In Box Review of RPM 1/35th Scale T-26 B
Kit no. 35024
Copyright: 1998
I paid $21.95 for this kit years ago.
Out of production
Copyright: 1998
I paid $21.95 for this kit years ago.
Out of production
HISTORY:
The T-26 tank was a Soviet light tank used during many conflicts of the Interwar period and in World War II. It was a development of the British Vickers 6-Ton tank and was one of the most successful tank designs of the 1930s until its light armour became vulnerable to newer anti-tank guns. It was produced in greater numbers than any other tank of the period, with more than 11,000 units manufactured giving it the title of the most produced tank during the interwar period.
During the 1930s, the USSR developed 53 variants of the T-26, including flame-throwing tanks, combat engineer vehicles, remotely controlled tanks, self-propelled guns, artillery tractors, and armoured carriers. Twenty-three of these were series-produced, others were experimental models.
The T-26 and BT were the main tanks of the Red Army's armoured forces during the interwar period. The T-26 was the most important tank of the Spanish Civil War and played a significant role during the Battle of Lake Khasan in 1938, as well as in the Winter War in 1939–40. Though nearly obsolete by the beginning of World War II, the T-26 was the most numerous tank in the Red Army's armoured force during the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.
The T-26 fought the Germans and their allies during the Battle of Moscow in 1941–42, the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of the Caucasus in 1942–1943; some tank units of the Leningrad Front used their T-26s until 1944. Soviet T-26 light tanks last saw use in August 1945, during the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army in Manchuria. The T-26 was exported and used extensively by Spain, China and Turkey. Captured T-26s were used by the Finnish, German, Romanian and Hungarian armies.
The tank was reliable and simple to maintain, and its design was continually modernized between 1931 and 1941. No new models of the T-26 were developed after 1940.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Light tank
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service: 1931–45 in the USSR, 1936–53 in Spain, 1940–61 in Finland, 1938–49 in China
Used by: Soviet Union. Spanish Republic, Francoist Spain, Finland, Republic of China, People's Republic of China, Turkey, Nazi Germany, Kingdom of Romania, Kingdom of Hungary, Kingdom of Afghanistan
Wars: Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Soviet–Japanese border conflicts, Soviet invasion of Poland, Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, World War II, Winter War, Chinese Civil War
Designer: Vickers-Armstrongs, OKMO of Bolshevik Plant in Leningrad
Designed: 1928–31
Manufacturer: K.E. Voroshilov factory No. 174, Leningrad, Stalingrad Tractor Factory
Produced: 1931–41
No. built: 10,300 tanks and 1,701 other vehicles
Specifications (T-26 mod. 1933 ) 9.6 tonnes (10.6 short tons)
Length: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
Width: 2.44 m (8.0 ft)
Height: 2.24 m (7 ft 4 in)
Crew: 3 (commander, gunner, driver)
Main armament: 45 mm 20K mod. 1932–34 tank gun (122 rounds)
Secondary armament: 7.62 mm DT machine gun (2,961 rounds)
Engine: Straight 4-cylinder petrol air-cooled 6.6-litre T-26 (Armstrong Siddeley type) of 90 hp (67 kW) at 2,100 rpm
Power/weight: F 38 hp/t
Transmission: gearbox with five gears
Suspension: quarter-elliptic leaf springs
Ground clearance: 380 mm (15 in)
Fuel capacity: 290 L (64 imp gal; 77 U.S. gal) with additional 110 L (24 imp gal; 29 US gal) fuel tank
Operational range: Road: 220–240 km (140–150 mi), Off-road: 130–140 km (81–87 mi)
Maximum speed: Paved: 31.1 km/h (19.3 mph), Gravel: 22 km/h (14 mph),
Off-road: 16 km/h (9.9 mph)
The T-26 tank was a Soviet light tank used during many conflicts of the Interwar period and in World War II. It was a development of the British Vickers 6-Ton tank and was one of the most successful tank designs of the 1930s until its light armour became vulnerable to newer anti-tank guns. It was produced in greater numbers than any other tank of the period, with more than 11,000 units manufactured giving it the title of the most produced tank during the interwar period.
During the 1930s, the USSR developed 53 variants of the T-26, including flame-throwing tanks, combat engineer vehicles, remotely controlled tanks, self-propelled guns, artillery tractors, and armoured carriers. Twenty-three of these were series-produced, others were experimental models.
The T-26 and BT were the main tanks of the Red Army's armoured forces during the interwar period. The T-26 was the most important tank of the Spanish Civil War and played a significant role during the Battle of Lake Khasan in 1938, as well as in the Winter War in 1939–40. Though nearly obsolete by the beginning of World War II, the T-26 was the most numerous tank in the Red Army's armoured force during the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941.
The T-26 fought the Germans and their allies during the Battle of Moscow in 1941–42, the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of the Caucasus in 1942–1943; some tank units of the Leningrad Front used their T-26s until 1944. Soviet T-26 light tanks last saw use in August 1945, during the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army in Manchuria. The T-26 was exported and used extensively by Spain, China and Turkey. Captured T-26s were used by the Finnish, German, Romanian and Hungarian armies.
