Tamiya 1/35th KV 2

[Crayons]

Tamiya 1/35^th KV II Kit # 35063

Heralding from the days of the kid’s carpet crawlers aka battery powered toys, Tamiya’s KV II is an accuarate(ish) representation of an actual vehicle; the kit is symptomatic of that period; representational. In its defense, it is over 40 years old and kit technology has evolved a lot from those days.

The Kit: A brief overview.

This kit really does have more inaccuracies than accuracies. Using all 8 publications I own regarding the KV series of tanks plus a hundred or so images, I set about looking at what needed to be changed/remade/removed/modified. Answer: A LOT.

The kit lower hull is from a KV 1B (1940/1), the drive sprocket is from a 1942 KV 1C. The road wheels are correct for a KV manufactured from mid 1940 to mid 1941. The return rollers (6 spokes 6 holes) appear to be from the KV 1C (The only surviving KV 2 is currently at the Central Museum of Armed Forces in Moscow and the return roller pattern differs (6 spokes 3 holes), however it has the model 1942 drive sprocket and late pattern road wheels, the hull details do seem accurate with the exception the lifting hooks on the turret). I have limited clear detailed information on the return rollers so I have to work with the evidence I have. The drive sprocket underwent 3 design changes and based on the information I have, the idler wheel did not change over the production life. Tail light on the rear plate is correct.

The upper hull is almost identical to the 1942 KV 1C on display at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds Museum and as such is about 50% wrong. Bolts need to be added, bolts need to be removed. The cable and hook arrangement that secures the domed engine hatch when opened needs to be changed, the bullet splash guards need to be removed. The track guards whilst accurate need some changes, namely the mounting brackets. The kit represents them as solid; they in fact need to be hollow in section. The track mounting pins need to be removed. The kit also has two strange rectangular parts moulded on both sides of the hull; I can find nothing in any of my references to suggest that they should even be there, so they need to go.

The turret, like everything else thus far; missing bits. From the shape it is the MT-2 model 1940 turret. It is however missing a very distinct detail, the screw-rivets used to hold the armour plates together which would suggest the turret was made between Nov – Dec 1940, I am more inclined to think however this is an oversight/limitation of the kits era. The gun mantlet, based on its appearance is of 1940 manufacture, it is missing a conical hex bolt on the left side and what I think is a sighting port on the right upper side. On the underside of the turret at the rear is a box welded in place, it is missing on the kit. The grab handle on the rear door is missing from the kit as are the 3 periscopes for the view ports on the turrets roof.

So, that is enough trivia, well for now.

On the down side, without MAJOR alteration/reconstruction, the running gear is fixed in place, meaning no conforming to the contour of the diorama that this is being constructed for. But that it is not such a bad thing, as in real life this vehicle could not operate its turret unless it was on near flat ground.

M

Edited May 25, 2014 by Crayons

[PLC1966]

AFV not my thing, but the KV is such a thing of breauty I am going to look for ward to this.

Enjoy.

[KAYELL]

Will you be producing a model which has all the 'inaccuracies' of the Tamiya kit ironed out?

I personally do this hobby for enjoyment, small bits that may not be 'perfect' I can live with.

I gather that there were about 330 KV2's produced maybe they were not all identical?

Look forward to this build.

Cheers

K

[Stashaholic Steve]

Or you could have saved yourself all the time and hassle, and just bought one of these instead. They're cheap as chips as well:

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/trumpeter/tr00312.htm

[Crayons]

Quick assembly and clean up of the wheels and idler wheel. I will not be making the drive sprockets until I have seen what track options I have available to me. The kit track and sprockets aren't wide enough anyway. I am not sure what the reverse side of the the road wheels look like, much the same as the front I would guess but what is clear is that the 12 lightening holes on the front of the wheel are also on the back section of each wheel. The kit only has the holes on the front section. 12 wheels, 12 holes each, should be fun.

Until I can find some more references regarding the return rollers, I am not going to assemble them at this stage either.

Will you be producing a model which has all the 'inaccuracies' of the Tamiya kit ironed out?

I personally do this hobby for enjoyment, small bits that may not be 'perfect' I can live with.

I gather that there were about 330 KV2's produced maybe they were not all identical?

Look forward to this build.

Cheers

K

I am going to correct it as much as my references will allow.

I am getting back into enjoying this hobby.

330 sounds about right, that number also includes the U series pre production vehicles.

As for variation, happens all the time. Whilst researching for this build, I saw alot of KV 2 turrets that had visions ports in different locations on the upper hull, the pistol port seems to change location, the side ladders were in different spots. So variation on theme is very plausible.

Random trivia: The last KV 2 to see combat was in 1945 when it was used in defense of the Krupp plant in Essen against advancing American forces.

