Build Review of Trumpeter 1/35th Scale
Soviet KV-2 Tank
Kit no. 00312
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2005
Available at Mega Hobby for $27.16 or at Sprue Bros. for $23.49 or at Kit Linx for $25.50 and at 10 locations overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2005
Available at Mega Hobby for $27.16 or at Sprue Bros. for $23.49 or at Kit Linx for $25.50 and at 10 locations overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Kliment Voroshilov (KV) tanks, a series of Soviet heavy tanks named after the Soviet defense commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov, operated with the Red Army during World War II. The KV tanks were known for their heavy armor protection during the early stages of the war, especially during the first year of the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
In certain situations, even a single KV-1 or KV-2 supported by infantry could halt large German formations. The German Wehrmacht at that time rarely deployed its tanks against KVs, as their own armament was too poor to deal with the "Russischer Koloss" – "Russian Colossus".
The KV tanks were practically immune to the 3.7 cm KwK 36 and howitzer-like, short-barreled 7.5 cm KwK 37 guns mounted, respectively, on the early Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks fielded by the invading German forces. Until the Germans developed more effective guns, the KV-1 was invulnerable to almost any German weapon except the 8.8 cm Flak gun.
Prior to the start of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, about 500 of the over 22,000 tanks then in Soviet service were of the KV-1 type. As the war progressed, it became evident that there was little sense in producing the expensive KV tanks, as the T-34 medium tank performed better (or at least equally well) in all practical respects.
In fact the only advantage the KV had over the T-34/76 was its larger and roomier three-man turret. Later in the war, the KV series became a base for the development of the IS (Iosif Stalin) series of tanks and self-propelled guns.
The KV-8(42) is a KV-1 fitted with the ATG-41 flame-thrower in the turret, beside a machine gun. In order to accommodate the new weapon, the 76.2mm gun was replaced with a smaller 45mm gun M1932, though it was disguised to look like the standard 76mm.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Heavy tank
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service: 1939–1945
Used by: Finland (captured), Nazi Germany (captured), Poland, Soviet Union
Wars: Winter War, World War II
Designer: Zh. Kotin, TsKB-2
Designed: 1938–1939
Manufacturer: Kirov Factory, ChTZ
Produced: 1939–1943
No. built: 5,219
Variants: KV-2, KV-8 flamethrower, KV-1S, KV-85, KV-122
Mass: 45 tons
Length: 6.75 m (22 ft. 2 in)
Width: 3.32 m (10 ft. 11 in)
Height: 2.71 m (8 ft.11 in)
Crew: 5
Armor: Maximum (front): 90 mm, Side: 75 mm, Rear: 70 mm
Main armament: 76.2 mm M1941 ZiS-5 gun
Secondary armament: 3× or 4× DT machine guns
Engine: Model V-2 V12 Diesel engine of 600 hp. (450 kW)
Power/weight: 13 hp./ton
Suspension: torsion bar
Operational range: 200–240 kilometers (120–150 mi)
Maximum speed: 35 km/h (22 mph)
The Kliment Voroshilov (KV) tanks, a series of Soviet heavy tanks named after the Soviet defense commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov, operated with the Red Army during World War II. The KV tanks were known for their heavy armor protection during the early stages of the war, especially during the first year of the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
In certain situations, even a single KV-1 or KV-2 supported by infantry could halt large German formations. The German Wehrmacht at that time rarely deployed its tanks against KVs, as their own armament was too poor to deal with the "Russischer Koloss" – "Russian Colossus".
The KV tanks were practically immune to the 3.7 cm KwK 36 and howitzer-like, short-barreled 7.5 cm KwK 37 guns mounted, respectively, on the early Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks fielded by the invading German forces. Until the Germans developed more effective guns, the KV-1 was invulnerable to almost any German weapon except the 8.8 cm Flak gun.
Prior to the start of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, about 500 of the over 22,000 tanks then in Soviet service were of the KV-1 type. As the war progressed, it became evident that there was little sense in producing the expensive KV tanks, as the T-34 medium tank performed better (or at least equally well) in all practical respects.
In fact the only advantage the KV had over the T-34/76 was its larger and roomier three-man turret. Later in the war, the KV series became a base for the development of the IS (Iosif Stalin) series of tanks and self-propelled guns.
The KV-8(42) is a KV-1 fitted with the ATG-41 flame-thrower in the turret, beside a machine gun. In order to accommodate the new weapon, the 76.2mm gun was replaced with a smaller 45mm gun M1932, though it was disguised to look like the standard 76mm.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type: Heavy tank
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service: 1939–1945
Used by: Finland (captured), Nazi Germany (captured), Poland, Soviet Union
Wars: Winter War, World War II
Designer: Zh. Kotin, TsKB-2
Designed: 1938–1939
Manufacturer: Kirov Factory, ChTZ
Produced: 1939–1943
No. built: 5,219
Variants: KV-2, KV-8 flamethrower, KV-1S, KV-85, KV-122
Mass: 45 tons
Length: 6.75 m (22 ft. 2 in)
Width: 3.32 m (10 ft. 11 in)
Height: 2.71 m (8 ft.11 in)
Crew: 5
Armor: Maximum (front): 90 mm, Side: 75 mm, Rear: 70 mm
Main armament: 76.2 mm M1941 ZiS-5 gun
Secondary armament: 3× or 4× DT machine guns
Engine: Model V-2 V12 Diesel engine of 600 hp. (450 kW)
Power/weight: 13 hp./ton
Suspension: torsion bar
Operational range: 200–240 kilometers (120–150 mi)
Maximum speed: 35 km/h (22 mph)
THE KIT:
Trumpeter is a prolific model company based in Macau, China.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a large, very sturdy, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of 2 KV-2’s moving across a gassy plain, past a destroyed German tank and surrounded by many Soviet infantrymen.
