I am curious to know if anyone else out there enjoys Russian WWII subjects. It doesn't seem like too many people like building Russian stuff and I don't understand why because I find their vehicles to have a strong appeal, but manybe I'm just weird. So, I guess that the question is: Do you like WWII Russian subjects? If so, any in particular (I'm partial to the BT series and the T-26)? If you don't like Russian WWII, what nation and time period do you like?

Adam--other thn the KV I and KV II, the T-34, and the BT-26 my interest in Russian armor is zilch. I do have the JS III which I have not built and a T-80. Way too many Shermans to build.
DJ
Ps ordered those MV lens and should get them shortly. Thanks

I do have been building them since I was a little tyke But Russian armor is not done to much . The T/34 has about been done to death. I think every company has made one or two different ones but not to much of other Russian stuff such as Armored cars and the BT series of tanks I have been buying Russian armored cars but from companies like Eastern Express and Maquette,Icm but the kits are hard to put together or parts are out of scale The Su-76 I am working on now fits the name SUKA which in Russian is lady and it fits it to the Letter I have to replace all the upper armor plates plus hatches and whatever to try and get it to be allright. Now if some of the other companies would do it like say Tamiya more people would get into the Russian side of the armor.I myself find it enjoyable,but also their is not to much Russian stuff from the war They won it on the T/34 and the BM/13 stalin organ [Katyusha ]and the Zis 122MM

I do have a few Russian armor kits, a T-60 by RPM which has an awesome PE fret included and a lousy Zvezda T-60. I also have these kits (may have missed one or two):

DML T-80 w/ERA, T-80 MBT, BMP-1, BMP-2, JSU-122, BRDM-2

Tamiya JS III, SU-100, T-34/76 ChTZ, GAZ-67B, SU-85 (missing pieces), KV-1C

Skif T-55A, T-64B

Esci T-72, T-74, T-55M, BMP-1, I may have a BMP-2 or it might be a second BMP-1

Glencoe PT-76, BTR-50, FROG

Lindberg T-80

AER ASU-57, GAZ-67

Arsenal BRDM-1

Italeri/Zvezda ZIS-3 76mm anti tank gun

Trumpeter PLA Type 79 105mm MBT (yeah, OK it's Chinese)

I am partial to the early light stuff, but the old tanker in me likes to have the modern stuff that I had to ID through my tank sights in the collection.

Not to make light of anyones misery. But it has been pretty cool seeing all those wonderful pictures of Merkava Tanks on CNN. The Merk is another one of my Fav's in the world of Armor and "SUPERIOR FIREPOWER" i'VE always said that when Science fails, Sheer Brute Force wins!!

DAGGER: A weapon with a short pointed Blade: " THE CUTTING EDGE"

BTW to answer your question I once built a Russian T-55. Which came out pretty good. It was an easy build.



DAGGER-1

Sabot,

Your list of too be built Russian Armor is as big as mine. Mine is as follows:

AER - BA-64, T-18, T-20 Komsomolyets, and T-38
Alan - BA-20
Cooperativa - T-38
DML - BMP-1 and BMP-2
Eastern Express - BT-7 1935 Command, BT-7 1935 Early, BT-7 1935 Late, BT-7 1937
Early, and BT-7A
ICM - IT-28, T-28, and T-35
Italeri - BT-5
Maquette - BT-2 and T-26-4
Mirage - T-26A (x2) and T-26C/OT-134
RPM - T-60
Start - T-30 and T-40
Tamiya - KV-1C, SU-122, T-34 model 1942, and T-34 model 1943
Techmod - T-50 and T-70
VM - Valentine IV Mk. III (I know this is British, but I'm going to build it as a Lend-Lease
vehicle)
Zvezda - M3 Scout Car (once again Lend-Lease), OT-26, and SU-100

I have some questions for you regarding some of your kits. I have been focusing almost exclusively on the early light Soviet tanks, but I recently have gotten into the more modern Soviet stuff as well (that is why I picked up the BMP-1 & 2 by DML). What can you tell me about the following kits you have:

DML BRDM-2
Skif T-55A
Glencoe PT-76
Glencoe BTR-50

Also, I've heard on Glencoe, but never seen any of their kits. Are they plastic or resin?

Finally, has anyone out there seen the Skif BMP-3? Is it a good kit? Accurate?

Thanks,
Adam

BTW - Dagger-1, I agree the Merkava is a fascinating tank. I have one of those waiting to be built also.

The Glencoe kits are ancient plastic 1/32 scale kits originally made by Ringo(?). ITC also issued them and I have a motorized PT-76 from ITC. The 3 kits share the same chassis, with only the upper hulls being different. They are crudely made and were produced in the late 60s-early 70s.Glencoe just re-popped the kits and added nice decals (top of the line ones actually).

As far as the BRDM-2, nice kit that DML did. They tried to make some parts operable and that makes the hinges a bit overscale. The tires are vinyl and the 4 underside wheels are nicely done and retractable. No interior which is a shame. The first DML kit I ever built, I plan on building another someday.

I did a review on the Skiff T-55A on the review page here. I did not see a Trumpeter one nor did I count rivets, take measurements, etc. I like the looks of the kit, but it was panned by most reviewers. I compared it to the Esci kit I had on hand. The Skif kit had some pluses and minues over the Esci one, I got two Esci T-55Ms for $5 and the Skif kit cost me $30. I plan on doing some cross pollination of the two to make one nice one.


I just got my first Merkava (II) yesterday, looks like a neat tank. Rather Teutonic in its current guise.

