Kero...
I expect that the T-90 deployed / sold to Syria may actually be T-90A tanks with Kontact-5 ERA and the later-model Shtora-1 anti-TOW illuminator devices.
Trumpeter and Meng both make outstanding T-90A kits - both come with many parts, great detail, and LOTS of "modeling pleasure for your modeling dollar", etc. Both are much more complex and better-detailed than is the Zvezda kit - and both will cost you more (but the evilbay always has these listed somewhere for $50 USD or less shipped, which isn't bad at all...). The extra dollars get you more-complex tracks (maybe blah...) and many more parts.
My limited understanding of these 2 kits includes the thought that the Meng kit has the later model Shtora units which are actually the correct type for the more-recent T-90A tanks. Hence, I bought one (but may get the Trumpy item, too...).
I suggest that you read some reviews of these 2 kits and consider the detail comments and moans, groans, gripes and complaints which appear. Both will give great renditions of the type, both have some detail errors and lacks, both over-complicate some aspects of the build. Reviewers of course offer opinions, and these should be taken with some salt and regarded as information for your mill and not as "make or break" gospel-like stuff.
You should also consult available photos of the T-90 types seen in Syria to gleen details and learn some about the in-use appearance of these rather rare-in-theater tanks. (I think Syria may have about a dozen of the things...).
The kit gun barrels look OK in both kits, but either kit would benefit from a nice metal barrel if you are looking for max detail on that feature.
IF you determine that you really would rather do a T-90 (earlier model) as versus the revised T-90A, both Trumpeter and Meng do those as well, and it's all parallel to their T-90 offerings... However, the Meng T-90 comes with both a dozer blade accessory AND some nifty LED illuminator kit for the Shtora units. I would definitely have gone with the Meng T-90 on those accounts, had I not already obtained a Trumpeter T-90 kit at a really awesome price.
Whatever kit you go with, the Syrian T-90/T-90A tanks appear to have the Kontact-5 ERA and the Shtora-1 units, so those are key details to consider in your build.
Cheers! Bob
