hey all have a question what is the best kit for the kv-85 i know that Trumpeter kv -85 kit has the wrong turent but what a bout the Soviet KV-1S/85 Heavy Tank kit and is there any other kits out there that are better thanks
dave

Take a look at the Bronco Model offering.

Hi Dave,
I have the trumpy kit & it is very nice, my friend just got the bronco kit.....even nicer, but also rumours of mistakes on turret too??

Least that is what he was led to believe.

Mike

They are not rumours, The cupola is too big, enough to throw off the positioning of other items on top of the turret.

The turret from Trumpeter is also incorrect. It should be symmetrical. I doubt that they have corrected it in their new release, but would be delighted to be proven wrong.

The turret from Eastern Express is not perfect, but still better than the other two. The best solution may be to graft the turret roof from EE onto the Bronco turret shell, which has a much better shape. There are still minor corrections necessary to the cupola. Plan B would be to wait for an aftermarket correction kit.

Regards
Scott Fraser

KV-1S-85 is a kit of a one-off prototype, built in 1943 to prove that the KV-1S turret was too small for the crew to serve the 85mm gun. The designers were correct, the gun and turret were an impossible combination, and it was not approved for production. The KV-85 and IS-85 (IS-1) were shown at the same time, and both were approved for production. The KV-85 could enter production almost immediately, buying time while the factories were tooling up for the superior IS tank.

thanks all so if i have this right the Eastern Express is a decent kit i was not intending to spend $70 to $80 on a kit
dave

ark model does a kv-85

What about using a Dragon T-34/85 turret , slap it on a Trumpeter chassis?

David(easyco69), the Ark model is also the Eastern Express kit. And the Dragon T-34/85 turret is not a match for the KV-85 turret...totally wrong.

The EE kits require more work because the detail is very simple, but it can certainly be done. You will need some aftermarket bits for the engine intakes, tracks and possibly fenders.

There is a recipe here:
http://www.4bogreen.com/kv-series/plastic-and-resin-kits/1-35-scale/eastern-express/35102-heavy-tank-kv-85

Regards
Scott Fraser

thanks all for your help
dave