In Box Review of Tamiya 1/35th Scale
Soviet T-34/85 Medium Tank
Kit no. 35138
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at 4 different dealers in the U.S. for around $30.00 and 9 places overseas.
Copyright 1987
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at 4 different dealers in the U.S. for around $30.00 and 9 places overseas.
Copyright 1987
HISTORY:
Blessed with thick armor, a powerful gun and excellent mobility, the Russian T-34 was known as an armor masterpiece during the WWII era. It first appeared at the front in June, 1942 and immediately became a threat to the German armede forces.
This led the Germans into improving the capabilities of their existing type IV tanks, and to develop the powerful Tiger and Panther tanks to combat the T-34 superiority.
The Russians , after analyzing captured Tiger I tanks, recognized that their existing T-34 required improvements in order to counter this new threat, and started a modification program.
Engineer Krylov's improvement proposal of incorporating a much more powerful long-barreled 85mm main gun in a new enlarged cast turret that could accommodate 3 men, was adopted, and designated T-34/85.
This version entered production in January 1944 and assisted , along with the other allied countries, to the fall of the Third Reich. It went on to serve in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts as well as the Middle East war.
The t-34/85 has been used by the majority of Soviet satellites and third world countries after WWII. It was produced by Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia as well as Russia itself, and this venerable weapons system is still in service with some nations.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service:1940–present (Soviet Union and Russia), 1950s–present (by other states)
Used by: Soviet Union and 39 others
Wars: World War II, and many others
Designer: KMDB
Designed: 1937–1940
Produced : 1940–1958
No. built: 84,070 total , 35,120 T-34's, 48,950 T-34-85's
Specifications for the T-34 Model 1941:
Mass: 26.5 tonnes (29.2 short tons; 26.1 long tons)
Length: 6.68 m (21 ft 11 in)
Width: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Height: 2.45 m (8 ft 0 in)
Crew: 4 in the T-34, 5 in the T-34-85
Armour: Hull front 47mm /60° (upper part) and 45 mm (1.8")/60° (lower part) and Hull side 40 mm[3]/41°(upper part) and Hull rear 45 mm and Hull top 20 mm and Hull bottom 15 mm and Turret front 60 mm (2.4") and Turret side 52mm/30° and Turret rear 30mm and Turret top 16mm
Main armament: 76.2 mm (3.00 in) F-34 tank gun (T-34-85: 85 mm ZiS-S-53 or D-5T 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
Suspension: Christie
Ground clearance: 0.4 m (16 in)
Operational range: 250–330 km (T-34) (250 mi), 250–300 km (T-34-85) (150 mi)
Speed: 53 km/h (33 mph)
Blessed with thick armor, a powerful gun and excellent mobility, the Russian T-34 was known as an armor masterpiece during the WWII era. It first appeared at the front in June, 1942 and immediately became a threat to the German armede forces.
This led the Germans into improving the capabilities of their existing type IV tanks, and to develop the powerful Tiger and Panther tanks to combat the T-34 superiority.
The Russians , after analyzing captured Tiger I tanks, recognized that their existing T-34 required improvements in order to counter this new threat, and started a modification program.
Engineer Krylov's improvement proposal of incorporating a much more powerful long-barreled 85mm main gun in a new enlarged cast turret that could accommodate 3 men, was adopted, and designated T-34/85.
This version entered production in January 1944 and assisted , along with the other allied countries, to the fall of the Third Reich. It went on to serve in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts as well as the Middle East war.
The t-34/85 has been used by the majority of Soviet satellites and third world countries after WWII. It was produced by Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia as well as Russia itself, and this venerable weapons system is still in service with some nations.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Medium tank
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service:1940–present (Soviet Union and Russia), 1950s–present (by other states)
Used by: Soviet Union and 39 others
Wars: World War II, and many others
Designer: KMDB
Designed: 1937–1940
Produced : 1940–1958
No. built: 84,070 total , 35,120 T-34's, 48,950 T-34-85's
Specifications for the T-34 Model 1941:
Mass: 26.5 tonnes (29.2 short tons; 26.1 long tons)
Length: 6.68 m (21 ft 11 in)
Width: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Height: 2.45 m (8 ft 0 in)
Crew: 4 in the T-34, 5 in the T-34-85
Armour: Hull front 47mm /60° (upper part) and 45 mm (1.8")/60° (lower part) and Hull side 40 mm[3]/41°(upper part) and Hull rear 45 mm and Hull top 20 mm and Hull bottom 15 mm and Turret front 60 mm (2.4") and Turret side 52mm/30° and Turret rear 30mm and Turret top 16mm
Main armament: 76.2 mm (3.00 in) F-34 tank gun (T-34-85: 85 mm ZiS-S-53 or D-5T 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
Suspension: Christie
Ground clearance: 0.4 m (16 in)
Operational range: 250–330 km (T-34) (250 mi), 250–300 km (T-34-85) (150 mi)
Speed: 53 km/h (33 mph)
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray a lid type box.
The box art shows 3 T-34/85's moving across a grassy field, past 2 German infantryman. One infantryman is standing and getting ready to heave a grenade.
The other man is prone and aiming his machine gun. Both wear grey uniforms and steel helmets.
