Robin - I am not sure, but I have only heard of the Ukraine Army using rebuilt T-72 to more modern standards. I am not sure a straight -B or a B1 would be applicable to the current fighting. I could be wrong, it is a mess over there. The best answer is to find a photo of what you want to build and follow that.

Jerry - The T-72B went into full production in 1985, the same time Kontact ERA was in full production. I agree that it was VERY rare to see it without ERA since it was integrated at the factory.

Jacques,

1. Is the just released Trumpeter T72B the same kit as the Trumpeter T72B 1985 with Kontakt 1 ERA just sans Kontakt armor?

2. Are the famous T72 photos w/o ERA parading through Red Square circa 1982-84 T72As?

OK
What would the answer be if I rephrase my question to be:
Which options should I choose if I want to build a T72B ?

/ Robin

Jacques, thanks a lot for your answer. I have also been drooling over the new Trumpeter T-72B kit without reactive armor, but I'm not sure whether I want to build a rare variant that didn't see much service.

Jerry

This type T-72 received quite some coverage during the Moscow coup:

http://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:48609870$307i

And a few pics can be found parading in they new "MERDC" type camo.
And some with the attachment pins but without the tiles.

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/moscow-coup-1991.html

If you can get a hold of Steven Zaloga's ,still fantastic, T-64 / T-80 book from Concord you will find a few very interesting pics of this T-72.
And it seems that many had their "snorkel tube" folded upwards over the rear turret storage box ... which attracted my attention to build one of theses T-72s.
My MiniArm turret is already done and I am just waiting on the Trumpeter kit for the hull.

Cheers
Christopher

Sorry for the long delay in responding...did not realize that there were questions...

I think the first thing to state is not every tank in the Soviet Union, after 1985, received K-1 ERA. The Soviet Arms Industry could not handle that level of manufacture and rebuild of the ERA inserts and boxes as well as produce new tanks with the ERA. So they allocated the ERA to new build vehicles and when older vehicles came up for rebuilds of differing levels, and there was enough ERA to refit them, they did so. So...you can get some interesting combinations and legacy vehicles.

The T-72B without ERA is not as common as the T-72B WITH ERA, but there were more than 4 of them made! Consider the size of the Soviet Tank Fleet at the time of its breakup: ~55,000 tanks and ~ 10,000 of those various T-72's! That means even if you had 500 T-72B's without ERA (5% of the entire T-72 fleet), they would be pretty rare in the field or in pictures compared to all the other T-72's.

The Trumpeter T-72B without ERA is rare in that sense AND it is also just not as celebrated as the one with ERA. Most people want to build the "most common" version of a tank, so that is where my "VERY rare" comment stems from. I have the Trumpeter T-72B 05598 kit to build, it looks like a solid kit and a fun build.

Hello all,


I have been guided here by some on the site.And I am in need of some help. I have looked and looked around and numerous pictures. Network 54, here., Britmodeler MM, and ISM. So I'm reaching here. I am wanting to build a T-72 AM. And have gathered so far that they had a new engine and Kontack 1 ERA?? But I have looking for months and can't figure it out. What kitStuff I would need. I bought a Tamiya T72 M1 as I thought this would do it. Then I bought a Minarm turret and that's the wrong one. So now I am here looking for what to get. Please help the newbie. Thanks.

Hi Eugene,
are you looking to build a T-72A or a T-72M ?
Not familiar with a T-72AM.

Sean

Basically, yes. There are some detail differences but basically, yes.

Obiekt 172/172M have the IR Searchlight on the left of the gun tube. T-72 "Ural" has it on the right.

"late" T-72 has the TPD-2-49 coincidence optical rangefinder removed/filled in or never had it. "Late" T-72 turrets are NOT T-72A turret. T-72M turret is a general copy of this "late" turret

T-72A/M1 are generally the same turret. -M1 never has the anti-rad cladding.

Hope that helps

Hey Sean

It is a T72 AM Banan. In Ukraine Service I saw them when I was training their National Guard, I wasn't thinking of modeling then, but I they were for sure 72's and had the KTK-1 bricks. For sure and some had the Commander Plate. Here is a pic of one. most look like this one, some had no side skirts just a black strip down side above the road wheels I did hear they came from down south which to maybe they were ex Nav InF tanks? I was in Yavoriv,Lviv, and Novi P.I wish did more training with the polish guys they did the tank training I did Infantry and anti tank training.

