Tamiya ~ T34/76 Model 1941 (Cast Turret) 1/48

[Jamie Tainton]

Don't do a lot on this scale- but this is a cool kit.

[Paul Truesdale]

Nice one....

Looks like the Krasnoye Sormovo Zavod No. 112 variant with the grab handles and rear fuel boxes.

How about some in-the-box photos?

Paul

[Jamie Tainton]

[Jamie Tainton]

So here are the instructions for this diminutive yet well engineered tank from Tamiya.
If you click on this link you will get a pdf booklet
http://panzerfaust.netfirms.com/panzer1 ... ctions.pdf

[Jamie Tainton]

Some pics of the parts, as I said some are already glued in place. I also noticed that I have lost the cover for the RH exhaust Oh well should be easy to make a copy

[Jamie Tainton]

Okay well I don't know what happened to everybody but I finally dd some plastic assembly after a long hiatus! I was compelled!
Anyways this Tamiya kit is great, just a real pleasure to work on. Everything just fits so nicely and the engineering is splendid. I was online after this looking for more of these Tamiya 1/48th scale kits after swearing I wouldn't ever go that route, but maybe I'll get a few! Just for the fun of it.
So let's get the photos up and I'll try my best to describe what the process was.
I deviated from strictly following the instruction sheet and in an earlier session, a few years ago, I stuck the bigger hull pieces together. One on going weak point with Tamiya Allied kits is often the side sponsons are not covered! This was easily rectified using a caliper to get some measurements. Then these were transferred over to some scrap Evergreen plastic, which is marked and cut and then fit in place this was glued in with cyanoacrylate glue and then sanded. Then some glazing puddy was squeegeed on. Allowed ti dry this was then sanded flat to bend in the addition. I then severely thinned the fenders, paying particular attention to the front and back mudguard. These will be tortured and twisted as if there was some typical damage to these areas. I don't want this thing to look brand spanking new!


I guess the gap under these sponsons has to do with how they inject their molds?
I got out the caliper and took some measurement of the empty space...



then transferred this to a piece of scrap Evergreen that was conveniently close in width...



this was then glued in place with some CA glue...



and sanded smooth. I'm not too worried about perfection here as there will be mud...





I decided that I didn't want this specimen to look pristine so using sand paper and the Dremel tool I severely took back the overly thick plastic on the fenders and mud guards. I don't feel that when heat is used to bend plastic you get an authentic look, that's why I thinned the plastic, so I could distress it physically



you can see on the right the sanded side, still in progress...





So since I lost the right rear muffler guard, I used some modelling clay or Plasticine, to get an impression of the cover, This will later be cast in two part resin.

[Jamie Tainton]

So here you can see the impression, just have to go to the shop and get some two part resin...



One other little thing I wanted to improve was the screen in the engine access hatch. I used some Aber screen cut to size. This was annealed with a Bic lighter and rolled to shape then glued carefully into place with some CA. But first I needed to very carefully sand the inside surface till I was able to slice the squares between the mounting straps.



test fit. You can also see I have made some bends to the rear mud guards. Some red glazing putty was used to fix a few unintentional ugly bits.






the front mud guards...









the two turret half shells and the famous rubber retainers holding the movable gun mount in place...

[Jamie Tainton]

The other parts that make up the turret sub assembly...



the two halves enclosing the gun mount, again very nice fit...



gun barrel and mount ready to get mated...



mated...you can see the square external fuel tanks mounted. You have to remove one bolt twhere the one strap sits on the rear plate.





you can see the engine hatch has the screen in...

[Jamie Tainton]

for this picture to check wheel placement you can see the temporary glue I used... the grab handles are all in place as are other bits such as the drivers hatch, front auxiliary machine gun...

[Tim Coulson]

Nice work Jamie.

Looking forward to seeing the replacement muffler.

Tim