All,

This is my first T34 and hopefully not my last. It is the old Tamiya T34/76 pretty much straight out of the box minus a few detailing bits! It is actually the first model I have completed from box to shelf in over 5 years (too much work and not enough building). Any thoughts/comments for future projects are always welcome and I am always tinkering with the finish so any touch ups that I missed will give me something to do. Thanks!

Tim

Tim,
That's a fantastic job! You've nailed the dried mud look very well. I'm impressed by your bridging timbers. They look like nice in-scale pine logs. What did you use for them?

Hopefully you won't make us wait five years for your next!

Gaz

Gaz,

Thanks so much for the kind words! The timbers are actually that...timbers! We have a rather large bush in front of our house and I used the kit supplied timbers as a reference point and cut what I needed. I used my dremel on high speed to get the burned ends to make it appear that the falling was done fast and with a dull blade. Luckily I have 8 models in various stages of build/completion that I now finally have time for! More to come and thanks again!

Tim

Good Job. It´s allways good to have some nature around for this typ of extra parts.

Looks good Tim.

Only thing I would change but maybe on the next one is the
two towing brackets that you glue to the glacis fillet (that round “nose” at the front of the hull). They shouldn’t be there. They’re an artifact of the T-34 sent by the Soviets to the US and were added when the transmission crapped out during testing. Tamiya faithfully copied them.
Like so

I can't take credit for knowing about this, Mark pointed it out to me.
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/229032#1929662

To me these kits work great for quick builds and also trying out scratchbuilding. On the next one, you can drill out the plastic over the engine and replace with a screen.

Gazza - try Hydrangea twigs/clippings - they don't get too brittle when dry and they dry to the right "weathered" colour ! They grow all over the place down here in Sydney, so you should be right for em up there in Brissie !

Best
Matthew

excellent weathering; I know some aren't crazy about old Tamiya kits but I've built this one and other older ones (and I have a few still in my stash [Hanomag, M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage, M21 Mortar Carrier, and others]; granted they are dated but with some work they build up just fine; oldies but goodies good job

Ryan,

Thanks for the note on the tow points! Easy fix and contemplated just leaving them on but now that is all I see! Thanks again.

Tim

Brian,

Thanks a lot! I agree on the fun of the older kits. I am by no means a "rivet counter" and like a fun project that looks good on the shelf! Thanks.

Tim

I debated mentioning it for that reason. The known can't go unknown.

Ryan - no worries the "procedure" is complete and the T34 is sitting pretty in my office with all the other tanks!

Tim