The T-34/85's are all in overall Russian green. The one in the lead has a white triangle divided in half with a number 5 at the top and 204 at the bottom. This is followed by a white turret number 204.
In the distance there is a third German infantryman in a ditch aiming his 98k carbine.
One side panel has a color 3-view of the T-34/85 in overall Russian green with the white letter B over an arrow and turret no. 236 below. There is a paragraph all in Japanese that I assume is the history of the T-34/85, followed by the copyright date of 1987 and Tamiya's street address in Shizuoka City, Japan.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka City, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray a lid type box.
The box art shows 3 T-34/85's moving across a grassy field, past 2 German infantryman. One infantryman is standing and getting ready to heave a grenade.
The other man is prone and aiming his machine gun. Both wear grey uniforms and steel helmets.
The T-34/85's are all in overall Russian green. The one in the lead has a white triangle divided in half with a number 5 at the top and 204 at the bottom. This is followed by a white turret number 204.
In the distance there is a third German infantryman in a ditch aiming his 98k carbine.
One side panel has a color 3-view of the T-34/85 in overall Russian green with the white letter B over an arrow and turret no. 236 below. There is a paragraph all in Japanese that I assume is the history of the T-34/85, followed by the copyright date of 1987 and Tamiya's street address in Shizuoka City, Japan.
The other side panel has another color 3-view of the T-34/85 covered with winter white-wash. It has a red diamond, divided in two with a letter B at the top and 24 at the bottom, followed by a Red Russian cyrillic word that looks like NEMBHTY. Another paragraph all in Japanese is shown that I believe this time is the kit's features listing.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 3 dark green part trees, black vinyl treads and poly-caps in 2 stapled-shut clear cello bags, a loose hull tub and hull roof part, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 7" x 10 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the model made up in the cover art scheme, over the history of the T-34/85 in English, German, French and Japanese.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, general instructions and a suggested paint color listing in the 4 languages, over the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 through the top of page 5 give a balance of a grand total of 8 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 5 has the painting instructions in the 4 languages.
Page 6 is the decal application instructions, again in the 4 languages.
5 side views are shown.
1. The box art scheme (already described above). It shown as it appeared in 1945 at Berlin.
2. A T-34/85 in overall Russian green, with a white letter B over an arrow, over a white no. 236. The scheme shown on the side panel (already described above). It is as it appeared in January 1945 in Eastern Prussia.
3. A T-3485 in overall Russian green, with a white letter N over an arrow, over turret no. 145 and followed by a large white Russian cyrillic word YEPBOHEU. It is as it appeared in July 1944 at Minsk.
4. A T-34/8 in overall Russian green, with double white circle followed by turret no. 341. It is as it appeared in April 1945 in Berlin.
5. A T-34/85 in overall Russian green, with white turret no. 321. It is as it appeared in 1950 in Korea.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions. They do have part numbers next to the parts on the trees. Bad move Tamiya!
Dark green letter A tree holds: hull front and rear panels, grab handles, fuel tanks, mufflers, tow cables, spare track links, headlight, final transfer housings, hatch, tow links etc. (64 parts)
The kit contains 3 dark green part trees, black vinyl treads and poly-caps in 2 stapled-shut clear cello bags, a loose hull tub and hull roof part, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 6 pages in 7" x 10 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the model made up in the cover art scheme, over the history of the T-34/85 in English, German, French and Japanese.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, general instructions and a suggested paint color listing in the 4 languages, over the first 2 assembly steps.
Page 3 through the top of page 5 give a balance of a grand total of 8 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 5 has the painting instructions in the 4 languages.
Page 6 is the decal application instructions, again in the 4 languages.
5 side views are shown.
1. The box art scheme (already described above). It shown as it appeared in 1945 at Berlin.
2. A T-34/85 in overall Russian green, with a white letter B over an arrow, over a white no. 236. The scheme shown on the side panel (already described above). It is as it appeared in January 1945 in Eastern Prussia.
3. A T-3485 in overall Russian green, with a white letter N over an arrow, over turret no. 145 and followed by a large white Russian cyrillic word YEPBOHEU. It is as it appeared in July 1944 at Minsk.
4. A T-34/8 in overall Russian green, with double white circle followed by turret no. 341. It is as it appeared in April 1945 in Berlin.
5. A T-34/85 in overall Russian green, with white turret no. 321. It is as it appeared in 1950 in Korea.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions. They do have part numbers next to the parts on the trees. Bad move Tamiya!
Dark green letter A tree holds: hull front and rear panels, grab handles, fuel tanks, mufflers, tow cables, spare track links, headlight, final transfer housings, hatch, tow links etc. (64 parts)
Black vinyl letter B tree is the poly-caps (20 parts)
The upper and lower hull parts. The lower hull has motorization openings which need to be filled while the upper hull is open underneath and needs to have sheet plastic added to close it off.
Dark green letter C tree holds: the road wheels, idler wheels, drive sprockets (28 parts)
Dark green letter D tree holds the turret parts, main gun barrel, mantle, hatches etc. (40 parts)
Next is the two black vinyl rubber band type tread runs.
The decal sheet completes the kit.
There is no detail inside the hull or turret or any crew figures. However, the external detail is nice.
Recommended.