I need to make a T-34 Prototype model (1/35 Scale) and I can't find any.
Are there any A-20, A-30, A-32 (45mm gun), A-32 (76mm gun), A-34 (small hatch), or A-34 (Big Hatch) Kits or Conversion kits on the market or have ever been on the market? If you have one please contact me.

Thanks,
Tom Moon
Houston, Texas

At one time Armo (Poland) had a series of parts designed to backdate older T-34 kits to the Model 1940 with L-11 gun, and one item was a welded turret. I have not seen it (#35440), but would assume it to be the welded turret most common on early T-34s.

The turret used on the prototypes and for the initial production series were significantly different, although this is hard to see at first glance. The T-34 turret was cramped, really cramped, and the first ones were worse than bearable. To increase the internal volume, after the first poduction series the turret was redesigned. The axis of rotation was shifted aft slightly, putting the side episcopes forward of the bending axis of the turret side plate. The first turrets had the episcopes exactly on that axis, or more correctly (since it was the axis that moved, rather tan the episcopes) the bending axis was where the episcopes were. Christian Muslow recently had an article in this regard in Tankograd Magazine (Germany). Scale drawings of the pre-series turret are included in the (Russian) book "Unknown T-34".

This really isn't much help, but hopefully will get you started in the right direction. It is worth noting, finally, that these prototypes used lots of BT-7 components, so there's a parts source.

Cheers
Scott Fraser

Hi Tom,

I found no conversions or kits, so decided to scratch build, maybe not so helpful for you but you can take a look at this link where the pictures were posted some time ago there not brill.

Still working on the finer details such as fit, turret and internals,

picture link

http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showphoto.php/photo/214940/ppuser/9983,

the turret is holding me up but I have a cunning plan to get one rapid prototyped so I can check out dims etc..

sorry but thats all Ive got at the mo.. reply if you want more info

best regards
Blue

Not much help I know. I am aming to eventualy produce a kit my self http://put.url.here

Scott, if someone wants to build the actual prototype of T-34 there are more things to pay attention to, not only the turret. Just for example, notice the add on for a driver on a front armor plate. (This is an actual photo of a prototype during a test).

Hi Alex.

Yes Alex, that is the second prototype A-34. But like all things T-34, there are exceptions, and this is one. I don't know offhand how many of the early turrets were made, but the few photos from German sources show them on 'standard' early 1940 production, with all their quirks.

There are good plans of the turret in "Unknown T-34", based on the second A-32 prototype.

Cheers