Hi all,

I have a box of Tamiya T34/76 1943 kit.
http://www.hobbyeasy.com/en_US/prod/14053.html

This is an old kit and I would like to build this kit into at late 1943 version of the T34 with commander cupola...

The few reference photos of T34/76 late 1943 that I have shows that there seems to have 2 pistol port of the Hexagonal turret of the T34...but the kit does not provide those pistol port...so I may have to sractch something...

Is there anything else that I need to take note or add for the late 1943 version of the T34 using this Tamiya kit....

I know this is an open ended questions...but if anyone knows... please help

Thanks,
Mike

Mike,
Just how "late" do you want the tank? A summer 1943 production tank will have a different look compared to a 1944 production version.

Some of the early cupola fitted turrets lacked pistol ports. Earlier tanks also had the mix of all steel and rubber type road wheels. The later the tank, the fewer metal wheels there were, and the Tamiya kit does not include enough rubber rimmed wheels for a full set. The very late 76 tanks used the hull with the sharp nose of the T34 85's.

I hope this helps, if not, let me know what time frame you are thinking of. Just adding the pistol ports, and some detail work the kit builds up into a very nice model.

It builds into a pretty good kit.

No one yet {Dragon} has not come out with one.

Only the 85 Version minus the 1940 version's but no 1943 maybe lets hope right around the corner.

Their are some aftermarket stuff that can correct most of the Problems with turret.

A good build with stock kit.

Plus you do have to fill in the old Motor holes and such in lower hull

Here is a site that has some parts to help make a few different versions.

http://www.tankworkshop.com/Shop/agora.cgi?cart_id=%%cart_id%%&product=Tank%20Maker&xm=on


Even tho the Tamiya kits are out of scale they do make a pretty close T/34

Only thing back in the Days 1970's

Look at a few of the websites and you will see more Tamiya T/34's then Dragon but this might change soon.

Now if they would make the rest of the series would be great and I would do them all.

Myself I am working on doing the series from 1940 thru the 1945 Nam series of T/34's

Something about the design that well I like.

Armo also makes replacement parts but a tad more $$$.

Here http://www.jadar.com.pl/start-a.htm

Enjoy the Fun with a little TLC and some time builds into a nice kit.

Cause their are people that have to find things out of scale by inches and get all upset.

But again they can find no kit produced that is 100% to their liking I guess only reason they exist is to find things wrong.

I guess they can't remember when Tamiya was it and it only.

Tamiya's kit is overscale and the hull sides taper too much. This makes the top deck too narrow and the turret is distorted. Turret also is too narrow in back and the top is too small, so the cupola is a bit undersized.
The Zvezda/Italeri kit is not as nicely engineered, but it is more accurate in general dimensions and shape, though it would benefit from new track and some photoetch.

All,

thanks for the feedback...really appreciate it...

Anyway, given this is an old kit...may just build it OOB and do some simple experiment with Mr surfacers....

Randall, do you have any pictures of the 1943 production with no pistol port that can be shared ...would like to take a look at it..





Jeff, thanks for the details and the website...I am trying to save $$$ and I am staying clear of resin part....for health reasons....but I share your sentiment above...something about the T34 series that keeps me going back..
I have T34 from 1/16 scale to 1/72 scale....and from Dragon to tamiya to trumpeter....except those model from eastern europe...those are hard to come by in Singapore and if they do...they are $$$$

Gerald, your comment is always treasured...noticed that you are quite meticulous as well in your other post....

Cheers....

I see that you did a mighty fine job on that Tamiya T-34 Mike .

Keep it up also a great Sherman.

Just to correct a few misconceptions about the Tamiya T-34 hulls: The upper deck/turret ring plate is not too narrow, in fact it's about 0.010" (0.254mm) wider than DML's T-34s.

The angles of the side plates, which are at about 45 degrees rather than the correct 40 degrees, make the fender to fender width only about 3 scale inches (76.2mm) too wide.

The lower hull is only 0.023 inches (0.58mm) wider than DMLs.

The kit is not "overscale" so much as out of proportion in certain respects.

The angles of the glacis and rear plates are just about right.

