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Academy T-34/76 diorama
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
Joined: August 16, 2016
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Posted: Sunday, December 16, 2018 - 02:34 PM UTC
Hello all,

My next project will be a diorama based around a T-34/76.
I'm still tossing up where and when it is to be set. My interest lately has been in the Soviet counter-attack into Germany, so may do something in a battered German town.
Then theres a possible Stalingrad setting, thought I'd rather not do snow camo, so maybe an early Stalingrad autumn?

I'm not sure yet, but am open to suggestions?

The T-34 is based on the Academy T-34/76 factory 183 kit. This one depicts a 1942 vehicle (i think) and has been a very simple and straightforward build. I have also picked up a DEF Models upgrade set that came with the aluminium barrel and some nicer grills and other details.

I have also added some brass D-rings that are meant for German tanks, but from the small amount of research I don't think they are too inaccurate.











Thanks for looking!
~ Steve
GazzaS
#424
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Queensland, Australia
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Posted: Sunday, December 16, 2018 - 03:54 PM UTC
Steve,
After your Lion of Babylon diorama, I'm really looking forward to your next.

Gaz
b2nhvi
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Nevada, United States
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Posted: Sunday, December 16, 2018 - 09:05 PM UTC
I know the Poles had early model T-34s at the end of the war. I believe they were used by the recce units. Toro makes a decal set with the markings. (I think they were a M1941, but ....) Mix up the road wheels a bit. (doubt the original road wheels lasted that long.)
m4sherman
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Monday, December 17, 2018 - 05:40 AM UTC
Steve,

The Academy T-34 is a nice kit, and it's looking very nice. T-34's with the 1942 pattern turret are seen in Berlin.

The box style extra fuel tanks are still used through 1944 but are rare by 1945. So a 1944 assault into a German border town would be a perfect fit, but a very old survivor into 1945 is a possibility.

I recommend T-34 On the Battle Field, a lot of very nice pictures of the tank type you are building.
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
Joined: August 16, 2016
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Posted: Monday, December 17, 2018 - 08:59 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Steve,
After your Lion of Babylon diorama, I'm really looking forward to your next.

Gaz


Cheers Gaz! Hopefully this one doesn't take me quite as long!


Quoted Text

I know the Poles had early model T-34s at the end of the war. I believe they were used by the recce units. Toro makes a decal set with the markings. (I think they were a M1941, but ....) Mix up the road wheels a bit. (doubt the original road wheels lasted that long.)


Thanks mate, good to know, was the rarity of older turret styles later in the war attributed to the short life expectancy of T-34's?


Quoted Text

Steve,

The Academy T-34 is a nice kit, and it's looking very nice. T-34's with the 1942 pattern turret are seen in Berlin.

The box style extra fuel tanks are still used through 1944 but are rare by 1945. So a 1944 assault into a German border town would be a perfect fit, but a very old survivor into 1945 is a possibility.

I recommend T-34 On the Battle Field, a lot of very nice pictures of the tank type you are building.


Thanks for this Randall, while there is heaps of info on T-34's in general, finding specific stuff is proving difficult for me and you've answered a number of questions!

I had thought using the box tanks may be problematic for a later war time-frame. I wanted to use them as I haven't seen them as frequently on other models. I could have sworn I had seen a photo of a 34 with a mix of boxes on the back and one or two cylinders on the sides?

I'll have to grab 'T-34 On the Battle Field' as I'm sure it will come in handy!

Thanks for your input guys, its really appreciated!
nsjohn
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Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: July 26, 2018
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Posted: Monday, December 17, 2018 - 11:32 AM UTC
According to Steven Zaloga's book T34 in action, the square fuel tanks were not successful and were replaced in 1943
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Monday, December 17, 2018 - 12:48 PM UTC

Quoted Text

According to Steven Zaloga's book T34 in action, the square fuel tanks were not successful and were replaced in 1943



Hmmm, they'll have to come off then. I've read that they would remove the external tanks all together if they were expecting action, so I may just not replace them...
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Thursday, December 20, 2018 - 11:20 AM UTC
Small update on this dio -

I've popped the road-wheels on so that I can get the tracks on. They are attached with tiny drops of super glue so I can easily snap them off later and paint it all separately.

