In Box Review of Commander Series Models 1/35th Scale Soviet T-34 Zavod Turret
Resin Conversion Kit no.2-013
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: Unknown (at least 20 years ago).
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: Unknown (at least 20 years ago).
HISTORY:
The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank from World War II. When introduced, its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was more powerful than its contemporaries, and its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against anti-tank weapons. The T-34 had a profound effect on the conflict on the Eastern Front, and had a long-lasting impact on tank design.
The tank was praised by multiple German generals when encountered during Operation Barbarossa, although its armour and armament were surpassed later in the war.
Though, its main strength was its cost and production time, meaning that German panzer forces would often fight against Soviet tank forces several times their size. The T-34 is also a critical part of the mechanized divisions that form the backbone of the Deep Battle Strategy.
The T-34 was the mainstay of the Soviet Red Army armoured forces throughout the war. Its general specifications remained nearly unchanged until early 1944, when it received a firepower upgrade with the introduction of the greatly improved T-34-85 variant.
Its production method was continuously refined and rationalized to meet the needs of the Eastern Front, making the T-34 quicker and cheaper to produce. The Soviets ultimately built over 80,000 T-34s of all variants, allowing steadily greater numbers to be fielded despite the loss of tens of thousands in combat against the German Wehrmacht. Replacing many light and medium tanks in Red Army service, it was the most-produced tank of the war, as well as the second most-produced tank of all time (after its successor, the T-54/T-55 series).
With 44,900 lost during the war, it also suffered the most tank losses ever. Its development led directly to the T-44, then the T-54 and T-55 series of tanks, which in turn evolved into the later T-62, that form the armoured core of many modern armies. T-34 variants were widely exported after World War II, and as recently as 2010 more than 130 were still in service.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service: 1940–present
Used by: Soviet Union and 39 others
Wars: World War II, Korean War, East German uprising of 1953, Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Bay of Pigs Invasion, Vietnam War, Suez Crisis, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, 1974 Cypriot coup d'état, Turkish invasion of Cyprus, thiopyran Civil War, Angolan Civil War, Ogaden War, Vietnamese invasion of Kampuchea, Sino-Vietnamese War, Soviet–Afghan War, Iran-Iraq War, Yugoslav Wars, Houthi takeover in Yemen, Syrian Civil War, War in Donbass.
Designer: KhMDB
Designed: 1937–1940
Unit cost: 3,094–9,000 Man hours, 130,000–429,000 Rbls
Produced: 1940–1946 (USSR), 1951–1955 (Poland), 1951–1958 (Czechoslovakia)
No. built: 84,070, 35,120 T-34, 48,950 T-34-85
Specifications (T-34 Model 1941):
Mass: 26.5 tonnes (29.2 short tons; 26.1 long tons), 31 tonnes (34 short tons; 31 long tons) (T-34-85)
Length: 6.68 m (21 ft 11 in)
Width : 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Height: 2.46 m (8 ft 1 in)
Crew: 4 (T-34)
Armour: Hull front 47 mm /60° (upper part), 45 mm (1.8")/60° (lower part), Hull side 40 mm /41°(upper part), Hull rear 45 mm, Hull top 20 mm, Hull bottom 15 mm, Turret front 60 mm (round), Turret side 52 mm/30°, Turret rear 30 mm, Turret top 16 mm
Main armament: 76.2 mm (3.00 in) F-34 tank gun
Secondary armament: 2 × 7.62 mm (0.3 in) DT machine guns
Engine: Model V-2-34 38.8 L V12 Diesel engine of 500 hp (370 kW)
Power/weight: 18.9 hp (14 kW) / tonne (T-34)
Suspension: Christie
Ground clearance: 0.4 m (16 in)
Operational range:
Road: 330 km (210 mi), Cross-country, 200 km (120 mi)
Maximum speed: 53 km/h (33 mph)
The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank from World War II. When introduced, its 76.2 mm (3 in) tank gun was more powerful than its contemporaries, and its 60-degree sloped armour provided good protection against anti-tank weapons. The T-34 had a profound effect on the conflict on the Eastern Front, and had a long-lasting impact on tank design.
The tank was praised by multiple German generals when encountered during Operation Barbarossa, although its armour and armament were surpassed later in the war.
Though, its main strength was its cost and production time, meaning that German panzer forces would often fight against Soviet tank forces several times their size. The T-34 is also a critical part of the mechanized divisions that form the backbone of the Deep Battle Strategy.
The T-34 was the mainstay of the Soviet Red Army armoured forces throughout the war. Its general specifications remained nearly unchanged until early 1944, when it received a firepower upgrade with the introduction of the greatly improved T-34-85 variant.
Its production method was continuously refined and rationalized to meet the needs of the Eastern Front, making the T-34 quicker and cheaper to produce. The Soviets ultimately built over 80,000 T-34s of all variants, allowing steadily greater numbers to be fielded despite the loss of tens of thousands in combat against the German Wehrmacht. Replacing many light and medium tanks in Red Army service, it was the most-produced tank of the war, as well as the second most-produced tank of all time (after its successor, the T-54/T-55 series).
