Howdy folks, this thread will document my progress in attempting to recreate with a high level of accuracy, a late-production Soviet T-55 M1970 and a Soviet T-54B, as seen during the dramatic events in Prague in 1968.

I've made my re-introduction into the hobby with the solid Tamiya T-55, which I remember salivating over as a teen in 2002. And while it's a nice kit, with the amount of information available today, numerous walk-arounds and good literature, the Tamiya kits reveal several minor flaws. I would rate it as ~7/10 because it attempts to model too many vehicle variants and loses too many details in the process.

I started with the intention of building a later-model T-55 OOTB, but then found the kit lacking the necessary parts to build such a vehicle. Miniarm came to the rescue with their T-55A Update kit, which brings the vehicle up to the M1970 build standard (raised loader's cupola with DShKM AAMG). Navigating the labyrinth of different variants has been tedious, but I think I have it narrowed down. Still working on the fuel tanks and finding the proper stowage box arrangement. Here is the progress so far:



The set is still waiting for a turned metal barrel, Miniarm RMSh track links with the T-72 stule drive sprockets, Aber PE for some finer details and a pair of large hub road wheels for the first axle.

Simultaneously, I'm starting work on a T-54B, inspired by images of the Prague uprising, using the Panzershop resin conversion as a starting point.



Thanks for looking.

Really looking forward to these builds, especially the Prague Spring 54. I'd love to do a 62 for Prague Spring down the road. How do you like the Panzershop 54 conversion?


Erik

drooilin' already, just for the sake of my T addiction,I'll follow this post liek a fly on...LOL


intresting

Thanks for the encouragement guys, I will post updates as often as I can, but progress is slow as I continue to learn about the tanks and also honing my modeling skills.

I am waiting on some literature, to ensure that I build the correct versions with the right features, I don't fully trust the museum walk-around tanks, a lot of them are gutted and perhaps modified and don't represent their historical counterparts all that well.

I've also got some ModelPoint and Miniarm candy on the way, including a D-10T barrel w/counterweight for the 54B, an SGMT coax MG barrel and some other small bits.

The Panzershop kit is not bad, only $25 for a 54B turret (same dimension as the 55), engine deck and a few lower hull glacis options. The casting is a little mild and will disappear under a few layers of paint. A few parts were a little warped, but correcting this gives me a crash course in working with resin.

Here is the Prague T-54B I want to build:

I'm excited just thinking about it.

Great picture of the T62. But, is it me or is their a extra fuel cell on the rear deck,opposite side then the three on the fender.

That's what it looks like to me too. Looks like its just lashed on the fender tool box. I think the Trump mod. 1962 kit has markings for this tank, or one similar.



Erik

Really looking forward to these two, I love the 54/55 series. I think you're right, Trump does have markings for this tank.
-Seth