As requested in my reference inquiry thread, here's my T-70.

Not the recent Miniart kit but the earlier Techmod offering, this copy of mine was a Toga re-boxing of it.
These things always seem to happen to me. By the time I had bought the kit and rustled up some aftermarket accessories, the vastly superior Miniart kit was released, rendering other kits obsolete overnight.

Because of the dimensional issues and other inaccuracies, and a superior kit being available, I decided to build this as a fun project, adding AM parts, making some new ones where needed (as some detail parts are crude in the kit), without stressing too much over the inaccuracies present.

During this summer I've been making some progress every now and then between my other projects. To make it a little liverier, I'm planning on adding a crew figure having a smoke, from Tristar's tank crew set.

But on to the build. This is what I've been working on this summer:

Individual link replacement tracks, also by Techmod, removed from their sprues but not yet cleaned up.

The tracks were among the first items that I felt needed replacing. While the kit has link & lenght style tracks, they're somewhat crude and getting a characteristic Russian sag on them would be all but impossible and I've heard they're also tricky to install as well.
This set was affordable, offered much better detailed track links, came with better looking drive sprockets as well as several short plastic assembly jigs, altough I'll probably use something else while gluing them together.

Here's the main turret components:

Another part that needed replacing was the 45mm main gun barrel. While the kit part wasn't the worst I've seen, an aluminium barrel by Elefant offers a major improvement.
I added casting numbers to the gun mantlet using numbers sliced from left-over sprues and gave the part a rough surface with mr. surfacer 500.

Dimensionally, the turret is probably the worst aspect of the kit, being much too small and having quite inaccurate shapes and angles, but I'll be just adding detail and finally paint. The first details I added were the weld seams, which I made using stretched sprue, liquid cement and a hobby knife.


Here I'm test fitting the major hull components:

While the Miniart kit has a conventional hull "tub" and a few parts for the upper hull, this one has an old-skool "flat" hull made from several components.
Fit was surprisingly good, although warpage in the bottom part required some TLC and wooden beams to help keep it straight.
Sink marks are also present, requiring putty and sanding.


Some more dryfitting here, at a little later stage. The hull tub is glued together now and the fit of the rest of the components is checked.
The driver's hatch had some major sink marks, but fortunately there's no detail to watch out for while slapping on putty and later sanding.

And to close this first post, here's the crew member that'll accompany the finished vehicle, head and arms temporarily attached at this point

I'll probably keep the head and arms separate until final assembly to ease painting.

Until next time.

Even though I've been concentrating on the Blenheim, I've been making some slight progress on my T-70 as well.


The vision slot in the driver's hatch was way too small when compared to my primary reference walk-around, and it was only done as a depression in the part, so I opened it by drilling and carving and gave it a coat of mr. surfacer to give a rougher surface. Here it's being dryfitted to the hull to ensure it fits properly.

While I was at it, I added the missing weld seam to the rim around the hatch opening. This was done in the same way as on the turret, with stretched sprue softened with liquid cement and textured with a modeling knife.
The bolt heads on the plate were too small so I sliced them off the replaced them with larger hexagonal bolts from Academy's stuart sprues. They're too tall at the moment so I'll be filing them down a bit.


Test fitting the suspension arms reveal a loose fit and some funky details in the hull as well (like that's a revelation with this kit? )
First of all, those blocks that keep the suspension arms level with the bottom of the hull look like they don't belong there. My references only only a couple of such things, and they're way higher. Perhaps they're there to help aligning the suspension? I think I'll keep them around, they're not that visible on the finished model and they keep the suspension aligned. I think I'll also need to use something else than regular styrene cement to ensure a strong bond on the loosely-fitting suspension arms.
That grey circular plate is a left-over from Dragon's T-34 and will replace the much smaller moulded-in detail in the hull side. The replacement will be sanded a little thinner, and according to my references, will have three bolt heads instead of four. (notice how the kit features six)
Also, I'll need to do something about the recessed seam extending only up to the fender line. Scale drawings I found show it going all the way up the hull, while my photo references don't seem to have the seam at all. Different production versions I suppose?