The KV-2’s are both in overall Russian green. Both carry white patriotic slogans on their turret sides that say FOR STALIN in Cyrillic letters.
The length of the finished kit is said to be 203mm (8”). It’s width is 84.8mm (3 ¾”). Height 94.6mm (also 3 ¾”). 9 sprues, hull and tracks. 271 parts. Said at bottom of cover art.
One side panel of the box shows a color 3-view of the KV-2 in the box art scheme, followed by PRECAUTIONS about the kit: Contains small parts. Suitable for ages over 10 years. This box contains parts for construction of one model kit. Glue and paints are not included in the kit. With English instructions. Actual model may vary from the box art. Copyright 2005.
Trumpeter’s address in China is provided.
Trumpeter is a prolific model company based in Macau, China.
They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a large, very sturdy, shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of 2 KV-2’s moving across a gassy plain, past a destroyed German tank and surrounded by many Soviet infantrymen.
The KV-2’s are both in overall Russian green. Both carry white patriotic slogans on their turret sides that say FOR STALIN in Cyrillic letters.
The length of the finished kit is said to be 203mm (8”). It’s width is 84.8mm (3 ¾”). Height 94.6mm (also 3 ¾”). 9 sprues, hull and tracks. 271 parts. Said at bottom of cover art.
One side panel of the box shows a color 3-view of the KV-2 in the box art scheme, followed by PRECAUTIONS about the kit: Contains small parts. Suitable for ages over 10 years. This box contains parts for construction of one model kit. Glue and paints are not included in the kit. With English instructions. Actual model may vary from the box art. Copyright 2005.
Trumpeter’s address in China is provided.
The other side panel shows 4 small color walk-around type photos of the model made up, followed by the history of the KV-2 in very fractured English and in Chinese. 2005 copyright and Made in China are repeated.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 10 medium-grey trees, a clear tree, the medium-grey turret roof and hull tub, brass wire and the decal sheet in sealed clear cello bags.
The instruction consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 10 pages in 7” x 11 ½” page format.
Page one begins with a black and white side view of the KV-2 in the box art scheme, over the history of the tank, international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions in English and Chinese.
Page 2 is the parts tree's illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 10 gives a grand total of 17 assembly steps.
There are two painting and marking guides in the kit. These are single-sheets, printed in color on one side on slick-coated paper in 7 ½” x 10 ½” format.
The first one has a 5-view on it that is the box art scheme (already described above).
The kit contains 10 medium-grey trees, a clear tree, the medium-grey turret roof and hull tub, brass wire and the decal sheet in sealed clear cello bags.
The instruction consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 10 pages in 7” x 11 ½” page format.
Page one begins with a black and white side view of the KV-2 in the box art scheme, over the history of the tank, international assembly symbol explanations and decal application instructions in English and Chinese.
Page 2 is the parts tree's illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 10 gives a grand total of 17 assembly steps.
There are two painting and marking guides in the kit. These are single-sheets, printed in color on one side on slick-coated paper in 7 ½” x 10 ½” format.
The first one has a 5-view on it that is the box art scheme (already described above).
The second one also shows a 5-view of a KV-2. It is also overall Russian green with white patriotic slogans on the turret sides. However, this sheet is worthless, because these slogans are not on the kit’s decal sheet. A different slogan is shown on each side of the turret. It would have been great if Trumpeter had included these as a decal.
Trees are alphabetized.
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: the hull top and rear wall, idler wheels, drive sprockets etc. (56 parts)
Medium-grey letter A tree holds: the hull top and rear wall, idler wheels, drive sprockets etc. (56 parts)
This is a close-up of the sprocket detail.
Medium grey letter B holds the hull sides (2 parts)
Medium-grey letter C tree holds: fenders,, engine deck roof, road wheel parts etc. (41 parts)
Medium-grey letter D tree holds: turret bottom, return rollers, storage boxes etc. (33 parts)
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter E trees. They hold road wheels and more return rollers (24 parts ea.)
Lettering jumps to the medium-grey letter H tree it holds: tow cable ends, gun barrel, more storage boxes etc. (19 parts)
Lettering jumps again to the medium-grey letter L tree. It holds: hull roof parts, muzzle, hatch doors etc. (25 parts)
Lettering jumps again to the clear letter S tree. It holds headlight lenses (2 parts). Also in the photo is a length of wire for the tow rope and the turret top.
There are 2 identical medium-grey letter T trees. They hold track links as long runs and individual links (28 parts ea.)
Close-up of the track detail.
The medium-grey hull tub part is next (1 part)
The black vinyl lengths of track is next (4 parts)
The kit decals.
The assembled hull and turret.
There are no interior details or crew figures included. Detail is very good.
Highly Recommended.
Highly Recommended.