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Яusso-Soviэt Forum: Cold War Soviet Armor
For discussions related to cold war era Russo-Soviet armor.
Hosted by Jacques Duquette
T-90A & T-80U
Blucop
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: January 03, 2005
KitMaker: 279 posts
Armorama: 262 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 09:44 AM UTC
Received both yesterday and will comment further after our resident SME's have their take.

Thus far the moldings of both kit are fantastic. Xactscale's moldings are easily Tamiya quality, no flash, crisp details and superbly packaged.

retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 09:48 AM UTC
I'm following. Been looking forward to a build review, on these kits.
Firecaptain
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Virginia, United States
Joined: November 03, 2006
KitMaker: 165 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 09:57 AM UTC
ET....
Do you have the Zvezda T-90?
How would you compare Meng's version to it?
Are they both same versions of the T-90?
Thanks
Reiter960
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California, United States
Joined: June 24, 2007
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 10:08 AM UTC
Zvezda makes T-90S not A.
Blucop
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: January 03, 2005
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 10:10 AM UTC

Quoted Text

ET....
Do you have the Zvezda T-90?
How would you compare Meng's version to it?
Are they both same versions of the T-90?
Thanks


I do have Zvezda's kit. I have not built it though, and I'm guessing at this point that the Meng should be more refined and hopefully correct. I read the "thrashing" that the Zvezda kit took after some of the SME's got their hands on it. Overall molding wise, the Meng kit appears cleaner...with about a 1/2 pound of tracks to assemble. George Thanks for the clarification.
Blucop
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: January 03, 2005
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 10:17 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm following. Been looking forward to a build review, on these kits.


Matt, I'm going to have to finish up my Dragon M1A2 SEP first. I just started vacation however and will be pushing to finish it up. I will most likely dive into the T-80U first since I have already completed a T-90 (Tamiya- Miniarm conversion in 2008).
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 11:00 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I'm following. Been looking forward to a build review, on these kits.


Matt, I'm going to have to finish up my Dragon M1A2 SEP first. I just started vacation however and will be pushing to finish it up. I will most likely dive into the T-80U first since I have already completed a T-90 (Tamiya- Miniarm conversion in 2008).


No rush. I don't plan on buying one of them before I finish my panzer crusade.
Blucop
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: January 03, 2005
KitMaker: 279 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 11:14 AM UTC
Ok I un-bagged the Zvezda trees and here are two comparison shots.





Even with poor iPhone pics there is a substantial difference to be seen.
Teaker11
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California, United States
Joined: July 02, 2009
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 11:47 AM UTC
You won the prize. both kits in one day. I have a T-90 on the way and I am waiting on the T-80 to see Jacques review. Have a good time with your builds.
Jim
Blucop
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: January 03, 2005
KitMaker: 279 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 12:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text

You won the prize. both kits in one day. I have a T-90 on the way and I am waiting on the T-80 to see Jacques review. Have a good time with your builds.
Jim


Hobbyeasy to the rescue. I was amazed how fast they arrived after they received them. One place that I will gladly pre-order from again.
Kelley
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Georgia, United States
Joined: November 21, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 12:45 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm following. Been looking forward to a build review, on these kits.

Terry Ashley has a full build review of the Xact Scale T-80U up on PMMS.
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/xact/xs35001.html
Reiter960
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California, United States
Joined: June 24, 2007
KitMaker: 503 posts
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 08:47 PM UTC
Is there a whole engine compartment molded in Meng's kit or do they just give you a V12 block?
Nito74
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Lisboa, Portugal
Joined: March 04, 2008
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 09:05 PM UTC
2 Great kits... will follow closely, these I have to get them..
UGBEAR
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Canada
Joined: December 01, 2011
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Posted: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - 09:13 PM UTC

Quoted Text

2 Great kits... will follow closely, these I have to get them..


yes, after seeing the quick-build of Meng kit, I don't think any other company could do better, finger across to all T-90/72 based variants from Meng model.....
Blucop
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Wisconsin, United States
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Posted: Thursday, July 04, 2013 - 12:27 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Is there a whole engine compartment molded in Meng's kit or do they just give you a V12 block?


