Book Review of
Renaldo Studio Press
Single Model No. 02
Russian ChTZ S-65 Stalinetz City Tractor
1/35th Scale
Author: Michael Rinaldi
ISBN: 978-0-9883363-5-3
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2016-2021
MSRP: $27.50
Available at Squadron for $39.00, at Mega Hobby for $44.16, at Sprue Brothers for $50.99, at 1001 Hobbies for $49,99 and at BMA Model World in Australia for 63.50 Aud ($57.73)
HISTORY:
The S-65 tractor or Stalinets S-65 was an agricultural tractor built by the Chelyabinsk Tractor Factory (Chelyabinsk Traktorny Zavod – ChTZ) from 1937 until 1941. These tractors were used in military service as they were widely available and capable of towing heavy guns.
This 11 tonne tractor features a large one cylinder diesel engine in a prominent rectangular housing. The operator’s station was either open or enclosed and was designed for up to two crew. There were two common enclosures. One, made of wood, was very rectangular, while the second is an adapted cabin from a ZIS truck. The engine produced 65 horsepower and it had a top speed of 7 km/h. It is estimated it had an endurance/range of about 80 km.
In 1932, the Chelyabinsk tractor factory commenced operations and its first product was the S-60 tractor. The following product, the S-65, featured the M-17 diesel engine generating 49-56 kW (60-72 hp). From 1937 until 1941, approximately 37,600 S-65s were produced.
The Stalinets-60 and 65 tractors were typically assigned to heavy division and corps level weapons such as the 152mm ML-20 and even the much heavier 203mm B-4 howitzer. These tractors were also commonly used by tank recovery teams to extract damaged tanks and by engineer units to tow special equipment. Unfortunately, the slow speed of these tractors (3–5 km/h when towing) meant that many were captured by the rapid moving Germans in the early part of the war.
THE BOOK:
Renaldo Studio Press is based in Portland, OR. The book was designed in the USA and printed in the Czech Republic.
All Renaldo Studio Press books are shrink-wrapped in tight fitting clear cello wrap and are about plastic modeling.
This book is all about building, painting and marking the Trumpeter Russian ChTZ S-65 Stalinetz Tractor, 1/35th scale kit no. 05518.
The book is in soft-cover of 128 pages in 6 ¼” x 7 ½” page format. Including the cover art, it contains 175 color photos, that are mostly of the walk-around type.
The cover art shows the Trumpeter model made up, as a color side view photo. It is yellow, with a black grill, steel-grey tracks and a black seat.
Chapters are on painting (mostly done with Tamiya brand paints) detailing, weathering and decaling.
Markings shown are a black rectangle with white OOB 54 on it on its side. Black no. 755, high in right upper corner of the rear plate and on the right front corner of the hood. A yellow triangle, outlined in black, low in the center of the rear plate.
This is a neat book. It walks you totally through a magnificent final build of the Trumpeter kit.
The S-65 tractor or Stalinets S-65 was an agricultural tractor built by the Chelyabinsk Tractor Factory (Chelyabinsk Traktorny Zavod – ChTZ) from 1937 until 1941. These tractors were used in military service as they were widely available and capable of towing heavy guns.
This 11 tonne tractor features a large one cylinder diesel engine in a prominent rectangular housing. The operator’s station was either open or enclosed and was designed for up to two crew. There were two common enclosures. One, made of wood, was very rectangular, while the second is an adapted cabin from a ZIS truck. The engine produced 65 horsepower and it had a top speed of 7 km/h. It is estimated it had an endurance/range of about 80 km.
In 1932, the Chelyabinsk tractor factory commenced operations and its first product was the S-60 tractor. The following product, the S-65, featured the M-17 diesel engine generating 49-56 kW (60-72 hp). From 1937 until 1941, approximately 37,600 S-65s were produced.
The Stalinets-60 and 65 tractors were typically assigned to heavy division and corps level weapons such as the 152mm ML-20 and even the much heavier 203mm B-4 howitzer. These tractors were also commonly used by tank recovery teams to extract damaged tanks and by engineer units to tow special equipment. Unfortunately, the slow speed of these tractors (3–5 km/h when towing) meant that many were captured by the rapid moving Germans in the early part of the war.
THE BOOK:
Renaldo Studio Press is based in Portland, OR. The book was designed in the USA and printed in the Czech Republic.
All Renaldo Studio Press books are shrink-wrapped in tight fitting clear cello wrap and are about plastic modeling.
This book is all about building, painting and marking the Trumpeter Russian ChTZ S-65 Stalinetz Tractor, 1/35th scale kit no. 05518.
The book is in soft-cover of 128 pages in 6 ¼” x 7 ½” page format. Including the cover art, it contains 175 color photos, that are mostly of the walk-around type.
The cover art shows the Trumpeter model made up, as a color side view photo. It is yellow, with a black grill, steel-grey tracks and a black seat.
Chapters are on painting (mostly done with Tamiya brand paints) detailing, weathering and decaling.
Markings shown are a black rectangle with white OOB 54 on it on its side. Black no. 755, high in right upper corner of the rear plate and on the right front corner of the hood. A yellow triangle, outlined in black, low in the center of the rear plate.
This is a neat book. It walks you totally through a magnificent final build of the Trumpeter kit.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Renaldo Studio Press books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.