The tank was reliable and simple to maintain, and its design was continually modernized between 1931 and 1941. No new models of the T-26 were developed after 1940.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Light tank
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service: 1931–45 in the USSR, 1936–53 in Spain, 1940–61 in Finland, 1938–49 in China
Used by: Soviet Union. Spanish Republic, Francoist Spain, Finland, Republic of China, People's Republic of China, Turkey, Nazi Germany, Kingdom of Romania, Kingdom of Hungary, Kingdom of Afghanistan
Wars: Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Soviet–Japanese border conflicts, Soviet invasion of Poland, Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, World War II, Winter War, Chinese Civil War
Designer: Vickers-Armstrongs, OKMO of Bolshevik Plant in Leningrad
Designed: 1928–31
Manufacturer: K.E. Voroshilov factory No. 174, Leningrad, Stalingrad Tractor Factory
Produced: 1931–41
No. built: 10,300 tanks and 1,701 other vehicles
Specifications (T-26 mod. 1933 ) 9.6 tonnes (10.6 short tons)
Length: 4.65 m (15 ft 3 in)
Width: 2.44 m (8.0 ft)
Height: 2.24 m (7 ft 4 in)
Crew: 3 (commander, gunner, driver)
Main armament: 45 mm 20K mod. 1932–34 tank gun (122 rounds)
Secondary armament: 7.62 mm DT machine gun (2,961 rounds)
Engine: Straight 4-cylinder petrol air-cooled 6.6-litre T-26 (Armstrong Siddeley type) of 90 hp (67 kW) at 2,100 rpm
Power/weight: F 38 hp/t
Transmission: gearbox with five gears
Suspension: quarter-elliptic leaf springs
Ground clearance: 380 mm (15 in)
Fuel capacity: 290 L (64 imp gal; 77 U.S. gal) with additional 110 L (24 imp gal; 29 US gal) fuel tank
Operational range: Road: 220–240 km (140–150 mi), Off-road: 130–140 km (81–87 mi)
Maximum speed: Paved: 31.1 km/h (19.3 mph), Gravel: 22 km/h (14 mph),
Off-road: 16 km/h (9.9 mph)
THE KIT:
RPM is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Warsaw, Poland. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of a T-26 B on a cobblestone city street. It is passing a TKS tank and another one in the background. The TKS’s are not included in the kit. They are both in a camouflage of earth-yellow with dark-green wave pattern. No markings are shown.
The T-26B is overall medium-grey, with a white banister –type aerial on the top of the turret. It also shows no markings.
One side panel shows a small color repeat of the T-26 B on the cover. Followed by: Model kit suitable for ages 6 to adult. Contains decals and instructions for assembly. Paints and plastic adhesive not included. In Polish, English and Russian. With each language labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the languages.
RPM’s street address and telephone no. in Warsaw are provided.
RPM is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Warsaw, Poland. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of a T-26 B on a cobblestone city street. It is passing a TKS tank and another one in the background. The TKS’s are not included in the kit. They are both in a camouflage of earth-yellow with dark-green wave pattern. No markings are shown.
The T-26B is overall medium-grey, with a white banister –type aerial on the top of the turret. It also shows no markings.
One side panel shows a small color repeat of the T-26 B on the cover. Followed by: Model kit suitable for ages 6 to adult. Contains decals and instructions for assembly. Paints and plastic adhesive not included. In Polish, English and Russian. With each language labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the languages.
RPM’s street address and telephone no. in Warsaw are provided.
The other side-panel of the box shows 5 color box arts of other armor kits that RPM manufactures: a 7-TP flame-thrower tank, a 7-TP twin-turreted tank, a BT-2, this T-26 B and a German Pz.Kpfw. IV. These kits are not kit numbered or named. Bad move RPM !
WHAT’S IN THE KIT:
This kit holds:
4 off-white trees of individual track links (56 parts per tree)
This kit holds:
4 off-white trees of individual track links (56 parts per tree)
A medium-grey tree holds: a top panel, air intake, tool boxes etc. (16 parts)
The other medium-grey tree holds: turret parts, gun barrel etc. (24 parts)
A chalk-white tree that holds: a top panel, hull wall, headlight, hatches (11 parts) Three parts are shaded out in the instructions, meaning they are excess and not needed to complete the model. The large square panel has already been removed at the factory.
A chalk-white tree that holds: the hull bottom part, sides, axles, muzzle, muffler etc. (17 parts) Four parts are excess.
A chalk-white tree that holds: fenders, drive sprockets, road wheels, idler wheels, return rollers, storage boxes etc. (130 parts) Fifteen parts are excess.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, printed on both sides in Polish.
The face side begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Next to the parts-rees illustrations. The bottom of the face side on to the top of the reverse side gives a grand total of 12 assembly steps, that are numbered with Roman numerals.
The bottom of the reverse side shows a side-view profile of a T-26B in overall Panzer-grey. With no markings shown.
There are no clear trees or figures included.
Detail is quite nice.
The face side begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art. Next to the parts-rees illustrations. The bottom of the face side on to the top of the reverse side gives a grand total of 12 assembly steps, that are numbered with Roman numerals.
The bottom of the reverse side shows a side-view profile of a T-26B in overall Panzer-grey. With no markings shown.
There are no clear trees or figures included.
Detail is quite nice.
Recommended.