MiniArt T-55A Late Mod. 1965 (37023) 1:35

**Mike** · August 9, 2018

T-55A Late Mod. 1965 (37023)

1:35 MiniArt

The T-54's gestation and transformation into the T-55 was long-winded and complicated by constant changes to an as yet unsatisfactory performing vehicle, which began at early as the end of WWII. Production of the T-54-1 was halted due to production and quality issues, and recommenced as the re-designed T-54-2, with the turret design changed to closer resemble the eventual domed shape of the T-55. The -2 didn't last all that long before the -3 replaced it, and the requirement for survival of tactical nuclear blasts led to the eventual introduction of the similar looking, but significantly different T-55 that we know so well.

As the heavy tank fell out of favour, the T-55 became part of the burgeoning Main Battle Tank movement, with thousands of them being produced over the years in various guises. In the early 60s the T-55A was developed, providing more adequate NBC protection that required a lengthening of the hull and coincidentally added anti-spall protection for the crew. It also sounded the death-knell of the bow-mounted machine gun, which was removed to improve ammo storage, and hasn't been seen on MBTs for decades now.

The Kit

This partial new tool is from the extensive MiniArt line of T-54 and T-55s that they've been working on for some time now. We reviewed (amongst others) their Full Interior kit of the early Mod. of this type in March of this year here, and that was a huge sprue-fest due to the modular moulding techniques and the fact that it was presenting a full interior, even including the engine compartment, so is a staggering kit! This kit doesn't provide the interior but has its own fairly large quantity of sprues, some of which it shares with its sibling, which extends beyond the larger sprues into a lot of the smaller ones too. I've taken the liberty of pinching the shared sprue pics where I can, and taken new ones for the new ones, or sprues that were bundled with interior parts in the last review. The use of the smaller sprues for repeated parts is efficient because many can be reused, and it helps to keep tooling costs reasonable, so we see more kits of similar subjects.

The kit arrives in a standard top-opening box, wrapped in cellophane to protect it from prying eyes and damage on its way to you. Inside are two bags that hold the large and small sprues, and these spill out with great gusto when you open them. There are an eye-watering 74 sprues in grey styrene, one of clear parts, a sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, a decal sheet, and of course the instructions. Why so many sprues? Some of them are small and only carry 4 parts each, with for example there are 16 with the individual track-links, 10 for the wheels, and so forth. It soon adds up.

It will come as no surprise that the detail is excellent, and there are options for the minor variations that occurred between units, such as two types of fuel tanks and tool boxes, the rain cover for the driver in the stowed or deployed position, and fittings for the deep wading and mine plough attachments, although these aren't supplied in the box, but vehicles were fitted with them wore the attachment points at all times. The individual track links are workable, which should make their installation easier when the time comes.

The lower hull pan is decked out with the suspension mounts and hatches firstly, with the torsion bars and swing-arms added through the holes along with the ancillary suspension parts, and the optional mine roller mounts on the lower glacis. Additional suspension parts are glued to the outer hull sides, and the inner sides are slotted into place on their backside. Although there is no interior, glimpses of these parts may still be seen through any open hatches. The sides are held in place by tabs on the lower, with a similar method holding the rear lower bulkhead, and two internal bulkheads giving the hull a bit more stiffness. The upper glacis is festooned with light clusters and more plough mounts, as well as the bow-wave baffle in either plastic or PE, with a pair of clear vision blocks added to the area above the driver's position. Road wheels are built up in pairs with separate hub caps, plus the idler and drive sprockets at each end, the former held out past the side of the hull on an adjustable axle that is moved to correct track tension on the real thing. Each wheel set is pegged onto the swing-arms, and can be left mobile with careful use of the glue. At this stage the first part of the upper hull is added in the shape of the turret ring, which overhangs the hull sides, and has small inserts fitted before it is cemented in place.

The engine deck is made up in segments, one each for the main grilles, intake box, and the round-down toward the rear bulkhead. The main vents have PE mesh fitted, and the intakes have a set of PE louvers on a frame over a mesh installed later on, after they have been glued onto the hull along with the aforementioned rear bulkhead. The forward section has a number of access hatches moulded-in, and this is last to be fitted just behind the turret opening. With the majority of the hull done, attention shifts to the fenders, which are both loaded with equipment before they are fitted to the hull on long tabs. A choice of early and late fuel tanks, a host of pioneer tools, two types of stowage box, a number of PE detail parts and the exhaust trunk are all fitted along the way.

Tracks. Love 'em or loath them, it's usually a necessity for a main battle tank. MiniArt have done some work on simplifying their construction here, and it seems to have paid off, at least partially. The track links are individual, as already mentioned, with separate pins that attach the parts together. Each link has three sprue gates that are easily cut and sanded away, while the tiny pins are cut from their sprues with a teardrop-shaped "handle" part of the sprue left attached. The pins are meant to friction-fit into the holes in the links, but in practice I had a few fall out during my brief experimental build of a couple of links, which I think could be remedied by brushing a tiny amount of liquid glue on the tip of each pin before insertion. If done with a dry(ish) brush, this should soak into the pin and not the pin through which it passes first, and shouldn't lock the links solid. I did another quick experiment, and it seems to work, but I could feel a little resistance when first moving the links, suggesting that a tiny bit of glue seeped in between the links despite my efforts. Once mobilised however, they stayed mobile, so this may still be a decent solution. With them pushed or glued in place, the teardrop handle can be cut off with a sharp blade, leaving the flat end of the track pin visible. The unditching beam, additional fuel drums, their PE bands and even a small number of PE bolt heads are fixed to the rear, and the towing cables are draped over the rear, the cable for which you must supply yourself, using some braided wire or fibre with the supplied styrene eyes.

Even though this isn't marketed as an "Interior Kit", some parts of the interior are included, which applies mostly to the turret, which has the main breech parts, periscope and sighting gear within, the top hatch, vision blocks (with PE armour) and optional hatch-mounted search light on the outside. The main searchlight is mounted to the side of the barrel, and can be covered up for daytime operation, as can the hatch-mounted light. The mantlet can be depicted with a protective canvas bag around it, or bare, both of which are added to the model before the slide-moulded barrel is fitted through the aperture. The bag has a PE ring round the barrel, and four lengths of PE that clamp it to the turret on the real thing, with more PE used to depict straps on the rolled tarpaulin stowed on the rear of the turret. The commander's cupola is up-armoured with an appliqué part before his hatch is installed, and the driver's rain-hood is made up flat or erected, depending on whether you plan on using it. If it is stowed, it slings off the tarp on the back of the hood using another PE strap. The completed turret is then placed in the ring, and twisted to lock in the two bayonet lugs that hold it in place.

Markings

Eight markings options are supplied with the kit, with variations on the green or sand theme, depending on where and when they were deployed. From the box you can build one of the following:

Macedonian Army 1999-2001
Northern Alliance Forces, Afghanistan, Autumn 2001
Taliban Units, Afghanistan 2001
Northern Alliance Forces, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, Dec 2003
Soviet Army 60-70s
55th Marine Infantry Division, Pacific Fleet of the Soviet Navy, Ethiopia 1980
Soviet Army 70-80s
Ethiopia's Army "Ogaden War" 1977

Quite a selection, and the decal sheet is printed by MiniArt's usual collaborator, Decograph from the Ukraine. The decals have good register, sharpness and colour density, with a set of excellent lightfast yellow circles for the Ethiopian option.

Conclusion

Another winner from MiniArt in their ever expanding range of T-54/55 kits. If you feel like tackling the full interior verion, look for the product code 37022 instead.

Review sample courtesy of