I have been reading reviews of Meng's 1/35 T-72 kits, and one mentioned that the gun barrel angle is basically pre-determined by Meng. The parts are designed to hike the barrel up at an angle and it doesn't move.

Is this correct for all of the Meng T-72 kits? Did anyone figure out a work-around?

Also, how do the Trumpeter T-72 kits stack up against the Meng T-72 kits?

Thanks!

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I have been reading reviews of Meng's 1/35 T-72 kits, and one mentioned that the gun barrel angle is basically pre-determined by Meng. The parts are designed to hike the barrel up at an angle and it doesn't move.

Is this correct for all of the Meng T-72 kits? Did anyone figure out a work-around?

Also, how do the Trumpeter T-72 kits stack up against the Meng T-72 kits?

Thanks!

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I have both Trumpeter and Meng T-72 / T-90x kits. Both makers produce great and very complex, parts-rich kits full of detail. The quality of molding appears quite comparable. There are a few notable differences: For those T-72 and T-90 featuring cast turrets with the "Nadboi" anti-radiation shielding, Trumpeter elected to mold that padding on the turret shell - and have the builder add on some 218 or so tiny PE discs for the fasteners. Meng provides the "Nadboi" as applique pieces you add onto the turret - which pieces come with the fasteners molded on. MUCH easier, and, specially when mostly buried under turret junk and ERA blocks, largely invisible, anyway.

There are some differences in assembly of the hulls - particularly of the glacis and near portions. I don't think one kit-brand is better then the other in assembly.

Each brand gets high marks overall for detail, and each has a few small gaffs and softness here and there. Oh, and Trumpeter provides some position options for the main gun... and some of the Trumpy kits have soft plastic mantel-cover bits to accommodate different elevations. It's not something I much care about...

I think that Trumpy wins some points in their provision of multiple paint-schemes in color - but there are plenty of photos around to work from in either case, so...

Both maker's kits build up to great-looking tanks - and both will benefit from a few added and refined detail-tweaks.

Just of course my opinions!

Cheers! Bob

PS: The way to go, IMHO, is to try one of each, if money and time permit! Spread your wealth and enjoy the richness of multiple great kit-makers sharing a common general subject!

PPS: I am sure that there is some sort of "work-around" to shift the gun elevation on a Meng kit - likely some surgery and perhaps adding some scratch bits inside. I've never looked into it, as it's never really called me, but... search Armorama for "Meng T-72 kits" and related subjects.

do anyone know what's the different between trumpeter T-72B3 item no. 09508 and T-72B3 (2016)item no. 09561?
externally, they appear same with some minor different?

Withouth proper rewiews, the two Trumpeter kits differentiate in terms of sideskirts, the newer one has some grills in the back of the tank. I guess that there are some more alternations, but this is a visible one from the box cover.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-09508-t-72b3-mbt--1086865
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-09561-t-72b3-mbt-mod-2016--1112494

do anyone know what's the different between trumpeter T-72B3 item no. 09508 and T-72B3 (2016)item no. 09561?
externally, they appear same with some minor different?

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Thanks!


PPS: I am sure that there is some sort of "work-around" to shift the gun elevation on a Meng kit - likely some surgery and perhaps adding some scratch bits inside. I've never looked into it, as it's never really called me, but... search Armorama for "Meng T-72 kits" and related subjects.

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Thanks for the detailed comments. I guess the hiked up barrel angle on the Meng kits doesn't bother you, but for me I think it's a deal breaker as it looks rather odd. I've never heard of a model tank without barrel adjustment. This is a strange path for Meng to have gone down.

Glad to hear both kits are of high quality. I appreciate you help here.

I've never heard of a model tank without barrel adjustment. This is a strange path for Meng to have gone down.

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I've never heard of a model tank without barrel adjustment. This is a strange path for Meng to have gone down.

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In fact a lot of tank models come with a fixed barrel. This is especially ture for Russian tank with their canvas mantlet cover which makes a moveable gun difficult to reproduce in styrene.

Olivier

Ringle...:

Timely to ask about Russian Green...!

There have been 2 recent threads about Russian paint colors over on the Russian-Soviet forum. Take a look. These have plenty of discussion and could offer you a lot of possibilities to work from!

I'm right in the midst of both your question and the discussions, as I am right now working on a couple of "Big Russian" tank projects - a Trumpy T-64A (which will probably get some "monochrome" "Russian Green" sort of scheme - I'll probably use either the Vallejo Model Color "Russian Green" 70.894, or maybe some Testor's Russian Green enamel... either of which will be modified a bit with some lighter color), and Takom's T-55AMV, which may start out with some Russian Green base-coat before a camo job... Don't yet have any paint/color fingered for that base-coat.

So go look into those threads and see if you gleen any useful intelligence from them!

Cheers! Bob

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Ringle...:

Timely to ask about Russian Green...!

There have been 2 recent threads about Russian paint colors over on the Russian-Soviet forum. Take a look. These have plenty of discussion and could offer you a lot of possibilities to work from!

I'm right in the midst of both your question and the discussions, as I am right now working on a couple of "Big Russian" tank projects - a Trumpy T-64A (which will probably get some "monochrome" "Russian Green" sort of scheme - I'll probably use either the Vallejo Model Color "Russian Green" 70.894, or maybe some Testor's Russian Green enamel... either of which will be modified a bit with some lighter color), and Takom's T-55AMV, which may start out with some Russian Green base-coat before a camo job... Don't yet have any paint/color fingered for that base-coat.

So go look into those threads and see if you gleen any useful intelligence from them!

Cheers! Bob

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Hi Ringleheim, Bob, and Everyone Else!

To open up another "can of worms", "color" is perceived differently by every human being on earth, even among us modelers!

If it were me, I'd fly with the TESTORS Model Master II Enamel "Russian Green"- But only because I STILL use enamels. I would "doctor it up a little bit", but I very rarely use anything "straight-out-of-the-bottle", anyway...

My own advice- Pick a "Russian Green" that you like and run with it. By the time you get done with all of your weathering processes, your base-color is going to look completely different, anyway...

Have Fun!

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Ringle...:

Timely to ask about Russian Green...!

There have been 2 recent threads about Russian paint colors over on the Russian-Soviet forum. Take a look. These have plenty of discussion and could offer you a lot of possibilities to work from!

I'm right in the midst of both your question and the discussions, as I am right now working on a couple of "Big Russian" tank projects - a Trumpy T-64A (which will probably get some "monochrome" "Russian Green" sort of scheme - I'll probably use either the Vallejo Model Color "Russian Green" 70.894, or maybe some Testor's Russian Green enamel... either of which will be modified a bit with some lighter color), and Takom's T-55AMV, which may start out with some Russian Green base-coat before a camo job... Don't yet have any paint/color fingered for that base-coat.

So go look into those threads and see if you gleen any useful intelligence from them!

Cheers! Bob

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Hi Ringleheim, Bob, and Everyone Else!

To open up another "can of worms", "color" is perceived differently by every human being on earth, even among us modelers!

If it were me, I'd fly with the TESTORS Model Master II Enamel "Russian Green"- But only because I STILL use enamels. I would "doctor it up a little bit", but I very rarely use anything "straight-out-of-the-bottle", anyway...

My own advice- Pick a "Russian Green" that you like and run with it. By the time you get done with all of your weathering processes, your base-color is going to look completely different, anyway...

Have Fun!

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Dennis; 1) You are paraphrasing what I posted in those mentioned threads back on 27 Apr... about people do see / perceive colors differently. And about mixing colors to match what you want or like...

2) YOU actually posted in those threads back when, too! Maybe let the guy go read the stuff therein?

Bob :-)