Antoine Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks, that's kind of you. But you mean exeptionaly funny, with those eyes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Those heads look great Antoine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordfish fairey Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Hi, great build so far. I built the Zvezda kit of this tank about 10 years ago and enjoyed the build very much. Keep up the good work.......Tony Edited January 13, 2012 by swordfish fairey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Is it me, or do the tracks and that odd shaped bow where the driver sits remind anyone else of the Renault FT-17? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 I think it's you. There maybe some similarities, but we're quite far from the Renault product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Oh of course, but I stand by what I said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordfish fairey Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 I think I can see where you're coming from, there is a bit of a similar look to them around the front end......Tony [/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Nice-looking build, Antoine! The BT-7 wasn't a bad little tank, fast and manoeuvrable enough, but outdated by 1941. I believe the suspension was derived from the American Christie suspension, which was also used on the T-34. I suppose you could think of the T-34 as being its big brother. Regards, Jason Edited January 18, 2012 by Learstang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne rc Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Nice-looking build, Antoine! The BT-7 wasn't a bad little tank, fast and manoeuvrable enough, but outdated by 1941. I believe the suspension was derived from the American Christie suspension, which was also used on the T-34. I suppose you could think of the T-34 as being it's big brother.Regards, Jason Spot on Jason, the US Army turned Christie's idea down, despite a very impressive sales pitch, there exists some amazing trials footage of Christie's chassis in high speed tests leaping over obstacles like at a monster truck derby..... The BT 5 and 7 look very like the US version, the Soviets who were quite 'avant garde' when it came to military ideas totally bought the concept of a fast tank, Christie also started the Russians on the road to sloping armour..... So with the Christie suspension that has long verticle springs for each swinging arm and is much better for absorbing the shock of high speed (well ! 45 mph) and the sloped glacis it really is in fact the Daddy of the T 34 and all Russian medium Tanks since...... The Brits used the Christie suspension on the earlier cruiser tanks and the Crusader, Covenanter, Cromwell, Challenger etc..... The Renault on the other hand is the 'daddy' of ALL modern tanks...ie it's the first tank with a traversing turret up top.... Tank family trees..... A massive subject in its own right, By the way that Zvezda BT,very neat job.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 The diorama looks good, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahlberto Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Niçe work.I will fallow this BT-7 to see him finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmac Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Hi I believe one of the other unique features of this tank is that with the tracks removed it can still go along on its road wheels. Not sure where the power would come from to do this. Maybe the front set of road wheels are driven. Sold my old version of this kit, I think it was Italeri's or maybe Eastern Express, to buy the Tamiya one you are building. Glad I did , its a well engineered kit. Good luck with yours. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 HiI believe one of the other unique features of this tank is that with the tracks removed it can still go along on its road wheels. Not sure where the power would come from to do this. Maybe the front set of road wheels are driven. Sold my old version of this kit, I think it was Italeri's or maybe Eastern Express, to buy the Tamiya one you are building. Glad I did , its a well engineered kit. Good luck with yours. Alan Alan, you're correct about the original Christie design - it was designed to be convertible with the rubber-rimmed road wheels being designed to work without the tracks, thereby essentially turning it into an armoured car. I don't think this was done with the T-34 (it might have been a bit too heavy for going on the road wheels alone) but it may have been done on the BT-7. That's a good question about which wheels were powered. I'm sure some of the "trackheads" ("treadheads"?) here can answer that - I'm more of a "prophead" myself (although I do like armour, especially Soviet armour). Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted January 19, 2012 Author Share Posted January 19, 2012 It's been done on the BT-7 also. The front wheels are steerable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Very nice, I like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 One and only picture, just to show you what I was after those last days. You'll have understand it, the progress margin is ENORMOUS! I've had my share of accidents, among them a varnish session turning the figs into white creatures, and other things like that. I'll try to finish them quickly now, only some small alterations and that will be enough, time to do something else. Sorry for the lack of step by step pics, but with all those coming back and forth, they would have been useless. but the compensation for this mediocre result, there are numerous profits. They were my first figs, it's a big step forward, and I've learned a lot. I'll try some more in the future, certainly from tamiya for a start, then some finer plastic or resin brand. And maybe latter conversions, or creations? We'll see. Enter the clowns! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Looking good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Better than I can do at that scale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce3371 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I believe one of the other unique features of this tank is that with the tracks removed it can still go along on its road wheels. Not sure where the power would come from to do this. Alan, you're correct about the original Christie design - it was designed to be convertible with the rubber-rimmed road wheels being designed to work without the tracks, thereby essentially turning it into an armoured car. I don't think this was done with the T-34 (it might have been a bit too heavy for going on the road wheels alone) but it may have been done on the BT-7. That's a good question about which wheels were powered. I'm sure some of the "trackheads" ("treadheads"?) here can answer that - I'm more of a "prophead" myself (although I do like armour, especially Soviet armour). The rear pair of road wheels were chain driven from the drive spockets (the chain drive being hidden between the inner and outer layers of armour, just like the suspension), whilst the front pair were steerable. The BT-7, I think, tended not to run on its road wheels, because it had fuel tanks on the side skirts, thus leaving nowhere to stow the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Looking great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 The rear pair of road wheels were chain driven from the drive spockets (the chain drive being hidden between the inner and outer layers of armour, just like the suspension), whilst the front pair were steerable.The BT-7, I think, tended not to run on its road wheels, because it had fuel tanks on the side skirts, thus leaving nowhere to stow the track. Thank you for the information, Bruce! I think the main attraction of the Christie suspension was not the convertibility option, but just that it was a good suspension for fast tanks. I always thought it odd that the United States never adopted it. On the other end of the spectrum from the BT-7 I was just reading about the German "Landkreuzer" or "Ratte", which was so huge it was impracticable (below you can see it compared to a Maus and Tiger). Still it would make an interesting model in 1/72nd scale. Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce3371 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Thank you for the information, Bruce! I think the main attraction of the Christie suspension was not the convertibility option, but just that it was a good suspension for fast tanks. I always thought it odd that the United States never adopted it. On the other end of the spectrum from the BT-7 I was just reading about the German "Landkreuzer" or "Ratte", which was so huge it was impracticable (below you can see it compared to a Maus and Tiger). Still it would make an interesting model in 1/72nd scale.Regards, Jason According to one source I've read, Christie's personality is what put the U.S. off adopting his designs. He wouldn't just stick to one design, he kept on coming up with newer, 'better' designs. In the end the U.S. Army just got so infuriated with him that they abandoned him and his designs. (Source; 'Tank vs. Tank', by Kenneth Macksey). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antoine Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 Better than I can do at that scale I'm not so sure. What about a tamiya figs GB, just to see what can be done with them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce3371 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Thank you for the information, Bruce! I think the main attraction of the Christie suspension was not the convertibility option, but just that it was a good suspension for fast tanks. I always thought it odd that the United States never adopted it. On the other end of the spectrum from the BT-7 I was just reading about the German "Landkreuzer" or "Ratte", which was so huge it was impracticable (below you can see it compared to a Maus and Tiger). Still it would make an interesting model in 1/72nd scale.Regards, Jason Sorry for the late reply, and for continuing this, but I did some more research and found the real reason why the BT-7 didn't run on its wheels. Simply put, there wasn't enough paved roads in Russia to make it practical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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