Hi all,
I have lots of obsolete kits of Soviet tanks still to build, as Tamiya T-62, T-55 and T-72 oand other ones of many firms. I am considering if some of these could be taken as a base for an at least approssimative conversion/kitbashing/scratchbuilding of some scarcely known vehicle.
I saw photos of North Korean tanks as Chonma-ho and Popkung-ho, evolved from locally produced T-62s.
The evolution passes from a lightarmour T-62 to versions uparmoured with squared add on armour on the turret and side skirts, up to versions with six main wheels instead of five and with laminated armour.
Besides, I've seen their PT-85 (too different from a PT-76 to be considered, I fear) and another type resembling a T-55 with an enlarged turret.
Is anyone knowledgeable on North Korean tanks to help me to put order into my fragmentary ideas and decide if such a work is feasible, please?
Massimo

If you are ok with the fact that the Tamiya T-62 is more 1/32 scale, then you have a good start.

The T-55 from Tamiya is a good representation to not be considered obsolete.

The T-72 from Tamiya needs a bit more work, but the North Korean's, at best, have only 1 T-72S (the export version of the T-72B) from 1990.

Otherwise, it could be a lot of fun doing the scratchbuilding necessary. Not much for resources though...the NKPA does not really let much info out.

I say pick a picture you like and go from there. It is entirely possible, but probably a fair bit of work.

Might get some ideas here:
http://spioenkop.blogspot.ie/2014/01/north-korea-and-her-fighting-vehicles.html

Hi Jacques, hi Comrade,
I've made some researches with the help of the military photos forum, and I've made a small site on Chonma-ho and its derivatives.

http://www.massimotessitori.altervista.com/armoursite/nkindigenoustanks/nkindigenoustanks.html

This is the link to a general page, that links four more pages.
I've utilized informations from many sources, but the main argument is the morphographic analysis from available images. I hope to collect documents enough to be able to draw decent scale drawings, or even decent scale models.
The page is still in provisional form; whoever can help in any way is welcome: new images and informations, educated criticism, warning about broken links and mispelled words (I'm not of English motherlanguage).
One can already do some valutations of modellistic elaborations, but it would be good an intermediate passage obtaining at least approximate scale drawings.

Regards
Massimo

Hi,
the kits I have and consider easily sacrificable are:
Tamiya T-62 (eventually, should the work become serious, I could use the Trumpeter as well)
T-55 of Esci, Lindberg, Skif
T-69 of Trumpeter
T-72 and 80U of Dragon
Type 85 and 98 of Trumpeter

Besides I've seen photos of a 6 wheels armoured car that resembles a shortened BTR-80, a possible way to employ my Dragon.
Regards
Massimo

I've slightly modified the link:
http://www.massimotessitori.altervista.org/armoursite/nkindigenoustanks/

Hi,
I've updated the page with other NK tanks and vehicles, including the PT-85 and 6x6 and 8x8 APC derived from BTR-80.
Yes, the conversion work would be huge and many details are still known in vague way only.
I hope to improve the page when new photos will be released.
I have to correct the link posted some days ago:
www/massimotessitori.altervista.org/armoursite/nkindigenoustanks/
Regards
Massimo

Your first link, http://www.massimotessitori.altervista.com/armoursite/nkindigenoustanks/nkindigenoustanks.html works, but your other links do not work.

:)

You're right Jacques,
the correct one is without http://.

www.massimotessitori.altervista.org/armoursite/nkindigenoustanks/index.html linkname
Seems that the forum post adds this prefix automatically.
I've added something on the M-2009 IFV derived from the PT-85.
Regards
Massimo