I've also attached the PE handrails. The set came with some 0.5mm brass wire, but I went with some styrene as it it more flexible and I find it easier to work with.







The external tanks are still attached, but they will be removed.

I will be adding a bunch of figures in this dio. I wasnt sure if i wanted some tank riders, or infantry on the ground, but found this set by Tamiya to be a good set as it includes both!



I dont think ill use all of the figures in the set, but I bought some after-market heads and some PE uniform components to improve them.

Thanks for looking!
m4sherman
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Saturday, December 22, 2018 - 11:55 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hmmm, they'll have to come off then. I've read that they would remove the external tanks all together if they were expecting action, so I may just not replace them...


What time frame have you decided on? Your tank, as in your pictures, could be late 1942 to winter 1943/44. By late 1943 there were more rubber road wheels though.

Many T-34's are shown destroyed in action with the tanks still attached. Later in the war, during the fighting in Berlin as an example, the tanks were removed because they were both a hazard and not needed for offensive operations.
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Saturday, December 22, 2018 - 12:44 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Hmmm, they'll have to come off then. I've read that they would remove the external tanks all together if they were expecting action, so I may just not replace them...


What time frame have you decided on? Your tank, as in your pictures, could be late 1942 to winter 1943/44. By late 1943 there were more rubber road wheels though.

Many T-34's are shown destroyed in action with the tanks still attached. Later in the war, during the fighting in Berlin as an example, the tanks were removed because they were both a hazard and not needed for offensive operations.


I'm thinking of going for a mid/late 43 (Smolensk??). I'm going to focus on the figures for a little bit while I do more research.

I guess the easiest battle to go for with this vehicle is Kursk?
nsjohn
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Scotland, United Kingdom
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Posted: Saturday, December 22, 2018 - 03:12 PM UTC
The kit would appear to be a mid production 1943 model before they fitted the copula to the turret and still had the "Mickey Mouse " hatches. Kursk would be exactly right, but I think that there should be rubber tyred road wheels on the first and last axles on both sides.
m4sherman
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Arizona, United States
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Posted: Saturday, December 22, 2018 - 04:56 PM UTC
Kursk would be good, and Smolensk would be ok. As Norman says by mid to late 1943 rubber rimmed wheels on the first and last positions was more common than only one.

Have at the look at the tanks in this other thread:

http://armorama.com/forums/184266&page=1&ord=1
iguanac
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Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro
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Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2018 - 09:02 AM UTC
If you choose Kursk, than figures, apart the standing guy with ppsh 41 hooting, are wrong. They all wear winter uniforms (apart the mentioned one), and Kursk was in summer..
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2018 - 07:30 PM UTC

Quoted Text

The kit would appear to be a mid production 1943 model before they fitted the copula to the turret and still had the "Mickey Mouse " hatches. Kursk would be exactly right, but I think that there should be rubber tyred road wheels on the first and last axles on both sides.



Quoted Text

Kursk would be good, and Smolensk would be ok. As Norman says by mid to late 1943 rubber rimmed wheels on the first and last positions was more common than only one.

Have at the look at the tanks in this other thread:

http://armorama.com/forums/184266&page=1&ord=1


Cheers Norman and Randall! Really helpful! I think I'll go with Kursk. I had intended to have 2 rubber wheels on one side and one on the other with the rear wheel with less weathering to try to show it had been replaced. If this is too unrealistic, or not a good idea then I'll just pop another rubber one one - this Academy kit is not lacking road wheels!




Quoted Text

If you choose Kursk, than figures, apart the standing guy with ppsh 41 hooting, are wrong. They all wear winter uniforms (apart the mentioned one), and Kursk was in summer..



Thanks mate, I had noticed, but I thought there was a bit of a mix, with a larger number of summer uniforms.

Here's some images that are claimed to be of Kursk showing winter uniforms to be present:









Please correct me if I'm wrong, I have a lot to learn!
m4sherman
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Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2018 - 07:54 PM UTC
Road wheel wise you're on the right track. A replacement could be newer, or used, depending on what the source was. Go with your planned idea. Replacement steel wheels show up even on tanks damaged in Berlin, but are probably used wheels, not new.

