on YouTube ... Looks really nice, but 100 PE parts scares me a bit

Hisham

That video is truly Tank Porn.

Presumably, hopefully, a non interior simplified version also to save the budget, money and time budget.

From the look of the video, and comparisons to the amount of PE in the T-44/T-44M, it's not *too* daunting - by the time you throw in maybe a dozen or so pieces required in the driver's area (non-existent in the T-44), the additional straps required for the smoke drums on the back end, a few bits of PE associated with the hull machine guns, you're at about the same complexity, and though I've not built mine yet (and I'm currently having something of a love/hate relationship with photo-etch) there's nothing about the T-44/T-44M PE that is particularly daunting. In fact, with the T-44/T-44M, the bulk of the parts count seems to be associated with dividers in ammunition stowage.

I'm delighted to see they've done this one - I'm sure they'll do others, but since I've got way to big a stack of Tamiya T-55s with assorted conversions (including Panzershop's T-54-2 and T-54-3) this is probably the only one I'm likely to do - I think one full interior is enough for now.

Hisham,
The PE bits all look to be simple add on items. No major assemblies to solder or glue together, so after your 500+ project, it should be a walk in the park!

Go for it.

I'll be slightly surprised if you see that for this - I'm sure *some* of the T-54 variants that Miniart puts out will be kits with no interior, I just don't see there being a big enough market for a version of the T-54-1 with an interior and a version without, unless perhaps they kit an updated later vehicle, with the early turret but later fuel tanks etc. The T-54-1 is probably sufficiently "special" that a lot of people who want it will pay the price for the kit with interior regardless of whether they intend to use it.

That's the approach they've taken with the SU-122 and SU-85 - the kits with/without the interiors have been different versions, and the more "typical" versions have been the ones without the interior. There's also been no T-44 kit without an interior - again, I think it's a case that people who want a T-44 will pay for the kit with the interior regardless of whether or not they intend to use it.

I wouldn't mind being proved wrong - with this stuff there's always the option of doing another kit of an early vehicle brought up to a later standard but lacking an interior, which is a situation that doesn't really apply in the case of their SU-122 and SU-85 kits (but that would if they decide to do an SU-100 too).

It's just that seeing a lot of PE and having to deal with super glue and all that is not my idea of a fun build

Paul.. you're right.. that Nagmachon had some really small parts that drove me crazy.. but somehow I was able to glue them in place in the end

In any case, I want to wait to see if they do a T-54 B that can be built as an Egyptian vehicle.. that's the one I'd like to get.

Scott.. regarding the money budget.. these kits are not more expensive than other kits that don't have any interior, like MENG or Takom. At least in Hong Kong, because that's where I buy all my kits from.. it's just like buying a regular MENG or Takom kits. Can't speak about their prices elsewhere, though.

Hisham

Hisham,
That's funny! I never really minded using super glue since I could always pop parts off if needed, scrape off the residue and redo the placement. Liquid cement is a good bit more permanent... I guess it's all in your preferences and experiences!

Cheers,
PH

The thing is, if you really don't care for the interior you end up with a lot of unused parts.

I'm currently doing the Academy M3A1 Stuart and M3 Lee without the interiors. It seems those kits were set up so all the interior parts are concentrated on a couple of sprues that could just be left out of a boxing. I have all the Miniart Valentines and I am trying to find a way to build them with the minimum interior possible.

I started out building Bandai 1/48 armor with interiors and I have gotten to the point that I can't see it, I don't want it.

And one wonders that with all those complex assemblies if the kit just won't fit together with a coat of paint. I have read that is happening in some recent aircraft kits. The assembly and subassembly are engineered to such a standard that with a coat of paint it doesn't fit right anymore.

speaking of PE,do anyone ever wash the PE.said with alcohol first?

If you are going to wash PE, alcohol will work somewhat, but you are better off using lacquer thinner as it is a better solvent for the etch resist. With that said, a reading with a fiber brush or pad is also a good way to remove the etch resist and oxidation for soldering or gluing.


PH