Jacques

Missed your post, I was typing last post to Sean. I think I am just gonna use the Tamiya for my first build to learn the builds of modern armor as there is 2 many things to do to the tamiya. But for my project and to my eye and my picture the 72 AM looks like a 72B to me. But that's why I am here to kinda narrow it down to a pretty close. When I was there the 64,64BM,Bulat,72 and a couple T80's we saw but in the active unit 24th Mech. Almost all 64's and Bulat. But the Guard guys had the assortment one unit had T-55's still, but had Updated BMD's.. LOL. I dont know enough to pick which kit is closest without a ton of changes.

is it possible to convert a Trumpeter 1/35 05599 Russian T-72B/B1 MBT w/Kontakt-1 Reactive Armor into a Syrian T72AV and if so, what additional parts and after market items would i need?

Or the new Syrian T-72 Pz IV mod...

Not without a LOT of reworking of the kit. Backdating Trumpeters kit would be quite a job. For that conversion, it would be better to:

1. Start with Tamiya's T-72M1 and get all the conversion and detail pieces to make the T-72AV.

2. Wait for the inevitable release of the kit. Someone is bound to do one I am sure.

The second photo shows the slat and chain armor setup. Google T-72 Syria stand off armor.

More of the Syrian standoff armor.

I do mainly aircraft but there is something about the T-72 that screams build me so i ordered the tamiya kit. i'm on the fence about either building it as a finnish M1 or backdate is to a soviet B model.

what would I need to make in into a finnish M1?

I know i'll need a resin turret to backdate it to a soviet B model but what other mods will i need to do to the hull?

thanks!

holy hell! I get scammed on a trade then no one wants to reply to a question i asked. don't know why i brother with this site.........

Hi Randy,
sorry you didn't get any responses 'till now, sometimes they just get buried under newer posts and missed. I'd go with the Finnish M1 if you're starting with the Tamiya kit. If you want a B your best bet would be one of the Trumpeter kits.

Sean

Tamiya Kit is totally base on a M1 version. You cant make it as a T-72B....which has totally a different frontal hull..and Turret as you know...as for the finish M1..besides the new turret you need. you will also need some unique features like warning light around the 4 sides of hull...and an extra box for finish version.

Is the Tamiya T72 the only kit to obtain a good T72M1 (with new turret, of course) or is there also a Trumpeter kit?
I wuold like to model a Czech Army T72M1 and I wish to start with a better kit then Tamiya (single link track, correct ZIP position, correct rear intake, etc)
Thanks

The Tamiya kit is the only kit to start with for any T-72 before the T-72B. I suspect that there will be new kits of the T-72 (ural and early), T-72A, T-72M, and T-72M1 in the future, but for now, no. You have to correct and modify the Tamiya kit.

For a Finnish T-72, you need to build a T-72M1. However, there will be slight differences between the batch the Fins bought in the 1980's from Russia and the batch the Fins bought in the 90's from Ex-East Germany stock. Look at pictures to find the tank you want to build, then adjust as needed. Not being coy here, it really will depend on what photo you find to decide what the brake light housing should be, if it has 6 or 8 "spoke" road wheels, etc...small stuff like that.

The BIG challenge to making a Finnish T-72M1 is the turret. For the turret itself, a Miniarm or SBS T-72M1/A turret will suffice. However, you need the correct stowage boxes, and those are best gotten from JS-Models (Who made/make? a turret and other bits) but are REALLY hard to find outside of Helsinki. It really boils down to how accurate you want to be and what work you want to put into it.

My apologies for the harsh words. As for the tamiya kit, What are my options for an aftermarket barrel? Does anyone sell a resin manlet cover so I can mate it to a metal barrel?

Like many things, there's quite a few options out there for barrels https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/220210&page=1 but I don't think any one offers a resin mantlet cover on it's own.

Sean

There are no resin mantlet covers that I am aware of that do not come with a new turret.

Adding a metal barrel to the Tamiya kit is relatively easy. Glue the barrel/mantlet kit pieces together. Let them dry for 24-48 hrs. Cut the barrel off at the mantlet. Add metal barrel (you may have to drill a hole for this, if there is a "pin" on the end of the metal barrel. Otherwise it is a simple "butt" joint).

Does the expert community have any insight into the new T-72 offering from Meng?