Mig Eater Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 (edited) My contribution to the GB will an T-55 variant made by the Cuban army, which removed the normal turret and replaces it with a S-75 Dvina (aka SA-2 Guideline) anti-aircraft missile launcher. It was first seen during a military parade in 2006 & nearly all of the photos I can find are from this one event. There is very little information known about this modification, even the official name is a mystery, it has been refereed to as several different things online such as the T-55/S-75, T-55/SM-90 or the T-55/SA-2. For this build I'll be combining Trumpeter's T-54B & SA-2 kits along with a set of Miniart's RMSh tracks & various small scratch built/3D printed parts. This will be my fourth GB here & so far out of the other three I've only managed to complete one of them! (Note to self: must finish the T92 HMC) This shouldn't be a very complex build so hopefully I can get this one finished in time 😛 Edited October 17, 2019 by Mig Eater 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 Great to see you here Mig Eater, with what looks to be another fascinating project. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 1 hour ago, Mig Eater said: Note to self: must finish the T92 HMC) I was going to ask you how thats been going ? You can have the thread transferred from the Patton group build to Armor by asking a moderator via P/M or flagging it and asking them to movie it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted October 16, 2019 Author Share Posted October 16, 2019 I haven't really made any more progress with the T92 since my last update, I kinda run out of energy for the project once the GB was over. Once this build is finished I'm going to try & get back into it though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arniec Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 That is a great subject to do. I will watch this with interest. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted October 17, 2019 Share Posted October 17, 2019 This really is something different, will watch with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenoz Posted October 17, 2019 Share Posted October 17, 2019 Nice exotic one... enjoy this one... The work you did on the T92 (which I'd love to see finished) raises a bit of the expectations for this one (no pressure) concerning the changed parts. The T-54/T-55 range of Trumpeter is basic, but still builds as a descent model, with exception if you want to build it very detailed. Still waiting on the Hobby Boss one in 1/72 for my own go at this. Recently bought the Planet models version of the SA-2 (for a Vietnam club-build), but that one has so many errors at the launcher part.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted October 17, 2019 Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 (edited) Zebrano have produced a 1/72 kit of this tank, there is also a 1/87 kit by SDV Models too, both are very rare & out of production though. If you do a google search for this tank there are just as many pictures of these model kits as there are of the real thing though 😛 https://www.scalemates.com/kits/zebrano-72020-75-55--139613# The main changes I'll be making to the kit for my build will be the squared off fenders, the frame supports on the front plate & the cable laying drums on the rear. I'm not to bothered about fixing or improving the details on the Trumpeter kits much, I want this to be a fun & simple but still interesting build. BTW I haven't completely decided on what colour scheme to use yet, one of the few pictures not from the 2006 parade show it in a lot more vibrant red, yellow & green scheme. I believe this is from an earlier military inspection/demonstration of new equipment on a base. I'm also thinking of being somewhat lazy & just painting it in standard soviet green for the tank & light grey for the missile though. Which is what it would probably look like operationally, the other two colour schemes being "parade" colours etc. Edited October 17, 2019 by Mig Eater 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 (edited) I've made a preliminary start on the build, I tested the MiniArt tracks on the Trumpeter drive sprockets & found that they dont fit! The sprockets seem to be oversized & have the wrong shaped teeth so I doubt that any after-market tracks would fit. MiniArt make a set of sprockets & wheels but this was meant to be a cheap project so I dont want to buy any more after-market parts for it. So I'll have to design & 3D print some new sprocket instead, my printer is broken though (I accidentally damaged the UV screen) & I'm currently waiting for new parts to arrive, so the sprocket will have to wait a week or two. As I've been looking over the rest of the kit things seemed a bit off, so after some research I found the the size of the hull is all wrong & it would require some major surgery to fix! I knew the kit had some accuracy issues but I wasn't aware it was this bad (should have just got the MiniArt T-55!). So I'm now mulling over if I'm going to just ignore the size problems or get my hacksaw out... Edited October 22, 2019 by Mig Eater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vppelt68 Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Awesome project and must be huge in size! Nobody would notice if there´d be something wrong in that tank hull as all eyes will be drawn to that bloody big missile! V-P 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenoz Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 I would suppose the sprocket wheels are different compared to RMSH- (external pins over the sprocket wheel) or OMSH-tracks (sprocket wheel grips in openings in the tracks.) The Trumpeter kit was made with a electric motor inside initially.. hence the hull discrepancies. To give an idea about these: http://www.kitreview.com/reviews/t55model1958reviewcs_1.htm http://www.missing-lynx.com/reviews/modern/trumpt55.