/76. I remember my uncle giving this kit to me long ago. I never really got into trying to assemble it mainly because I was more into small scale tanks and AFVs. Plus, the instructions were in Japanese. Now though, with a couple of recent small scale tanks under my belt, I'm feeling more confident. One problem I foresee though are the kit's rubber tracks. They seem wrong, aside from the fact that the track sag won't show up, the pattern doesn't seem accurate. A quick check on some forums and my fears were verified -- aside from rubber being a second choice for static scale tracks, the pattern supplied was indeed wrong. It seems that early 1942 production T-34s had waffle pattern tracks or earlier plate tracks ...