T-34/122.

[Bullbasket]

This is my entry for the T34 GB, and hopefully I will complete it in time. This is the first RFM kit that I have built and first impressions are very favourable. Some of the engineering has been done in a helpful way such as the tyres being separate from the wheels, which will make painting much easier. RFM give you three different options for wheel types, but it doesn’t give any indication as to which one of the three vehicles depicted in the painting instructions that these apply to. The mouldings appear to be very crisp, and the kit includes a small etched brass sheet. There are no decals with this kit as it seems that the real thing carried no markings, so that stage should be easy! Disappointingly, there is no metal barrel. It’s moulded in two halves so that will involve the usual problems of getting rid of the joint line. One thing that the jury is still out on though is the dust cover for the mantlet; it’s rubber! We’ll have to see how that works out.

A (very) small bit of history. This was gleaned from the internet. The vehicle was known as the T-34/122 in the West, but in Egypt it was known as the Abu Zabaal T-122, after the area in Cairo where it was fabricated. In total, 30 of these were converted from T-34/85 hulls and 12 of them survived into the 1980/90s, mainly in training roles and as targets. There are believed to be 2 maybe 3 of them left in the world today.

They served mainly in the anti tank roll, and apart from the hull, weren’t heavily armoured. In fact, most of the turret seems to be made from thin plate and contained several hatches.

 

As soon as I've got something worth showing, I'll post it.

 

John.

[Foxbat]

I looked at a couple of kits like this for my entry but I know what I'm like and it would never have been finished. Glad you have grasped the nettle and I look forward to seeing this come together.

 

Andy

[Robert Stuart]

Sounds good - and a bit of a change from the mainly WWII builds that I anticipate here.

[modelling minion]

Now that's nice and different, I like it!

[PlaStix]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

Now that's nice and different, I like it!

Hi John. Hope you are well. Got to agree with Craig on this one - I have never seen this before! Very cool!

Kind regards,

Stix

[SleeperService]

Looks like the Egyptians saw the Charioteer and thought 'We can improve on that, bigger gun, less armour and even dodgier styling'. We're certainly seeing a variety of builds here.

[Bullbasket]

Thanks for the comments. I've been spending too much time on my 1/48th IDF Sherman, but I've made a start on the T34/122.

The Build.

First job was to assemble all of the suspension boxes and swing arms.

 

This is where it's at, at the moment. Not a lot to show, but I'm waiting for my M1 Sherman to get to the point where I can start painting, and then I will do this one and the Sherman as well as the Tiran 4.

 

John.

[fatfingers]

Aye up John.

 

That looks a rather nice kit. Will watch this with great interest.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

[SleeperService]

16 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

Not a lot to show....

Hey it's a start which is further than many of my projects get

Seems like you're very organised which is good.

[Bullbasket]

1 hour ago, SleeperService said:

Seems like you're very organised which is good.

I showed that bit to my wife.......she stopped laughing......eventually!

 

John.

[PlaStix]

Good to see your build underway John.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Bullbasket]

Just to prove that I’ve not been sitting on my bahookie doing nothing, this is where I’m up to with this build. I’ve assembled most of the upper hull, but not as the instructions would have you do. Items such as the driver’s hatch, I’ve glued shut, so therefore didn’t bother with all of the details on the inside face. RFM have made it so that the hatch can be opened, but if I want to get this build finished before the deadline, I’m dispensing with the inner details.

One problem that I hit though was using a pair of side cutters to remove the upper hull from the sprue. This caused a bit of damage, so to get around it, I removed the lip that runs down the left hand track guard, with a chisel blade, and replaced it with a strip of 10x40.

 

Most of the items have been added to the upper hull. There are no positive location points for many of the items, just slight raised marks on the hull, so basically, most parts are butt joined.

I also found the instructions to be a little bit ambiguous in places. There are several alternative parts, such as the front track guards, but there is no indication as to which of the three alternatives in the paint section, that these apply to.

Another ambiguity was the way that the fuel tanks are assembled. Anyone building this kit, needs to be aware of how they are assembled with their mounting brackets. It was partly my fault, as I should have paid more attention. I didn’t, and the result is that the mounting brackets of two of them, are on the wrong way round!

 

Trying to fit the rear hull plate proved to be a bit of a PITA, as the hull was a little bit warped. But a clamp and some masking tape sorted that out.

 

So, it's finally moving along. Just a few more bits to add and then I can join the upper and lower hulls together, and then move onto the turret.

Thanks for looking.

 

John.

[PlaStix]

Hi John. Hope you are well. As usual you are really knocking this kit into shape! It's looking rather good! 

Kind regards,

Stix

[Bullbasket]

Hi Stix, Yes, thank you, I'm well, and I trust that you and Mrs. Stix are well also. Thanks for the comment. I'm going to try and finish this one before I take a break from model building. I have a new project. I'm hoping to construct a new model room on the site of the barn that came crashing down in the gales in November and January. If it all comes to fruition, I should end up with a room approximately 2.5mX6m. But as I say, it'll be a long project.

 

John.