Doing some dryfitting on the upper hull indicated another funny aspect of this kit. The hull is about 3mm too narrow.
The area pointed by the arrow, where the exhaust pipes emerge from the hull, should be broader. Installing the pipes there would look awful. I guess the only reasonable solution (No, I'm not going to cut the hull apart to widen it! ) is to make the cooling vent hang over the edge of the hull more in order to extend the area on the top.

That's it for this update.
Until next time.


Edit: added a pic I forgot the first time posting.

Looks good, Eetu. Too bad having amassed so much AM stuff and then have a brand new kit released. However, your kit will be different and you will have the satisfaction of turning a sows ear into a silk purse.

Let me guess - this will be a captured Finnish vehicle?

Looking forward to see more

Thanks.

No, this time it's not going to be a captured Finnish vehicle. Even though one T-70 was captured during the summer of 1944, it was never used put into use in the Finnish Army.
Btw, some photos of it can be seen here: http://www.andreaslarka.net/T-70/T-70.html

No pics yet, but I figured out a way to fix the hull width issue. Probably the cheapest trick there is, but it's so simple and obvious, and it works.
Just move the seam inwards!

The turret is underscale and too narrow as well, so it actually gives an illusion of the seam being in a more accurate place as well when the seam is closer to the turret.

To get an idea of the hull's dimensional error(s), compare it to this photo of the real thing:



Edit: added a photo I thought I had added already.

Time for another update.

After adding lifting loops I made from copper wire, the turret is almost ready now.

I'm thinking now if I should add the welds to the loops as well.
Another detail I still have to add is the DT machine gun, which I think I'll make from rod and tubing metal or plastic. I briefly thought about Adlers Nest's new DTs, but on second thought, using them on this kit would make a fine new example to the dictionary entry for the saying "pearls before swine".


I've working on the hull recently as well. Instead of just painting the whole interior black, I played it fancy and boxed-in the area under engine intake to be painted black. I also clipped off the front ends of the fenders and attached the PE fenders included in the Eduard set. Quite a difference they make.
The rear ends of the fenders I annealed with a lighter to ease shaping into the curve in the plastic part, hence the blackening/bluing on it.

Working on the fenders, I also folded up and assembled the rear portions.

These kind of parts would be probably best soldered, but without proper equipment, I struggled on with superglue.
I'll be gluing these in place right before priming to avoid damaging or knocking them off accidentally.

One lifting loop was glued to the glacis plate as well:

As Eduard's instructions were a bit vague about cuitting the front ends of the fenders, I made straight cuts, resulting in a small triangular gap between the vertical sides of the plastic and PE parts. Fortunately, another PE part covered the gap perfectly. I applied gatorglue on the back to fill it up. With the drive sprockets and tracks in place, it will be all but unnoticable.


On the hull sides, I noticed a peculiarity. The riveted seam going down the middle only goes up to the fenders. I extended it all the way up. Somehow, the rivets next to the seam were much smaller than the rest in the kit, so I sliced those off and replaced them at the same time I added rivets to the seam extension I just made.


The tool boxes that go to the left fender looked like they could use some further detailing in addition to the Eduard PE, so I added some:
1) Styrene strip on the edges to give an impression of the lid being a separate part.
2) Another styrene strip on top.
3) A brass wire loop to round out the PE part. How could you lock the box without it?


Not much news on the crew member figure. I only added a pin to the left leg to ease painting and subsequent mounting to the scenery and did some more clean-up.

Now to close this update, I have a request. If anyone has some left-over towing hooks from soviet armor kits they don't need, this T-70 of mine could surely use some to replace the horrible things offered in the kit. There's two kinds of towing hooks to choose from, and they're both awful.

Something like this would be better.
If you got some suitable parts you don't need, let me know.

Until next time then.

I think it's about time for a little update.


The finished engine intake housing is fitted to the hull.
There was a couple of sink marks I filled with putty and mr. surfacer. The mesh screen is from the Eduard PE set. The kit instruction showed an iron bar fitted to the side of the housing, but as my references showed two handles instead, I made these from brass wire and scrap PE.


