WoW.. thank you all!
.
.
I'm just trying to share well, the build of the kit.
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( I just got Lucky this time, getting such a great kit.)
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About saving review articles:
Here's what I do....
open up a new Word doc
go to the layout tab
change the margins to 'Narrow'
change the orientation to 'landscape'
I copy the title of the review and paste it as the first line
( so when the doc is saved as the program auto takes the first few words as the title of the doc )

I then go back to the review ...highlight the first word then scroll down to the last word in that section
hold the shift key and click the last letter; this highlights the entire section from the first word, the photos, to the last word

right click on a highlighted WORD choose copy
switch back to word doc and right click and paste...

you'll notice almost each post of mine starts with STEP,,,,and ends with CHEERS

(for large photos that are to big for the page...I click the photo and shrink it by the corner)

I also tried to make each post as each step of the instructions.

That way it'd be useful when some one goes back months from now ...looking at all the saved docs they have.....

Again thank you all.. I'm glad its being enjoyed....I've been enjoying all the posts of this community!

Step twenty-seven:

This step focuses on 5 storage boxes. D5 was a bit of a placement guess on the hull, but PE-17 was an entire guess, I could not see any marks for its placement.







~Cheers

Step twenty-eight:

Ok boys roll up yor sleves...The instructions leave off the fan blades and fan PE placement....yes one could say any good modeler would be able to figure it out... But...I recived the kit from Jim after an unboxing review...every thing was fine when it got to me, but a few pieces were loose on the sprues, and a few pieces came off when I 'dish-racked' the sprues. One of the pieces that came off was the fan blades. So when I went to try and figure this subassembly...I missed the idea that there were blades... until, in later steps removed the dish-rack and was shaking out the box.





Part J62 discombobulated me for a bit...but after review of a couple of different walk-arounds; this is the way this piece installs (in the: as pictured upside-down front cab "H")



I've finally learned the difficulties with soviet head lights, and put the clear parts on ..then glue the connecters...LET DRY...for a day then try to cantilever them. The handles J92 and J93 can be a bit of a juggle until the glue dries. I used props to hold them in place. I didn't use the G9's from the next pages subassembly build.. they broke on the sprues.
The G1 running lights are shown in the instructions to be placed above the handles (G5)...But I have seen reference photos that show their placement 'below the handles' ... I'm not sure why,, maybe the difference is about the "M" variant. . but the walk-around photos where I see light placement don't also show the air filter covers.

The following images are used for discussion in this not for profit piece of Journalism.





Ok...so now to the F23&G47 build...its easier now one has had practice on the ammo carrier, and on the gunner's bird cage. I got very close .. but as a speed build, I tried to place the light cage before it had completely dried - moving one out of alignment.



~Cheers

Step twenty-nine:

Really easy; once I paid attention to the direction of the hull I was working on



It is between these two steps I went back and dealt with the wheels, idlers, sprockets, and tracks.


Step thirty: My lower hull now looks like the picture in Step30. This step shows how one Could now glue the cab top on... I dry fit.




~Cheers

Step thirty-one:

This step shows how one Could now glue the top of the tank to the hull... I dry fit. (and of course HAD to place the gun on...just to see)




you can tell the cab is not fully on here....LOL



Step thirtyone-B: I carefuly (!) glued H14 and H15 to the lower hull so I could still take the kit apart later for painting. the parts J74 and J75 were already put on in Step 3.



~Cheers

Step thirty-two:

((no more speed; I'm almost there.... [- https://youtu.be/i6UbfJYJW8c?t=334 ] ))
I was amazed at how well C20 and C21 went together. H26 was a bit fiddely that's why the instuctions say "Notice Way" on the G36's





~Cheers

Step thirty-three:

This is pretty straight forward.





~Cheers

Step thirty-four:

I dry fit the gun the arm...On the left side (J46 from Step 18) needs to be placed at the same time.







Step thirty-five:

I guess this step is here to remind you to take a deep breath and realize what a heck of a build you've just done.




~Chris~

Cheers

So.....

various views,,

In my research I found some interesting add-ons.... I'm NOT sure.. but these look like extra fuel barrels holders..



The following images are used for discussion in this not for profit piece of Journalism.

The right side - I hot pinned the crane... but left all the other broken pieces as is...

last few...



I'm using the BMD-1 kit I reviewed last year, as a Russian to Russian size comparison.

Last two...

The following images are used for discussion in this not for profit piece of Journalism.



Where this will eventually end up.....

OVERVIEW:

Even Jim in his video unboxing comented about the quality of fit. I had only 11small issues of fit out of nearly 600 grey pieces; none were with large pieces. (I've labled them on the instructions I posted.) I noticed and enjoyed the consistant type of sprue to part connectors. The consistancy made it easier to pay attention to the part and its fit, rather than how dificult the next piece was going to be to cut off the sprue. One can not stack the sprues in a box while working the kit; the pieces for each sub-assembly come from all the sprues ( unlike some kits that have all the mine plow pieces on just 2 sprues). I tried the 'Dish Rack' trick...It helped enormously! Although there are too many Very Delicate pieces on the sprues, I would recommend covering the rack 'ribs' with cardboard!

My verdict: Instructions: 85%
Quality of the plastic: 98%
Quality of the overall build: 99%

Final words: As I'm sitting here trying to put words to how I feel about this model; the foremost feeling right now is that, I'm missing working on it. I guess I'll have to buy another and fancy it up a bit ..though.
Its a perfect model for the person who can't help but wire up a 'funny-car' engine.

~Chris



Again, Our Thanks to Stevens International!
This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site.

____________________________________________________________________
I guess I'll have to buy another and fancy it up a bit ..though.
Its a perfect model for the person who can't help but wire up a 'funny-car' engine.
____________________________________________________________________

If you still want to do this Squadron has one for $58.35. Better snatch it up quick.

http://www.squadron.com/Trumpeter-1-35-Soviet-2S7M-Self-Propelled-Gun-T-p/tr05592.htm

It was brought to my attention;

http://armorama.com/news/21735

I'm going to see if I can get these AM resin pieces....

A week or so ago I found a nice sale; and picked up another kit! This time I won't feel guilty pinning the ladder...lol



(( who carries Modern soviet fuel barrels?...))

The finished build review is here:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/12234

Very good work.