Those pictures could very well show the end of the winter 1942/43 fighting in the Kursk area. Cold weather uniforms would be unlikely in the summer fighting. Your model would fit that time frame just well as the summer battles.
nsjohn
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Scotland, United Kingdom
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Posted: Sunday, December 23, 2018 - 09:19 PM UTC
What about Kharkov, February 1943, which created the Kursk salient?
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Tuesday, December 25, 2018 - 07:06 PM UTC

Quoted Text

What about Kharkov, February 1943, which created the Kursk salient?


I like this idea! Seems there was lots of urban fighting in Kharkov and Belgorod which could make for an interesting diorama!
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - 12:46 PM UTC
Apologies for the double post, just wanted to get a couple of images up of the figures. They're the Tamiya figures with Hornet heads. I've added some strips of aluminium from soft drink cans, and buckles from copper wire.

I have tried a couple of different methods, trying to simplify the process. I have also made some weapon slings the same way, and tried making a simple helmet liner for one of the helmets that I'm going to have hanging off the infantry rail of the turret. Not much will be visible, but I wanted at least something in there just in case!









Oh, also, some of the heads I got are the 'smoking' ones, so I've done some cigarettes from copper wire also.

I've got 4 figures done so far, and will do at least a couple more for the tank, and some fighting on foot, as well as maybe some Germans. I would also like to do a knocked out German tank, and have a Stug III or Panzer IV that I can use, but I wont be posting much about them in this subforum.

Thanks for looking!
nsjohn
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Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - 02:51 PM UTC
Wow. Very impressive work.
deathdork
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Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - 05:21 PM UTC
Ditto on the very impressive work comment!
GazzaS
#424
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Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - 06:30 PM UTC
Those Hornet heads are awesome. Nice work!
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Friday, December 28, 2018 - 05:03 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Wow. Very impressive work.


Thanks Norman, defiantly strains the mk1 eyeball!


Quoted Text

Ditto on the very impressive work comment!


Cheers mate!


Quoted Text

Those Hornet heads are awesome. Nice work!


Thanks Gaz, they are well worth it, and I'm gonna use them more!

Small update on the T-34 - Almost every picture I can find of T-34's around Kharkov in late 42/ early 43 has some sort of stowage, so I wanted to pop some on this model.

I picked up a set of crates by 'Reality in Scale' as they were basic, and affordable. I added some straps around them that line up roughly with the tie down points on the sideskirts.







I ams also going to do some bedrolls and tarps using the PVA and tissue method, so we'll see how that goes.

Thanks for having a look!

~ Steve
nsjohn
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Posted: Saturday, December 29, 2018 - 12:07 AM UTC
Boxes look fine to me. The only Russian boxes I have I got in the Miniart Tank crew at Work set but they are for a T34/85 and are therefore larger. The paint scheme however lists either natural wood or dark green
TopSmith
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Posted: Saturday, December 29, 2018 - 05:57 PM UTC
I would do a dark green on some of the boxes with some of the paint rubbed off.
DrChopp
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Victoria, Australia
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Posted: Sunday, December 30, 2018 - 02:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Boxes look fine to me. The only Russian boxes I have I got in the Miniart Tank crew at Work set but they are for a T34/85 and are therefore larger. The paint scheme however lists either natural wood or dark green


They are a good set, there is 22 pieces, all different sizes. I was going to go with a natural wood colour, a bit more gray and worn looking though.


Quoted Text

I would do a dark green on some of the boxes with some of the paint rubbed off.


Good call, I have some chipping effects or hairspray that should work.

Small update, paint has started to flow!

I started out with a Vallejo black primer, then Vallejo Nocturna Shadow basecoat. I then gave the upper surfaces a dusting of Vallejo Olive Drab primer. I'm sure theres better colours out there, but I liked the worn out look instead of a factory fresh green.

Unfortunately this is the only photo i got before moving on:



Next up I started adding shadows with MIG's blue filter, and then highlights with MIG's tan filter:





I feel the effect is more subtle and controlled than straight modulation with the airbrush. I will be constantly reworking the filters as I go, and will reduce and increase the contrast with oils when I get to that stage.

Thanks for looking!

~ Steve
 _GOTOTOP