ICM Soviet T-34-76 with Tank Riders. 1:35

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Soviet T-34-76 with Tank Riders

ICM 1:35

 

History

The T-34 was and remains a legend. It is not only the most produced tank of the WWII-era, with 84,000 built (compared to the 48,966 Shermans of all versions) but also one of the longest-serving tanks ever built. Many are still stored in depots in Asia and Africa, and some served actively during the 90’s (such as during the 1991-99 Yugoslavian war). They formed the backbone of countless armoured forces around the globe from the fifties to the eighties. The basic design was drawn for the first time in 1938 with the A-32, in turn partially derived from the BT-7M, a late evolution of the US-born Christie tank.

 

The first version of the T-34/76 came as a nasty surprise for the overconfident German troops in the fall of 1941, when it was first committed en masse. Not only were they able to cope with the mud and snow with their large tracks, but they came with a perfect combination of thick and highly sloped armour, efficient gun, good speed, autonomy and, above all, extreme sturdiness, reliability, ease of manufacturing and maintenance. While the T-34 did have a number of deficiencies, the T-34’s influence on the future designs and the concept of the main battle tank is unquestionable.

 

The Model

The model arrives in a strong box with a separate top sleeve with a nice artist’s representation of the tank and riders on the front. Inside, within a large poly bag, are five sprues and two hull parts of green styrene and, four lengths of tracks, there is also a sprue of light brown styrene, for the tank riders, and a smallish decal sheet. On initial inspection the parts are really well moulded, clean, with no sign of flash.  There are a number of moulding pips, some of which are on quite fragile looking parts, so care should be taken when removing.  The sprue gates attaching some items like are also quite heavy and I can see these parts breaking if not careful. 

 

 

 

The build begins with the fitting of the engine cover onto the rear decking, and the bow machine gun, armoured tear drop, mantle and ball. The two intake covers are then assembled and also fitted to the rear deck.  The two piece bow mounted machine gun is then assembled and slide into the ball of the mounting, being glued such that it is still moveable, whilst there are four plates that are fitted to the underside of the rear decking. The drivers hatch is made up form four parts before being glued into position. Back aft, the rear bulkhead is attached, followed by the radiator cover.

 

 

Inside the lower hull section the eight suspension boxes are fitted, four per side as are the two driver’s control sticks, whilst the rear mudguards are fitted to the rear. On the outside the driver gearbox covers are fitted, as are the five axles on their torsion beam suspension arms and the idler axles. The drivers are machine gunners seats, each made from six parts are glued in their appropriate positions and the two hull halves joined together. Each of the idler wheels, drive sprockets and road wheels are made from two parts before being fitted to their respective axles. The four towing hooks are then attached, two at the front and two aft. The upper hull is then fitted out with grab handles, stowage beams and a couple of smaller hooks. Each of the two halves of rubber track lengths are joined together and slide of the wheels.

 

 

While there isn’t really any interior, ICM have allowed for the fact that some modellers like to have the hatches open, to that effect there is some semblance of interior parts. The main gun breech is made up form twelve parts, and although relatively simple, does look quite effective.  On the outside of the turret the mantlet and fixed section of the mantlet cover are fitted, the breech assembly is then glued to the mantlet from the inside and the lower turret, including the turret ring is glued into place. The moving section of the mantlet cover is then attached, along with the machine gun muzzle. The three piece mantlet extension and  two piece main gun is then fitted, along with the five piece cupola, gunners hatch, grab handles, ventilator dome, viewing block and top armour plate for the mantlet. There are more stowage bars, periscope sights, lifting eyes and viewing blocks fitted to the turret before the whole assembly is fitted to the upper hull.

 

 

 

Final assembly includes the four, four piece fuel drums, each with two cradles, spare track links, stowage boxes and aerial base. There is a four piece folded tarpaulin, (in place of one of the fuel drums), another stowage box, two more track links headlight, horn, two towing cables and a large saw attached before the model can be declares complete.

 

 

Normally this is where the build stops, but with this kit you also get four tank riders, as they were used to protect the tanks, particularly with the Germans introducing the Panzerfaust and also ease their journey from one place to the other. This set of four figures depicts the riders as alert and ready for danger, hunkering down slightly with their eyes front (at least in the boxtop shot), and weapons at the ready. They are dressed in the familiar quilted uniform seem during this period, with the typical fur hat with ear-flaps tied over the top and a depiction of the red star on the front.  Three are armed with the PPSh-41, while the remainder has the smaller PPS with curved magazine, which was a cheap alternative to the more expensive and robust PPSh, and typically used in vehicles as a personal defence weapon.  Each soldier is provided with a crude day sack, equipment and magazine pouches and a drinking bottle, but none carry a sidearm in case of weapons malfunction.

 

 

The figures are all broken down as torso, two separate legs and arms, separate heads and hats, and all the pouches.  Even the PPSh-41s have separate drum magazines for ease of moulding.  Sculpting on the figures is excellent, with different faces on each head, and subtle differences between the figures, such as medals adorning the chests of three of the figures.  Construction is so simple that it is ignored, relying on the painting guide having all the information you need such as part numbers, and that a picture speaks a thousand words.  Colours are called out in red letters in boxes, which corresponds to a table on the flip side, giving names for the colours as well as Revell and Tamiya paint codes.

 

Decals

The decal sheet provides six options for tanks that each served in 1944.  All of the tanks are in all over green, two with slogans on the turret, the rest with just numbers and/or badges. The choices are:-

 

• A T-34, 24th Tank Regiment, 46th Mechanised Brigade, Byelrussia. July 1944
• A T-34 18th Guards Tank Brigade, 3rd Guards Tank Corps, Byelrussia, July 1944
• A T-34 Sevastepol, May 1944
• A T-34 of an undesignated unit, from the Summer of 1944.
• A T-34, 4th Guards Mechanized Corps, Romania, August 1944
• A T-34, 10th Guards Ural Tank Corps, Ukraine, Summer 1944.

 

Conclusion

This is another nice kit from ICM. Although not the most complicated of tank kits it does look the part is would make a nice, relaxing weekend build. The addition of the tank riders is a very nice touch, and they don’t necessarily have to be used with this kit, so they have more potential. Just a shame that the tracks let the kit down, either go full rubber band or even link and length styrene, but the method chosen for these is definitely a step backward.

 

Review sample courtesy of