Here's some smaller detail part that will replace poor kit-supplied ones. The horn (missing from the kit altogether) is from the Eduard set. I was going to use the part left over from Dragon's T-34 (it was better shaped IMO), but as the part launched into oblivion when I was cleaning it up, I resorted to Eduard's brass.
The headlight is also from the same Dragon T-34, replacing the solid-moulded part from the kit. Mounts for both the horn and headlight are Eduard's PE.
The DT machine was poor in the kit, nothing but but a piece of styrene rod (with mould lines to remove, of course). I had a couple of white metal DT MGs in my stash, but as only the forward portion of the barrel was visible, and i'ts a simple part, I made a new barrel myself from a hypodermic needle and a slice from a brass tube.

very good topic! love it!

Glad to hear this thread has been enjoyed.

Despite the sporadic updates, I'be been working on the kit every now and then, although less than I probably should be doing.
Anyway, here's some more progess:

The other night I had quite a flow experience and just sat down and finished cleaning up the tracks. I already had removed them from the sprues and cleaned up. They however required further work to fit together properly. Each and every one of the 346 pieces needed some filing. Took a few hours...

If you're wondering about it, I worked with two track shoes at a time, filing them so they fit to each other both ways, then reached for another pair.

The latest part I worked on was the exhaust system. The kit-supplied mufflers were okay, but the pipes just looked odd.

Those looked nothing like the ones I'd seen in my reference photos. The instructions were quite vague too, and made me think the whole setup might have been inspired by those restored vehicles were the pipes go under the engine cover.


The pipes needed to be replaced and the mufflers updated, and I think it now looks something more like the real McCoy.






The mufflers are the only kit parts here. I started off by sanding off the moulded-in mounts from them, then replaced the exhaust pipes with metal tubing. To simulate them being made of thin metal, I used a modeling knife to make dent give a used feel, then gave them a coat of mr. surfacer 500.
The mounting straps provided on the Eduard PE set turned out to be much too short. The instructions looked like the whole moulded-in mounts were to be removed, but the straps were so short I believe they were meant to only replace the strap going over the muffler.
I made new ones from a two pieces of a PE fret and superglued a squash-moulded rivet to each.
The pipes leading to the mufflers I made from styrene rod heated and bent to shape. The insulation is masking tape cut into thin strips. The clamps holding down the pipes on top of the vehicle was made from copper wire and one of the muffler mounts on the PE set.

While working on it, I noticed the turret doesn't have enough space to rotate completely with the pipes in place, but I suspect it's because of the funky dimensions of both the turret and the hull.

That's it for this time.
Hopefully I'll get it done within the campaign deadline.

I found how to save some mm with the wide issue,
the airbox is to flat , and has no raised part on the inside
http://data3.primeportal.net/tanks/yuri_pasholok/t-70_light_tank/images/t-70_light_tank_110_of_130.jpg



I'm working on one now, helpfull topic so far

have you done more work to it?

Greetz

Eetu:
I like your method for making weld seams, thanks I may now try it since yours looks good and easy to make.

Robert

Oh, replies. Nice. I had thought this thread had fallen into oblivion without any updates.

Thanks for the pic and heads-up. I didn't think of the air intake housing. I've already glued it in place, so I've got to live with it. I think I just might be able to get the turret to rotate full 360 degrees if I sanded the overhang a bit, but if it requires much, I'll just leave it like that. It looks funky enough as it is without yet another dimensional issue. (well, thinking about the turret dimensions, one more obvious glitch would probably just disappear into the mass)

Yeah, I like that weld-seam method as well. Rolling milliput (or similar stuff) into that thin sausages, moving them on the model intact, then making them stick, and making the texture without moving the putty around or lifting it would probably make me bald prematurely.

Sorry, no more progress yet. But I'll try to get this one done for the "get the job done again" campaign though.

Excellent tips and work!

Now has it been that long since I last worked on this one? Of course it's not the rear of the turret with its overhang that causing the trouble, but the front. So anyway, I'm going to just live with it, with the turret already assembled and all.

Some more progress!