Hey Guy's
I have an Academy Merk-III waiting to be built also. I was told that it is a good kit. My first and only SO FAR Merk to build was a Tamiya Merk-1 back in 85. And I liked it. So I am anxious to start on this new one. BUT I have a few other projects to do first. So you can look forward to me bending a few of your ears and picking your brains for help or ideas when I do start on it..


DAGGER: A weapon with a short pointed Blade: "THE CUTTING EDGE"

I've heard that the Merkava III from Academy is a nice kit, but it is based on the prototype and is therefore not an accurate representation of the Merkava IIIs in service with the IDF. It was either on Track-Link or Missing Links that I read an article on what needs done to make it look like a real Merkava III in case you care.

Sabot,

I almost forgot to mention the resin conversion kits that I picked up at AMPS. I got the MR Models BT-5A conversion, the Commander Series BT-42 conversion, the MB Models BT-2 conversion, and the MB Models T3 Christie conversion. All of these conversions are to convert the Italeri/Zvezda BT-5 so I will have to buy 4 more of those kits.

There has to be a 10-step program out there to help with this problem.

Dagger-1,

Here is a perfect illustration of what I was saying about the Merkava III by Academy. That IDF site that you go to has 3 pics of the Merkava III prototype and this is what the Academy kit represents, not the actual production vehicle.

HTH

So enlighten me: I'm not certain that I understand or follow what you are saying. Other that the fact that Acadmey makes thier kits to represent the Prototype but not the actual type. So what is the difference between the prototype and the actual production model?? A prototype if I understand correctly is what the manufacturer wants the model to basicly appear. But the actual poduction is the one that is actually outfitted with it's fighting equipment and ready to go on line. RIGHT ??

DAGGER-1 " WHEN SCIENCE FAILS, BRUTE FORCE WINS"

I don't know what all of the exact differences are because I haven't really studied the vehicle, but what I am assuming is the case is that the manufacturer made the prototype for trials and when the IDF approved the vehicle for production they asked for certain small design changes to be made before production began. Some examples of what I mean are that the prototype had the road wheels from the Merkava II, but the actual production vehicle has distinctly different road wheels and the turret shape is different between the prototype and production vehicles.

HTH

I have a small collection of Soviet armor, pre/early WW2 and modern. I have built the Zvesda T-60, AER T-18 , BA20, BA-64, T-38 Amphib, & T-35 (ICM) for early stuff. I have also completed the DML BTR-70 (East German colors), and ESCI T-74 (May Day Parade markings) with teh ESCI BMP-1 & 2 partly done. Sitting in the wings are the ICM T-28, and Techmod T-50 and T-70. The Soviets had so many kinds of and types of armor, you could build nothing but Soviet/Russian and have a massive armor. I have also completed the granddaddy of the BTs. I used Commanders Christie T3 conversion with Italeri's BT-5.

At one point, I had some interest in Russian WWII armor. But I quickly realized that my time should be centered around German WWII armor. About two years ago I completed a T-34 Model 1942 and put it in captured German makings. I find Russian armor to be a little bland, but who knows how I will feel in the future.

i like kubelwagens, except for italeri and heller

I never had any real interest in Russian vehicles. When I first started building models (many years ago) I built only German ones.

As for now, my only interest is in U.S. WWII vehicles. I just love em! I remember my friends building em, and I would kinda say "ahhh - boring". Now I can't seem to get enough.
They just seem to have a certain kinda charm to them not seen with other nation's vehicles.

I have never built anything modern, though I do have a Merkava III waiting on the back burner.

I'm about to finish a T34/76. I think it's a pretty good looking tank, but my main interest is WWII German afv's.

I may build more Russian tanks in the future, but for now, there are too many German vehicles I want to tackle.

Out of my 25 or so kits over 2 thirds are German WW 2. The other 3rd is allied WW 2 but not one kit is Russian.

I'm not sure why that is? Are their tanks boring? I don't think so.

I think being Canadian and my Country's experiences were mostly on the Western Front which lead me to concentrate on the armor used on the Western Front.

But once I build some of the kits I have in my collection I will definately consider Russsian armor.

MSW

Go Leafs Go!

Hi Guys,
My primary interest is in US VietNam era armor, soft-skins and helicopters with a few same-era soviet armor throw in for anti-tank diorama victims.
My other interests include a 1/25th scale chop-top 1974 cadilac eldorado low-rider street-machine that I've been tinkering with for about 4 years. It has an interior sculpted from bits and pieces of two '96 corvette Z/R1's w/ red oak dash and door panel inserts.I've opened and hinged the hood and trunk to open up to the side. The entire running gear consists of a streched '99 Corvette C-5 chassis. The engine is basicly factory GM but the 'vette markings have been replaced w photo-etched Cadilac scripts(Sweet!) The body is STILL in black primer because I keep changing my mind on the color scheme. I've installed '53 Buick side-trim chrome spears which extend from in front of the front of the rear fender all the way to the very front. OK... THAT'S IT... I'm going to this thing out of moth-balls and finish it! SO HELP ME!!! ( I also like to scratchbuild 1/25th scale utility equipment)
I'd better SHUT-UP now.
Chuck

I watched a good show saturday on the T-34 tank. The russians really kicked butt with that thing. I was really impressed with the design, and the russian people's ability to pick-up a plant , move it have way across a continent and rebuild it, then kick out about 50,000 of these tanks. Incredible!

Anthony

I agree, I love the early war and pre-war US tanks. Those big rivets and the attempt to put machine guns into every possible space is amazing and very quaint.

I build whatever I think looks cool.

YodaMan
Go Red Wings!!!