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 Hmm yes some further research showed that OMSH use 13 teeth sprocket & RMSH 14 but are pretty similar otherwise, well either way I need new sprockets :P The main problem with the tank's hull is the width, while the overall size is correct the fenders are 2mm to wide on each side & the hull 4mm to thin. It would require cutting the hull down the centre line & then widening it, along with also trimming down the fenders. The hull is also about 4-5mm to tall too, which would also require some large cuts & modifications. Takom Vs Trumpeter You know I normally build what-if projects with all sorts of disproportioned & inaccurate stuff which I never really care much about, but for some reason this T-54 kit is really bugging me >.> While I ponder if it's worth all the extra time & effort to fix I'll start work on the missile launcher, maybe once I get it test fitted on the hull I wont care much about the size issues like vppelt said. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hewy Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 I wondered why they were going for cheap on the bay,now it's quite clear 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 Hi Mig Eater. Did you manage to get anything done on the missile launcher? Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 I've finished putting the launcher & missile together. It's a pretty simple build with one sprue for the missile, one for the launcher & another for the pad, which I wont be using. The rail & the base of the launcher is just dry fitted together at the moment, have to decide on if I want to have the missile in the launching or transport position, as it wont be moveable once glued together. I decided not to cut up and fix the T-54 hull, I feel like it's a lot of work & could start me on a slippery slope with me turning this quick OOB build into a long project where I end up replacing half the kit with new parts... In other news I took my 3D printer apart today & replaced the broken LED screen, so I can start work on designing & printing the new sprockets now. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Very impressive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Coming together very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Ooh....now that's looking impressive! Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenoz Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Impressive dryfit and excellent choice with regards to the necessary alterations to the kit hull... better to start from a total other kit then trying to convert this one. It looks like a T-55, that's the most important thing... lately this beauty arrived (now only in 1/35...): Would make a great pair... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted October 30, 2019 Author Share Posted October 30, 2019 I found a 3D model of a T-72 online that has nicely detailed sprockets, this saves me several days of work making my own one. I'm going to try printing it in one piece first, but I can see a few areas that could be a problem so it might not work, if so I'll need to cut it up & print it in several parts. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 On 10/29/2019 at 12:38 PM, Mig Eater said: have to decide on if I want to have the missile in the launching or transport position, as it wont be moveable once glued together. I suggest the raised position, it will reduce the space this occupies for sitting on a desk or shelf. If in the transport position it may take up much more space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted October 30, 2019 Author Share Posted October 30, 2019 I didn't think about that! The travel mode might be too long to fit in my display cabinet, however it might be to tall in the launching position as well 😛 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Now thats an issue I've not seen before ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Hi Mig Eater. Just checking if you have chance to do anything on this project yet? Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted November 26, 2019 Author Share Posted November 26, 2019 I was knocked out with flu for three weeks so I haven't made much more progress 🤧 yesterday was actually my first day back at the bench. I made a start with putting the T-54 hull together & it made me wish I was still ill! The fit of the upper & lower hull is terrible with gaps that need to be filled on every edge, the largest being a 1-2mm gap between the rear & top parts that I'll need to fill with plastic card. There are both raised & recessed injection pin marks, as well as lot of unused locating holes for the various parts used in the different variants of this kit all across the fenders that I spent most of yesterday dealing with. The 3D printed sprockets are done though, I'm looking forward to putting the workable tracks together which unlike the hull should be a relatively simple job 😛 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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