Hi gize!

I'm starting the hobby again. I'm working on the old Tamiya 76mm Pak40 and I'm going to move to the Tamiya Panzer II (#35009) because they were cheap.

I'd like to pick up a T-34/76 soon. I hear the inexpensive Tamiyas are easy to build, but are really inaccurate. On the other hand Dragon models have heinous directions and a crazy number of parts.

What's a good middle ground? What will up the challenge and be more accurate/detailed than a Tonka toy? I don't want to mutilate a fifty dollar model.

Thanks for your time gentlemen,
Adam

AFV club is a good choice.

Dragon's are not bad

The Tamiya kits have errors, but don't look bad, and would benefit from a modest photoetch upgrade. They build quickly and fit well.
AFV Club's are more accurate, and also have vinyl tracks, rather than individual links (they sell an easy workable track set if you're ambitious).

The Tamiya T34 is a good version of a 'training wheels' kit to re-introduce you back to the hobby...if for anything a kit that won't burn you out, right out of the gate and keep you in the hobby.

I would use the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) method coming back into the hobby as well. Use the skills you recall while you discover new skills as you go along. Don't worry about the photo etch, the metal barrels or link-to-link tracks, etc., right now (that comes later). Go back to basics, i.e., seams, glue marks, mold release pin marks, silvering of decals, accuracy of paint.

And welcome back!

Nice, nice. I dig it. Nail down the fundamentals. Ain't no shame in starting with $20 kits. I was hoping someone would reaffirm this. I do tend to bite off more than I can chew and turn something fun into something frustrating. I'll try to remember to have fun not set out to make something perfect.

Thanks man.

Hey Adam, I am currently building several T-34/76 models: 1)Zvezda T-34/76 mod 43 with Mine Roller, 2)Zvezda T-34/76 mod 42 with welded turret, 3)ICM T-34/76 mod 43 with Hard Edge Turret, and 4)Dragon T-34/76 with welded turret. All of these models have their unique challenges to produce accurate (as is possible with my current skills) replicas. Although I am making significant changes to each of these models to try and bring them up to speed, if I were to pick one based on price/ease of build out of the box, I would go with the ICM kit. They have released two T-34/76 mod 43's; early and late versions. Both would be easy OOB builds with much more accurate detail than the old Tamiya kits; I have built about 6 or 7 of these in the past. You also would not have to fill motorization holes in the bottom hull that are found on the Tamiya T-34 kits.

If you search the internet you can usually find the ICM kits for around $25 or less. I purchased one from Squadron a few weeks ago for $21 during one of their sales. The Zvezda kits are not bad either. Maybe not as good
a fit as ICM, but they are even cheaper than ICM. I paid $19 for the Zvezda T-34 mod 43 with Mine Roller.

Hi Adam, have you thought of a KV-1 or KV-2 instead of the T-34? if your interested in the older vehicle Trumpeter make a perfect starter kit, great out of the box or even better with an easy amount of P.E.
just a thought.
Best of luck!
Eric.

I will echo what others have said. For price and ease of build Tamiya T-34 would be hard to beat. Enough there to hone your skills without letting frustration get the better of you. Sharpen your skills, then move on to more challenging builds. Most important have fun and build what and how you want. Good luck.

Ditto the Tamiya models. They look reasonably good OOTB, are usually pretty inexpensive, and build up well. I picked up their T-34/76 ChTz kit for a nostalgia build, and it took a grand total of 2.5hrs to build (basically 2 nightly sessions). It was also fun to take a break from very involved builds and do something simple that looks good. Unfortunately the weathering went awry on it, and the hull is awaiting a repaint. But you really can't go wrong with Tamiya and buildability.

Damon.

I have to second ICM as a superior startery kit to the Tamiya. Tamiya's T-34 goes back to the early 1970s and was merely a motorized hulk. The hull doesn't fit right and it has fender and hull gaps that need filling.
Though if you are looking for practice playing with plastic sheet go for it. But otherwise the ICM kit is just superior in every way.
Personally I would even go with the Zvezda over the Tamiya as it is a very simple kit that gives great practice in lining pieces up. Nothing beats multi piece hullset for learning basic assembly techniques. Dry fit as many times as you like, lightly glue and check fit again before final gluing and thereby you develop good habits in basic assembly.

By the way, the best easiest Dragon T-34/76 is the model 1941 base kit. It falls together. As the first of their T-34/76 kits it was purpose designed. Every other kit was based on it and heaped complications upon it. I also have the later Dragon T-34/76 1943 and it's a whole other ballgame with fiddly parts and photoetch.