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Takom 1:35 T-55A


Tiger331

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HEALTH WARNING !

 

I do not profess to be an expert on any armor subjects - the vast majority of my interest in in aircraft (shock, horror) - so please take my comments below at face value and with this fact very much in mind. I am in no way able to comment on the accuracy etc of this new kit.

 

I have had a previous 'association' with mid-1990s era armour from the Former Yugoslavia, having done several tours in the Balkans. I was, therefore, very tempted by the recent Takom release of the T-55A particularly since the box top features 'Marina' a Croatian Army HRV T-55 from the civil war period. Some years ago I had purchased the excellent Tamiya kit and was very keen to make a comparison with the 'new kid on the block'. I have been very impressed with the contents of the Takom box but have already hit a few issues which I thought I would share with you, just in case I have missed something.

 

The box top lists an impressive range of features of the kit including the option to build a model with damaged or undamaged wheels - I cannot, however, find any reference (in the instructions) as to how this is done, or any alternative parts in the kit itself. Does anyone know if this is perhaps a feature that Takom have overlooked between initial concept and delivery or am I missing something ?. I have also noticed that the lettering/numbering on the decal sheet is in black yet most of the colour schemes show the numbers/letters in white.

 

The kit provides a commendable number of optional parts for the five colour schemes/variants included but I personally find the instructions confusing and not so clear, particularly for someone that is not so familiar with the sub-variants. They do highlight optional configurations but unfortunately these are not cross-indexed to the actual options featured. If it was a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, I would have little problem but here I am struggling. I dare say I will be able to piece together (pardon the pun !) the various parts/configurations necessary for the Croatian option but I think Takom could have made the job easier.

 

None of this will put me off building this kit. I really like the effort to reproduce the very distinctive fuel cells and their associated piping and the inclusion of some wire to replicate the tow cables as two examples where this kit appears to score over the Tamiya kit.

 

I would welcome any views from the armour experts out there however !   

 

      

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The 'damaged' and 'undamaged' wheel options where always a bit of a mystery as, like you say, they're not mentioned in the instructions. When I reviewed the kit I put it down to the option to leave the hubcaps off, and expose the bearing detail underneath.

Speaking of the wheels in general though, the moulded reinforcing ribs on the tyres are a bit too prominent, and need some sanding down. You could also gouge a few chunks out of the tyre to show some wear and tear.

There are a few photos online of the real Marina, and they'd be your best bet for cross checking the detail options.

 

Andy

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The T-55 is a pretty complex subject TBH.....I consider myself a Trackhead, but the intricacies of the various subvariants (and manufacturers thereof) are still something of a mystery to me too. :S

 

Any recommendations for a comprehensive book on the type.....Something like 'T-34 - Mythical Weapon' but covering the T-44/54/55 would be what I'm after.  :pray:

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I have no idea about the intricacies of the T-55 series unfortunately but you could always contact Takom directly to clear anything up ,issues like the number colour on the decals may have been an error that is now corrected ? I don't know about that though .

They do however have excellent customer service , far superior to the non existent service from the likes of Trumpeter/hobby boss .

just my 2p .

 

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  • 4 months later...

Missed this, you're probably done by now! The problem with T-55's is that they were built by Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland and China (might be missing others?...), each with there own little changes. 'Marina' for example is a Polish built T-55 and should have a Polish engine deck, which I believe is not in the kit (?). Here is a good walk-around of a Polish built T-55: http://www.hrcappuccino.org/articles/okohodac/T-55.htm

If you're on Facebook the T-54 and T-55 Research Group is a good place to check out.

 

Jim

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20 hours ago, AndrewCJ50 said:

The best book on T-54/55 details comes from our Czech friends at WWP

 

 

You mean those two?

 

While they're excellent, they do not cover everything.

 

wwp_t-11.jpgwwp_t-10.jpg

 

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