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on 2010-06-17 07:24, Vartotojas wrote:
You said that for a classical Factory 183 made tank (three hinges and four bolts on the angled outside edges) you can use parts L5 and L6 (the lower and upper rear plate respectively). For a Factory 174, et al, use parts B22 and G5 with the two hinges and five bolts. (There is a slight problem here in that G5 represents a version of the final drive housing, albeit with simplified detail, associated more with Factory 183 and it may be somewhat more correct to use part L5 but remove the center hinge).

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OK, here's the thing: Factory 183 UTZ (we "think", that is, the housing associates for the better part with tanks identifiable with UTZ) produced a uniquely shaped housing for the final drive gears, one of a couple designs they used.
This housing was more angular (something more of a truncated cone shape) as opposed to the common rounded profile. Part G5 represents the more angular type but with the two hinge arrangement rather than three.

Like I said, this is not the only version that UTZ used, they also having the rounded type.

The point I was trying to make is that for a Factory 174 made tank you would want to use the lower rear plate with rounded housings, like part L5 but removing the center hinge.

To muddy things up a bit more, it also appears that UTZ may have started to change the arrangement of hinges/bolts to something like what G5 gives you (two hinge not three), perhaps as soon as mid to late 1943. Certainly, the "classical" arrangement seems to become more rare in photographs dated 1944 and later though UTZ remained the largest producer of the tank. It is absolutely sure that they used the five bolt/two hinge pattern by the time they introduced the T-34-85 into production and may have started, as mentioned, much earlier.

Did that help or just make things more confusing?

Mark

Coming along nicely, Jacques.
Since you're on to the hull I though I'd post a photo that highlights some smaller problems with the kit.
Notice that the engine deck covers are held down by three fairly hefty bolts not four small rivets and that the sheet metal ends of the upper intake screens do not mate up neatly with the "bucket" or center tower.

Mark

Mythical Weapon at page 357 says: section of bolted-on engine cover on a T-34/85. On the T-34/76's, this element had four bolts (as it is in this kit).
Could you specify that information? Thanks.

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Mythical Weapon at page 357 says: section of bolted-on engine cover on a T-34/85. On the T-34/76's, this element had four bolts (as it is in this kit).
Could you specify that information? Thanks.

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Yes, Mythical Weapon is wrong.
The change from four bolts to three appears to have been part of the simplification program and happened no later than the begging of 1943 (depending on which factory, it may have been earlier or slightly later).
So, earlier batches of the Model '42 hex turret will have four bolts but by the time the cupola was introduced they would most definitely have only three, at least as a "new made" (as opposed to rebuild) tank.
This is backed up by available photographs.

Mark

I still feel the PE screens are incorrect and too long.

Marc, in all seriousness, I think YOU need to write a T-34 book like Mythical Weapon...well, a more accurate one anyhow.

2. Yes, the engine deck mesh is that messed up. And in a LOT of DML's T-34 kits...sigh.

That added cover for the formation/tail light is, I believe, a post war Polish modification.
(BTW, I wouldn't put too much faith in MW's descriptions when it comes to dating features. Some are OK others are questionable.)

Mark