So. I spent some time in the last decade south of the Korean DMZ. I'm pretty knowledgeable on what a North Korean tank should look like and have some ideas on where to start, but I can't seem to find anyone who's cranked out a North Korean tank model outside of a wide selection of T-34/85s. I wasn't going to do anything too exotic given the funkiness/semi-reality of "modern" DPRK armor, but one of their more stock T-62 or even T-55s sounds like the better starting point.

So yeah. Any ideas on a good kit to start with? DPRK specific upgrade kits? Decals? 1:35 scale Kim Jong Un standing triumphant over capitalism?

From what I have read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chonma-ho
Trumpeter's T-62 kit would be a good starting point. It is hard to gather too much info on North Korean armor in general, however as you can imagine...

Hi;

Anything on N.Korea is almost Impossable too find, esp; there armor. The T-62 would be the best vehicle for any kind of A Conversion. Altho I have seen some of there Home Grown AFVs. There is little in the way of info; on them, as there is on anything in North Korea.

GOOD LUCK; MIKE.

info from their parades is the best source, but the biggest problem is so much of what they make would have to be a modification of a current kit or a scratchbuild.

North Korean vehicles don't seem to have any kind of national markings - they're pretty boring. But here's a link that may help you. Good luck! http://spioenkop.blogspot.com/2014/01/north-korea-and-her-fighting-vehicles.html

I'm a bit surprised honestly at the lack of North Korean stuff. I figured I was just searching wrong when not at all much came back for kits. Seems like the sort of thing you could pull off with the same looser tolerances for precision as the various paper panzer kits.

Or at the least even if it wasn't spot on you'd be able to be the only Chonma-Ho model on the market and thus people like me would be forced to go to you or something.

The current plan is indeed a Trumpeter T-62 of some variety. Not ruling out T-55s or Type 69s simply for a larger number of reference photos, and dummying up some sort of SA-7 mount like some of those sport seems like a good option for making it distinctly North Korean without having to make my own turret or something.

Of course, now that I've headed down this route a K1, or a ROKA T-80U seems like it'd be funtimes.

It's funny that you brought this up about the DPRK,I was thinking of doing one of the Chonma-ho later this year.Also Empire City Decals has a set for the T-55 that includes plenty of countries and groupies along with a DPRK version.

Again, the lack of DPRK specific tanks is just weird for me. We've got stuff that was pretty much bar napkin drawings for the Germans available from several companies, but even a add-on kit for North Korean tanks doesn't seem to be out there.

I found this though:

http://www.fieldsofglorymodels.co.uk/135-scale-resin-model-kit--north-korean-tank-range-finder-9222-p.asp

Dunno. Perhaps if I pursue this like a paper panzer, like not going for rivet counting detail, but instead a tank the NKPA does use (T-62 1972 for instance), then a few details that make it less stock (range finder, SA-7 mount) and DPRK markings and call it good.

Heretical sure, but perhaps as good as it's going to get at this point.

I'd planned on doing it as part of a display with an M1A2 SEP v2, so it's not as important that it's a museum exact replica of what North Korea operates, as much as it looks the part.

There's just not much information about anything North Korean, so authenticity is tough. T-62 is a good bet.

Some towed artillery could be interesting if you can find the right agricultural tractors.

Hi;

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA "I LUV IT-----------------I Wonder If Trumpeter Could Make One of Those !!!!!!!!!

CHEERS; MIKE.

Haha! Definitely will be following this build thread if the tractor included.

Okay. So experiment time:

Someone hit themselves with a blunt object. Like not really hard not something sharp, like maybe a largerish soft cover book. Then look sideways at a T-62 BDD Mod 1984. Reasonable Chonma-ho?

There is something here on some vehicles that could be obtained with some scratchbuilding work.
North Korean indigenous tanks and armoured vehicles
The most promising ones (that is, the easiest not banal) is the Chonma 98 and 214, that can be obtained by scratchbuilding a new tower and some protections on the base of a T-62. The 214 is rather well documented in parade.
Chonma-215 and 216, also known as Pokpoong, are nicer but more difficult, to say nothing about the Songun-ho, the most recent type.
There are also 6 and 8 wheeled armoured cars that could be obtained with much work from a BTR-80.

This guy did an absolutely fantastic job:

http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/modern/t55nk_serangkim.html

Only modern NK tank I've seen in plastic.