In Box Review of Mirage 1/35th Scale OT-26
Kit no. 35010
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1995
I paid $19.98 for my kit years ago.
Available from one individual in the USA, on the web, for $23.00 and in later boxing and variants on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1995
I paid $19.98 for my kit years ago.
Available from one individual in the USA, on the web, for $23.00 and in later boxing and variants on the web.
HISTORY:
More than 50 different modifications and experimental vehicles based on the T-26 light infantry tank chassis were developed in the USSR in the 1930s, with 23 modifications going into series production. The majority were armoured combat vehicles: flame tanks, artillery tractors, radio-controlled tanks (teletanks), military engineering vehicles, self-propelled guns and armoured personnel carriers.
They were developed at the Leningrad Factory of Experimental Mechanical Engineering (from 1935 known as the Factory No. 185 named after S.M. Kirov) by talented Soviet engineers P.N. Syachentov, S.A. Ginzburg, L.S. Troyanov, N.V. Tseits, B.A. Andreyevich, M.P. Zigel and others. Many Soviet tank engineers were declared "enemies of the nation" and repressed during Stalin's Great Purge from the middle of the 1930s.
As a result, work on self-propelled guns and armoured carriers ceased in the USSR during that time. T-26 light tanks were also modified into armoured combat vehicles in the field during wartime.
Flame-throwing (chemical) tanks
T-26 mod. 1931 with Ognemetniy.
KhT-26 flame-throwing tank. This vehicle was produced in 1935 and partially modernized between 1938 and 1940, when new road wheels with removable bands and an armoured headlight were installed. Kubinka proving ground, 1940.
Flame-throwing tanks formed around 12 percent of the series production of T-26 light tanks. It should be mentioned that the abbreviation "OT" (Ognemetniy Tank which stands for Flame-throwing Tank) appeared only in post-war literature; these tanks were originally called "KhT" (Khimicheskii Tank which stands for Chemical Tank), or BKhM (Boevaya Khimicheskaya Mashina; Fighting Chemical Vehicle) in the documents of the 1930s.
All chemical (flame-throwing) tanks based on the T-26 chassis (KhT-26, KhT-130, KhT-133) were designated BKhM-3. The vehicles were intended for area chemical contamination, smoke screens and for flame-throwing. The TKhP-3 chemical equipment for smoke screens and chemical contamination was developed in 1932.
This equipment could be easily installed on any T-26 light tank and was produced by the "Compressor" Factory, (introduced for smoke screening as the TDP-3 from summer 1934; 1,503 such sets were produced to the end of 1936).
KhT-26 (OT-26) — Flamethrower variant developed in 1933. Based on the twin-turreted T-26 mod. 1931 tank but using a single turret armed with a flamethrower, the second turret was removed.
More than 50 different modifications and experimental vehicles based on the T-26 light infantry tank chassis were developed in the USSR in the 1930s, with 23 modifications going into series production. The majority were armoured combat vehicles: flame tanks, artillery tractors, radio-controlled tanks (teletanks), military engineering vehicles, self-propelled guns and armoured personnel carriers.
They were developed at the Leningrad Factory of Experimental Mechanical Engineering (from 1935 known as the Factory No. 185 named after S.M. Kirov) by talented Soviet engineers P.N. Syachentov, S.A. Ginzburg, L.S. Troyanov, N.V. Tseits, B.A. Andreyevich, M.P. Zigel and others. Many Soviet tank engineers were declared "enemies of the nation" and repressed during Stalin's Great Purge from the middle of the 1930s.
As a result, work on self-propelled guns and armoured carriers ceased in the USSR during that time. T-26 light tanks were also modified into armoured combat vehicles in the field during wartime.
Flame-throwing (chemical) tanks
T-26 mod. 1931 with Ognemetniy.
KhT-26 flame-throwing tank. This vehicle was produced in 1935 and partially modernized between 1938 and 1940, when new road wheels with removable bands and an armoured headlight were installed. Kubinka proving ground, 1940.