With 44,900 lost during the war, it also suffered the most tank losses ever. Its development led directly to the T-44, then the T-54 and T-55 series of tanks, which in turn evolved into the later T-62, that form the armoured core of many modern armies. T-34 variants were widely exported after World War II, and as recently as 2010 more than 130 were still in service.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service: 1940–present
Used by: Soviet Union and 39 others
Wars: World War II, Korean War, East German uprising of 1953, Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Bay of Pigs Invasion, Vietnam War, Suez Crisis, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, 1974 Cypriot coup d'état, Turkish invasion of Cyprus, thiopyran Civil War, Angolan Civil War, Ogaden War, Vietnamese invasion of Kampuchea, Sino-Vietnamese War, Soviet–Afghan War, Iran-Iraq War, Yugoslav Wars, Houthi takeover in Yemen, Syrian Civil War, War in Donbass.
Designer: KhMDB
Designed: 1937–1940
Unit cost: 3,094–9,000 Man hours, 130,000–429,000 Rbls
Produced: 1940–1946 (USSR), 1951–1955 (Poland), 1951–1958 (Czechoslovakia)
No. built: 84,070, 35,120 T-34, 48,950 T-34-85
Specifications (T-34 Model 1941):
Mass: 26.5 tonnes (29.2 short tons; 26.1 long tons), 31 tonnes (34 short tons; 31 long tons) (T-34-85)
Length: 6.68 m (21 ft 11 in)
Width : 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Height: 2.46 m (8 ft 1 in)
Crew: 4 (T-34)
Armour: Hull front 47 mm /60° (upper part), 45 mm (1.8")/60° (lower part), Hull side 40 mm /41°(upper part), Hull rear 45 mm, Hull top 20 mm, Hull bottom 15 mm, Turret front 60 mm (round), Turret side 52 mm/30°, Turret rear 30 mm, Turret top 16 mm
Main armament: 76.2 mm (3.00 in) F-34 tank gun
Secondary armament: 2 × 7.62 mm (0.3 in) DT machine guns
Engine: Model V-2-34 38.8 L V12 Diesel engine of 500 hp (370 kW)
Power/weight: 18.9 hp (14 kW) / tonne (T-34)
Suspension: Christie
Ground clearance: 0.4 m (16 in)
Operational range:
Road: 330 km (210 mi), Cross-country, 200 km (120 mi)
Maximum speed: 53 km/h (33 mph)
THE KIT:
This kit comes in a small blousy, shrink-wrapped, dark navy-blue, tray and lid type box. The lid has a color photo of the Zavod turret made up, pasted to the lid.
Below the cover art photo it says: Model Kits & Accessories. Armor kits & accessories. Conversions. (this kit is a turret conversion).
Both side panels of the box say: Commander Series Models Inc., Model kits & accessories. Modeling experience suggested. Contains cast resin, white metal parts. Not for children.
Each end of the box repeats Commander Series Models Inc., over their street address: 554 Wegman Road, Rochester, N.Y. 13624.
The box contains a loose resin turret and its hatch lid, 2 fuel tanks and 4 rear hull lockers in a staple-bound clear cello bag. (7 parts)
The detail is excellent. Especially the rivet patterns. There are pour lugs that need to be removed off the fuel tanks.
This kit comes in a small blousy, shrink-wrapped, dark navy-blue, tray and lid type box. The lid has a color photo of the Zavod turret made up, pasted to the lid.
Below the cover art photo it says: Model Kits & Accessories. Armor kits & accessories. Conversions. (this kit is a turret conversion).
Both side panels of the box say: Commander Series Models Inc., Model kits & accessories. Modeling experience suggested. Contains cast resin, white metal parts. Not for children.
Each end of the box repeats Commander Series Models Inc., over their street address: 554 Wegman Road, Rochester, N.Y. 13624.
The box contains a loose resin turret and its hatch lid, 2 fuel tanks and 4 rear hull lockers in a staple-bound clear cello bag. (7 parts)
The detail is excellent. Especially the rivet patterns. There are pour lugs that need to be removed off the fuel tanks.
The model is based on the cast turret (z ekranami) produced by the STZ Zavod (factory) near Leningrad and it is based on the T-34 Model 41/42s. These variants used additional armor on the glasis plate too. If you use the Tamiya 1/35th Scale kit no. T-34/76 Model 1942 Kit 35049 or the T-34/76 Model 1943 kit no. 35059 you will have the glasis plate armor options.
A small 4 ½” x 5 ½” instruction sheet is printed on one side. It says: For use with Tamiya T-34 kits. Replace kit turret with conversion turret & hatch. Refer to Squadron Signal T-34 in Action book for information. (I, unfortunately do not have this book). Over Commander’s street address in Rochester, N.Y. Master by Steve Gordon. Sheet folded to fit the box.
Recommended.