If anything the “Model ‘43” turret rear plate is significantly too wide not too narrow.

The Tamiya kit does have quite a few shortcomings, like the overall turret shape and angles, a fan cover that’s about a tenth of an inch (2.5mm) too “deep”, the driver’s hatch is about .040 inches (1mm) too long, etc., but there’s no need to pick on it for issues it doesn’t have. ;-)

A single detail that is easy to correct that really adds to the "accruate" look of the finished kit is to replace the PTK-5 periscope's bases. Tamiya gives you (and Trumpeter copied) raised rings for the bases. They should be discs, about the same diameter as Tamiya's rings, with six screw heads.

Good luck with your T-34!

Mark

Thanks for that Heads up on the Periscopes their Mark.

Never heard that one before.

Any other good hints on any of these kits is appreciated.

Mike,
This is the best picture I could find. Most are too small. Keep in mind, some turrets with the mouse ears had pistol posts, some turrets with the cupola did not. Probable the use of old turret shells getting used up as 76 production ended. What factory a tank was built, or refitted at, could dictate what external fittings were applied. Factory 112 put grab handles on just about every thing that came through, all through the war. STZ made tanks that were very basic. This variety makes the T34 a fun series to build for me. Tks, Randy

Oh boy, I started to write an article on these kits several years back but stopped when I was sure that DML would be releasing a hex turret variant (which, of course, hasn't happened ). Anyway, you can go nuts fixing things on the hull alone and the real questing is how much work do you want to do?

Simple fixes would include:
Open up the grills on the sides and upper deck, open up the fan cover and box the areas behind them in. There are several PE sets that can be used for this. I like the ones from Part, myself.

Fill the trenches on either side of the turret ring (where the upper plate meets the sides) with "weld bead".

Don't install parts A14 (I think?) these are the two brackets that are attached to the "fillet" (the rounded joint that connects the glacis and lower plate). These parts represent some items that were added by Aberdeen Proving Grounds to their Model '42 when its transmission failed while undergoing testing their in '43 or '44.
Fill in the two slots that these parts would have gone into.

From there the corrections get more and more involved, things like correcting the spacing of the suspension arms, and replacing the turret on the "Model '43's".
(BTW, I’d avoid using TWS’s turrets. They’re just slightly modified versions of Tamiya’s and don’t fix the shape issues. Miniarm on the other hand make some great and very accurate turrets but they are fairly expensive.

http://www.chesapeakemodels.com/miniarm/pages/B35023_jpg.htm

Mark

Sorry to jump in on this thread, but what tracks are suitable for the 1943 model. Could friuls "ATL-09" for the ´85 version be used if it was modelled as a "surviving tank gone through a re-fit" or some other plausable excuse? I have the Italeri version and these tracks ... are they in any way compatable? Thanks in advance. Cheers.

The Fruil 09 track is the "standard" version that came out in spring of 1942. There was a transition track that came out in late 1941 that shows up quite often in pictures in 1942. Some early "1943" tanks (large hex turret, built in early 1942!) still have the early track of the 1940/41 tanks. If you are doing a summer 1942 or later the Fuil 09 will work as these tracks were the most common type from summer 1942 on.

Hi Randall. Thanks a million. Appreciate the information ... and especially as its in my favour!! Thanks again.

Randall, thanks for the excellent picture....In your picture, there are different road wheel on T34 with....I have some spare wheel from the previous T34/76 kit and it will be put to good use !

Also noticed that there is a solider lying on the ground in the photo as well...not sure what happen to him

Mark, thanks for your detail explanation of the changes requried to make the Tamiya kit accurate...sounds like fun but.....

We can only pray that Mr Dragon or Mr Trumpeter or Mr someone hear our prayer and come up with a more accurate T34/76 with hex turret...

We can only pray that Mr Dragon or Mr Trumpeter or Mr someone hear our prayer and come up with a more accurate T34/76 with hex turret... [/quote]

We have been sending DML very strong hints for a long time. With luck, now that they have the earlier tanks they will get off their duffs and do the one that I wanted in the first place! I am looking forward to the "new" 1941 version, as it will have the steel wheels.