Flame-throwing tanks formed around 12 percent of the series production of T-26 light tanks. It should be mentioned that the abbreviation "OT" (Ognemetniy Tank which stands for Flame-throwing Tank) appeared only in post-war literature; these tanks were originally called "KhT" (Khimicheskii Tank which stands for Chemical Tank), or BKhM (Boevaya Khimicheskaya Mashina; Fighting Chemical Vehicle) in the documents of the 1930s.
All chemical (flame-throwing) tanks based on the T-26 chassis (KhT-26, KhT-130, KhT-133) were designated BKhM-3. The vehicles were intended for area chemical contamination, smoke screens and for flame-throwing. The TKhP-3 chemical equipment for smoke screens and chemical contamination was developed in 1932.
This equipment could be easily installed on any T-26 light tank and was produced by the "Compressor" Factory, (introduced for smoke screening as the TDP-3 from summer 1934; 1,503 such sets were produced to the end of 1936).
KhT-26 (OT-26) — Flamethrower variant developed in 1933. Based on the twin-turreted T-26 mod. 1931 tank but using a single turret armed with a flamethrower, the second turret was removed.
THE KIT:
Mirage is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Poland. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped, end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end-flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art of the box shows a color illustration of a flame-thrower type OT-26 Soviet tank, that is on a grassy field, next to a forest and a concrete bunker, fuel drums and crates.
The OT-26 is overall olive-drab, with no markings shown. It is firing its flamethrower gun.
One side panel just has a small color repeat of the box art and the name of the kit.
Mirage is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer based in Poland. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped, end-opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end-flaps of the box to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The cover art of the box shows a color illustration of a flame-thrower type OT-26 Soviet tank, that is on a grassy field, next to a forest and a concrete bunker, fuel drums and crates.
The OT-26 is overall olive-drab, with no markings shown. It is firing its flamethrower gun.
One side panel just has a small color repeat of the box art and the name of the kit.
The other side panel also shows a small color repeat of the box art, followed by: Model kit suitable for ages 6 to adult. Contains decals and instructions for assembly. Paints and plastic adhesives not included. In Polish, English and German. With each language labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
CAUTION small parts, not suitable for children under 3 years. Copyright 1995. Mirage’s street address in Warsaw, Poland is provided and kit was made in Poland.
CAUTION small parts, not suitable for children under 3 years. Copyright 1995. Mirage’s street address in Warsaw, Poland is provided and kit was made in Poland.
The bottom of the box shows 4 box arts of other kits that Mirage makes: a 7-TP, a Tamikka TK-3, a tankietka TK-5 and another boxing of the 7-TP. No kit numbers are given. Bad move Mirage !
WHAT’S IN THE KIT:
This kit holds 11 chalk-white parts trees, 2 blue-green trees, black vinyl tracks in 2 sealed clear cello bags. There is no decal sheet.
There are 4 chalk-white trees of individual track links (54 links per tree)
This kit holds 11 chalk-white parts trees, 2 blue-green trees, black vinyl tracks in 2 sealed clear cello bags. There is no decal sheet.
There are 4 chalk-white trees of individual track links (54 links per tree)
Four chalk-white trees of track return roller wheels (4 wheels per tree)
A chalk-white tree of turret parts (12 parts)
Chalk-white for the hull engine deck options for Polish or Soviet tanks, locker parts, rear hull plate,a plate for twin turret tanks, etc. (11 parts)
Chalk-white tree for more engine deck pieces includes protected intake cover, circular hatch cover, headlamps, etc. (12 parts)
Blue-green tree of the hull bottom, sides and suspension parts etc (12 parts)
Blue-green tree of drive sprockets, idler wheels, road wheels, fenders, fender supports, main gun options, etc. (121 parts)
Two runs of black vinyl tracks.
There are no clear parts of figures included in the kit.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, that is printed on both sides in Polish. Eleven assembly steps are shown. They are numbered with Roman numerals.
At the bottom of the reverse side of the instructions, there is a side view of the OT-26 calling out only 3 colors for it.
Detail is quite nice.
Recommended.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet, that is printed on both sides in Polish. Eleven assembly steps are shown. They are numbered with Roman numerals.
At the bottom of the reverse side of the instructions, there is a side view of the OT-26 calling out only 3 colors for it.
Detail is quite nice.
Recommended.