George, I'll take a look see later today and get back to you.
Blucop
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Wisconsin, United States
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Posted: Thursday, July 04, 2013 - 12:36 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

I'm following. Been looking forward to a build review, on these kits.

Terry Ashley has a full build review of the Xact Scale T-80U up on PMMS.
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/xact/xs35001.html


I read that several times. By the sound of it I will have to use multiple reference sources. I have the Osprey New Vanguard #152 (Zaloga's), the Concord T-80U book and the T-80 book by Baryatinsky (Ian Allen publishing). Ashley complained a lot about the instructions, but I am happy to read his observations as a "lay" builder of modern Soviet/Russian armor.

Hell....I'm going shelve the M1A2 project and work on the T-80U.
Blucop
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Wisconsin, United States
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Posted: Thursday, July 04, 2013 - 04:42 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Is there a whole engine compartment molded in Meng's kit or do they just give you a V12 block?


The powerpack is just the engine with a rudimentary firewall and what must be the transmission maybe? I'm sure plenty of room for scratchbuilding or aftermarket if that is something a builder desires.
101yann
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Ille-et-Vilaine, France
Joined: February 04, 2006
KitMaker: 97 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, July 09, 2013 - 05:27 AM UTC

Quoted Text

ET....
Do you have the Zvezda T-90?
How would you compare Meng's version to it?
Are they both same versions of the T-90?
Thanks


Both Zvezda and Meng kits depict T-90A's in service in the Russian Army.
Zvezda T-90 has the early Shtora system and conduits lay out, Meng a later version. But they are both "A" type.

The T-90S is the export version.
Most of the time the T-90S is not equipped with Shtora suite(India, Algeria) except for Azerbaijan T-90s.
Firecaptain
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Virginia, United States
Joined: November 03, 2006
KitMaker: 165 posts
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Posted: Friday, July 12, 2013 - 08:55 AM UTC
Thanks for the info....just started working on the Zvezda kit and have the Meng on the way....debating putting the Zvezda back in th box...unless there is a visible difference in the two kit versions...really don't like building clones...thanks



Quoted Text


Quoted Text

ET....
Do you have the Zvezda T-90?
How would you compare Meng's version to it?
Are they both same versions of the T-90?
Thanks


Both Zvezda and Meng kits depict T-90A's in service in the Russian Army.
Zvezda T-90 has the early Shtora system and conduits lay out, Meng a later version. But they are both "A" type.

The T-90S is the export version.
Most of the time the T-90S is not equipped with Shtora suite(India, Algeria) except for Azerbaijan T-90s.
ijozic
Joined: May 23, 2007
KitMaker: 109 posts
Armorama: 109 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 - 09:38 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Even with poor iPhone pics there is a substantial difference to be seen.


Wow. I kinda stayed away from the Zvezda kit because the T-90 is not a Cold War tank, but to my uninformed eye the Zvezda hull details look so toy-like compared to the Meng. The turret seems smaller, too; I lack knowledge to comment on the differences in details..

Now I'd consider getting the Meng kit if nothing else but to reward their effort..
PantherF
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Indiana, United States
Joined: June 10, 2005
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Posted: Thursday, July 25, 2013 - 12:37 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Hobbyeasy to the rescue. I was amazed how fast they arrived after they received them. One place that I will gladly pre-order from again.


HobbyEasy huh? Was the shipping charge decent? I'm wanting that NM 116 Royal Norwegian tank as a future build.

Looking forward to seeing these two built.



Jeff
hugohuertas
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Buenos Aires, Argentina
Joined: January 26, 2007
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Posted: Thursday, July 25, 2013 - 01:11 AM UTC
For example, Hobbyeasy's shipping charges to south America are usually between $15 to $20, for an individual kit, depending on the size of the box
You can check shipping costs directly on their web site, they show the kit price and below it the actual shipping cost.
For the T-80 kit I paid $62.56 + AIR parcel-Registered S15.27
PantherF
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Indiana, United States
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Posted: Thursday, July 25, 2013 - 02:01 AM UTC
Okay! I'll do that.

Thanks,



Jeff
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