Edited May 26, 2014 by Crayons

[badger]

Watching with interest and love the random trivia fact - more please!

[Crayons]

Two photos of the hull tub. As you can see, all the points for the varying bits of tat for the motorization of the kit. Of note, the slot at the front of the hull needs to be filled as the piece from the kit that fits into that spot, A7 on the sprue is for the up-armoured KV 1 variants and not applicable for the KV 2 hull. Those feint outlines you can see on the hull, are locator lines for the applique armour added to the KV 1's. They need to be sanded off.

And drilling 144 0.7mm holes in the wheels, didn't take as long as I thought.

All the varying holes backed with styrene and ready to be filled. I don't see that it will be necessary to fill the ones on the underside of the hull as no one will ever see them, but I am going to anyway.

M

[Crayons]

Not an update, but I keep looking at this photo with awe. Of all the photo's and reference material I have of the KV 2, none better shows the tanks massive size than this picture.

[Crayons]

Small update:

The kit supplied return rollers are the correct pattern and have been assembled and the 12 x 0.6mm lightening holes drilled through each roller. The front tow hook mounts have been cut from the kit part (A7 on the sprue) and trimmed and glued to the hull. The kit part A7 is for the uparmoured KV 1 not the KV 2.

As I plan on only having one tow cable on the model, I have modified the kit part:

The tow eyes are the late model cast type. The kit cable was going to take to much effort to clean up so I replaced it with metal picture wire.

The kit drive sprockets and track are both in the bin. The drive sprockets are wrong beyond repair. They have 17 teeth instead of the correct 16. ModelKasten make two sets; sk-7 and sk-14 both will fit the Tamiya kit without alteration (must have replacement drive sprockets or both have wrong track pitch to fit the extra tooth) but they represent the narrower 650mm track not sure what other differences are between the two sets. Friulmodel make two sets for the KV series ATL-51 and ATL-54. ATL-51 is correct for the width of 700mm but they are the split link type and none of my references show or make mention of this type of track being used on the KV 2. ATL-54 is the narrower 650mm track with the 1942 pattern drive sprocket.

[Crayons]

Haven't had much time lately, real life keeps getting in the way.

Added the grease bolt to the idler wheels, which is missing on the kit parts.

After the carpet monster ate one of the kit mud scrapers I had to fashion a new one from brass and styrene.

[Crayons]

Some goodies arrived in the post for me, namely the Eduard PE set for the Tamiya KV-2 and the Aber M10S barrel.

The Eduard set is somewhat of a disappointment in so far as most of what you get is destined for the spares box or your KV-1 project. The brackets for the track guards are wrong (3 hollow 2 solid) they should all be hollow in section. What you get is more suited to a 1942 manufactured KV-1. You get a AA mount for the turret. The KV-2 did not have an AA mounting. The set has a few more short comings, but I will use what is accurate and spares box the rest. The Aber barrel is very nice. The rifling is crisp, the only thing I don't like about it is that there are two grooves around the barrel section, whilst it is accurate you have to look pretty damn hard to see the grooves on the barrel of the real vehicle. The end is also to large in diametre to fit into the hole in the Tamiya mantlet, nothing a drill can't fix though.

Onto the last two major hurdles for the hull.

Firstly, the return roller mounts are wrong, the kit represents them as cylindrical, they should taper down.

As soon as I get some time, a trip to my LHS is in order to pick up some styrene rod and turn some new mounts down on my lathe.

Secondly, the covers for the torsion arms should have 6 bolts not 3. I am thinking of just drilling three more holes into each cover and gluing in a piece of styrene to represent the bolt.

[Hamden]

Just found this - what an interesting project I'll tag along if you don't mind

You are really taking this old kit to another level a show stopper!

Roger

[Crayons]

Hamden, pull up a pew and welcome.

I had some time this afternoon to get a little more done on the hull, mainly the track tensioner.

The red box section is the part that I will be replacing, I have no details as to what the idler wheel side looks like so I will leave it as it is. You can't see that section anyway once the wheel is on and the track is in place. My replacement:

It measures 8mm long, The hex section is 2mm then it drops to 1.5mm each side.

[Crayons]

[Crayons]

Just returned home after working OS for the last few months.

Update: Before leaving, I put this kit into a box along with all the various photocopies of my reference material. At some point during my abscence, the lady that cleans the house has mistaken the box for nothing more than a box of rubbish and thrown it in the bin.

C'est la vie!

Time to start something else.

[Courageous]

C'est la vie! ...I'd be livid. A 'mans cave' is sanctuary. It was going so well...

[Hamden]

Not good after all your hard work todate!

Roger

[modelglue]

Cheers for the info Crayons, that pic is mighty! I have encuntered the careless cleaning personnel in my day as well, having lost many an antennae and props blade to the gentle dusting devices of said sanctum intruders.