Matthew Lenton has a look at what’s new in AFV Club’s latest entry in their clear bodied with full interior T-34 series. This one is a late 1944 T-34-85 from Factory 183.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

Nice to see Finnish markings included. For anyone wanting to do that version, have a peek here for some details of the real deal.

http://www.andreaslarka.net/ps245002/ps245002.html

You probably won't get a true Finnish version out of the box though (I'd be happy to be proven wrong ) as every captured tank went through some basic mods so a bit of research will be needed if absolute accuracy is your thing.

Kimmo

Very thorough and informative review.

If only they would have done a regular, non-clear version with the proper texture. Still I may get this one and a bottle of Mr. Surfacer 500

Bill, thanks, I did make an effort to cover everything I thought might be of interest. I should say that I received this kit for review with a little trepidation, not having much detailed knowledge of these tanks, and that trepidation was somewhat increased when I read one or two of the threads that followed earlier reviews of kits in this series... Hopefully I didn't fall into traps.




Jason, note what I said about AFV Club ultimately following up the clear kit with the opaque version of each of the kits previously released in this series - that's why this is the seventh kit, as there's been three previous versions covered, in both clear and opaque body parts.

My little analysis chart that I put together while researching the previous kits is now adapted to illustrate this:

1.AF35S51 / 2009: T-34/76 1942 Factory 112 CLEAR
2.AF35S56 / 2009: T-34/85 Model 1944, 1945 production, Factory No.174 CLEAR
3.AF35143 / 2010: T-34/76 1942 Factory 112 OPAQUE
4.AF35S57 / 2010: T34/76 Model 1942/43 Factory Nr.183 CLEAR
5.AF35144 /2012: T-34/76 1942/43 Factory 183 OPAQUE
6.AF35145 / 2013: T-34/85 Model 1944 Factory No.174 OPAQUE
7.AF35S55 (AF35146) / 2014: T-34/85 1944 Factory 183 CLEAR

So I guess you could wait, though note that they haven't always followed up that quickly with the opaque version. As to whether the opaque versions have the casting texture and welds, I'm not entirely sure, though if you look at photo 10 of the review of AF35143 (link at the end of this review) it seems that that kit does have that detail.

Matthew- I guess I need to find out if the opaque ones have the textured turret or are they from the same molds as the clear. It's not so much that the clear parts bother me as that they are smooth and Russian turrets are really anything but smooth.

I'll take one!

Good job covering the kit. Considering that the doing reviews on any T-34 (or M4 sherman) can be a minefield, I think you did just fine.