The towing hooks weren't that hard to do afterall. The hard part was actually just getting started. Made from styrene sheet, bolts cut from left-over Academy Stuart side-skirts and stretched sprue. Ten parts each, rough casting texture made with Mr. Surfacer 500.

Guess which ones are the kit-parts, cause I'm not telling you!

The PE front fenders received short pieces of half-round stretched sprue to better simulate the hinges.

The trick with shaped stretched sprue is doing the shaping first, then the stretching. Much easier that way around.

The scratch-built towing hooks were accompanied by these simple clips (what are those things called btw?) made from styrene sheet and stretched sprue.


The rear rear towing hook is basically the same as the two on the front. Following photos of the real thing, I added supports to the rear fenders made from left-over PE and styrene bolts.


Tools ready for priming:

The pry bar is from the kit, the shovel from the Eduard PE set (styrene rod no included, naturally ), as are the tool clips.

With everything done, I proceeded with the primer.

Normally, I would have built the track sections and primed them at the same time as well, but with the fit of the road wheels less than 100% snug, I decided to do the overall painting first before gluing the wheels and then building the tracks to ensure there's no surprises when installing the tracks.

Next: preshading and the green.

your update, made me remember I have that kit still in my to-do stash, looks like you made a nice model already.

Like the figure, i used it on a small dio, and it captures reality in scale, one of the better and usefull figs around.

Greetz

Well, Eetu, the kit you're working on may be a rat, but your work is beautiful.
Some extra dimension of satisfaction about working with a goofy kit, isn't there?

Thanks for the comments. They're most appreciated.



Thanks!
Yes, there's certainly an added feeling of achievement when working on a kit like this. The Eduard PE goes a long way in adding details, but there's still parts that can use improvement (or replacement altogether).

I've been making some progress. When the primer had had a few days to dry properly (as it wasn't Mr. Surfacer or Citadel which dry very quickly), I preshaded the model with Xtracrylics' night black.


After pondering on the choice of green, I settled on Vallejo's "Russian uniform" (#924). Here's hull and turret after receiving a coat of future, both to provide a glossier surface for the washes and what have you to come and better withstand the handling it will be subjected when I assemble and pose the tracks.


Next I'll paint the rubber tires of the roadwheels and when dry, attach the wheels.

well, dude, I think you got the green spot on, just like them pics ,the walk around, euh, somewhere on the net

brings the little thing to life


and the preshade is also nice, just barely visable with the green, nice!


go!go!go!


Greetz Tha Pit

Thanks, I like that green too.

If you've been watching the 'Get the job done again' campaign thread, you've probably noticed I got my entry done. I had to do a bit of a rushing finish to get it done on new year's eve before heading downtown.
Now I've added some light dusting with pigments so I'll post the newer and better pics here.
Thanks for watching, I hope you enjoyed.

EDIT ("Holy necroposting, Batman" edition) - July 12th 2017.
Well, since those last WIP pictures were posted in a campaign thread, which least at the moment can't be edited, I'll quickly throw those few pics here in order to keep the continuity of the build log intact.


Track run segments assembled and drying while being held in place as the cement dries.


Track segments for one side assembled and primed for painting.


Some kind of sludge wash mixed up for treating the primed tracks. (can't remember exactly what was in that, sorry)


Wash-treated tracks after drying.


Turret and mostly completed hull after getting some pigment and wash treatment to bring out the details and accent hinges, crevices, etc.












Ps. I know, I've still got to paint up the figure and do a small base for it and the tank, weather it some more, add some grime to blend it in to the landscape, you know the deal. I'll get back to this one (some day).

Pps. And I STILL haven't finished that figure...

sweet

Glad you like it.

It looks perfect...really like the preshading and top coat...subtle weathering...nice

Outstanding jou Eatu. The details, paint, weathering... I like your model very much. I build the same kit many years ago as my first 1:35 scale model of a tank so my respect to your work is even much bigger...

Nice job, Eetu. You have incorporated some really nice details and it shows on the finished model. I have this kit in my stash so I might steal some of your tricks.

Thanks for sharing