Hi all,

This, Soviet armour, isn't my usual fare so please excuse the questions.

I bought the Tamiya 1/35 SU-85 kit as part of a 3 kit special this past weekend. I do understand that the DML kit is better, but hey, I got the kit (and the other 2) for a real bargain

The questions:

- Are there any interior kits (fighting compartment and/or engine compartment) available for the SU-85?
- Would a SU-100 or T-34 interior kit work? I read that the SU-85 was based upon a T-34 chassis?
- Would Su-100 or T-34 road wheels be suitable for this vehicle?
- Any AM track kits, Friul would be the preference, available?
- Any opinions on the Eduard (or was it Aber?) PE sets for this kit?
- Did the SU-85T recovery vehicle actually exist? Or was it a 'paper panzer'? Any photos? (Other than the Polish version)
- I read than the SU-85 was used by Vietnam. Any photos of the Vietnamese vehicles? Any further information on the deployment of these?

Thanks for your time

Rudi

Hey Rudi-

-There are no specific SU-85 interiors on the market. The engine is identical to the T-34 engine.
- There is no specific SU-100 interior either. If you were committed to doing an interior many T-34 parts would work.
You probably have read that the SU-85 was based on the T-34 chassis- but your own eyes will tell you exactly the same thing. Just as the Sherman and Pz IV chassis were used for many vehicles so was the T-34 chassis modified in many ways (especially post-war).
- The roadwheels in the Tamiya kit have a ring around the center hub so they are not strictly accurate.
-Fruil does make tracks for T-34's they may not market them in SU-85 packaging.
-Re; photo-etch Eduard and Aber make sets. Make sure you buy the one specifically made for the Tamiya kit. Fitting Photoetch for the Dragon kits to a Tamiya model may cause some unnecessary frustration- and the Tamiya stuff you will more likely find on sale.

SU-85T and use in Vietnam- questions better left for the more knowledgeable guys.

However- If I could offer a recommendation- you got this kit for a good price and you have an interest in this type of vehicle. I recommend that you get a PE set for the Tamiya kit and see if you can pick up a set of Dragon Magic tracks for a T-34. Then build your kit and see if you are still interested.

If you really want to do an SU-85 with interior, pick up the AFV Club T-34/85, the Dragon SU85M and the Dragon SU-100 Premium. There are a couple of Russian language books that will help you get there- but you'll be into the project for a couple hundred if you want to be very accurate.

If you don't want to go to that expense and effort - just be patient. AFV Club might take a crack at this at some point.

Good luck with it!

Steve

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the reply - much appreciated.

Must be honest, at this point in time I'm not sure what I want to do with this kit in terms of build and display. Really just trying to get a good idea of what's out there - I like to collect AM bits and ideas shortly after buying a kit so that when I am ready to build there's no delay and I don't loose my drive

Thanks again mate!

Rudi

Never heard of the SU-85 in service anywhere after 1945. Surviving vehicles were used right through the fighting in Berlin, but new production T-34-85's had the same firepower without the handicap of a casemate mounting instead of a turret. They were probably scrapped or rebuilt as recovery tractors and the like.
The T-34-85 was used in Vietnam (1960's era rebuilds, with starfish pattern road wheels and other updates--Dragon once offered this version).

Hi Gerald,

Now admittedly my source was Wiki (as I said, Soviet stuff isn't my usual subject) so I do accept that it may be wrong. The particular reference though cites "Perrett, Bryan (1987). Soviet Armour Since 1945, London: Blandford. ISBN 0-7137-1735-1." as the source though. According to this citation N.Korea operated SU-85's as well.

Given it's coming from Wiki I'd like to confirm this

Rudi

Isn't the SU-85M actually an SU-100 with an 85mm gun installed as a stop-gap? This means there would be some difference in the gun mounting, mantlet and front plate, if memory serves. It may be possible to graft Tamiya parts onto other kits to get around this.

only difference between and SU-100 and a stop-gap SU-85 is the gun/mantlet.

Jacques is 100% correct. The Dragon SU-100 and SU-85M are identical apart from the gun and mantlet. So why would I recommend both an SU-85M and an SU-100 "Premium"?

The SU-100 "premium" has Magic tracks and a decent photo-etch set The parts are interchangeable with the SU-85M.

To my knowledge- Dragon never released an SU-85M "premium".


Regarding Sean "pigstys" comment- I bought a Tamiya SU-122 and a Dragon SU-100 "premium" a while back to see if a kitbash was possible. The front of the fighting compartment would need work- but the fighting compartment roof of the Tamiya kit would drop right on to the Dragon kit.

I was surprised how compatible the Tamiya and Dragon kits were in the areas that would matter in a Tamiya SU-85 or SU-122 to Dragon SU- kitbash.

Good stuff! But I am hoping that Dragon comes to the rescue with an SU-122.

Steve

Hi gents,

Thanks for all your insightful comments. These'll definitely come in use when I get around to this kit

Rudi