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T34/85 in Korea
spartan01
Joined: December 25, 2011
KitMaker: 314 posts
Armorama: 244 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 11, 2019 - 12:47 AM UTC
I am not an expert on this subject but I have a dragon T34/85 for the Arab war series but I want to convert it to a Korean war tank is there anything special I need to do? Please let me know
nsjohn
Joined: July 26, 2018
KitMaker: 279 posts
Armorama: 265 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 11, 2019 - 12:53 AM UTC
What is it with all the T34 builds going on just now, not that I am complaining as it is one of my favourite tanks
pod3105
Joined: August 08, 2010
KitMaker: 466 posts
Armorama: 444 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 11, 2019 - 02:05 AM UTC
Just avoid using the unusual Syrian AA mount and I think it should be good to go.
GeraldOwens
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 11, 2019 - 03:28 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I am not an expert on this subject but I have a dragon T34/85 for the Arab war series but I want to convert it to a Korean war tank is there anything special I need to do? Please let me know
Dragon's kit is configured as a Factory 183 tank built in late 1944 or 1945. These were common in Korea, but they ordinarily used the perforated, 'spider web' pattern, cast wheels. The Six Day War kit has the solid stamped wheels, usually seen on Factory 174 or 112 tanks. A few tanks with the 183 turret and the stamped wheels appear in Berlin in 1945, but it's not clear if these were original Factory 183 tanks, or field repairs, where a salvaged turret was swapped onto a different hull.
For the 1960's it's okay, since the tanks had been rebuilt at least once, and could have received any pattern of wheel. And the cupola MG mount is a 1960's addition.
Dragon's recently reissued "Chinese Volunteer" T-34 is correct for Korea. North Korean and Chinese tanks were drawn from the same Soviet stocks, and were outwardly identical. Their older T-34/85 Premium Edition kit has the same parts, but includes more multimedia goodies.
Alternatively, Academy offers a Factory 112 tank, and AFV Club offers a Factory 174 tank.
alanmac
Joined: February 25, 2007
KitMaker: 3,033 posts
Armorama: 2,953 posts
Posted: Sunday, August 11, 2019 - 07:00 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextI am not an expert on this subject but I have a dragon T34/85 for the Arab war series but I want to convert it to a Korean war tank is there anything special I need to do? Please let me know
Dragon's kit is configured as a Factory 183 tank built in late 1944 or 1945. These were common in Korea, but they ordinarily used the perforated, 'spider web' pattern, cast wheels. The Six Day War kit has the solid stamped wheels, usually seen on Factory 174 or 112 tanks. A few tanks with the 183 turret and the stamped wheels appear in Berlin in 1945, but it's not clear if these were original Factory 183 tanks, or field repairs, where a salvaged turret was swapped onto a different hull.
For the 1960's it's okay, since the tanks had been rebuilt at least once, and could have received any pattern of wheel. And the cupola MG mount is a 1960's addition.
Dragon's recently reissued "Chinese Volunteer" T-34 is correct for Korea. North Korean and Chinese tanks were drawn from the same Soviet stocks, and were outwardly identical. Their older T-34/85 Premium Edition kit has the same parts, but includes more multimedia goodies.
Alternatively, Academy offers a Factory 112 tank, and AFV Club offers a Factory 174 tank.
Always a informative and helpful contribution from Gerald.
So Gerald with the price of Dragon T-34/85's going for silly money (in my opinion) and the AFV Club ones about the same, you mention the Academy kit. Are these any good? I notice both they and Zvezda have released 85's over the last year or so. I'd want to build a WW2 variant.
Cheers
Alan
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 01:11 AM UTC
nsjohn
Joined: July 26, 2018
KitMaker: 279 posts
Armorama: 265 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 05:10 AM UTC
The Academy kit contains optional parts for both WW2 and Korean War variants. I built one earlier this year and had no issues with it. There are some criticisms on various forums, but the general consensus is that no one has made a truly accurate T34 yet. The ICM kit also gets generally decent reviews and is probably slightly cheaper.
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 05:34 AM UTC
m4sherman
Joined: January 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,808 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 11:05 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextQuoted TextI am not an expert on this subject but I have a dragon T34/85 for the Arab war series but I want to convert it to a Korean war tank is there anything special I need to do? Please let me know
Dragon's kit is configured as a Factory 183 tank built in late 1944 or 1945. These were common in Korea, but they ordinarily used the perforated, 'spider web' pattern, cast wheels. The Six Day War kit has the solid stamped wheels, usually seen on Factory 174 or 112 tanks. A few tanks with the 183 turret and the stamped wheels appear in Berlin in 1945, but it's not clear if these were original Factory 183 tanks, or field repairs, where a salvaged turret was swapped onto a different hull.
For the 1960's it's okay, since the tanks had been rebuilt at least once, and could have received any pattern of wheel. And the cupola MG mount is a 1960's addition.
Dragon's recently reissued "Chinese Volunteer" T-34 is correct for Korea. North Korean and Chinese tanks were drawn from the same Soviet stocks, and were outwardly identical. Their older T-34/85 Premium Edition kit has the same parts, but includes more multimedia goodies.
Alternatively, Academy offers a Factory 112 tank, and AFV Club offers a Factory 174 tank.
Always a informative and helpful contribution from Gerald.
So Gerald with the price of Dragon T-34/85's going for silly money (in my opinion) and the AFV Club ones about the same, you mention the Academy kit. Are these any good? I notice both they and Zvezda have released 85's over the last year or so. I'd want to build a WW2 variant.
Cheers
Alan
Alan,
I have built the Dragon T-34/85 and am working on an Academy T-34/85, as well as both companies T-34/76. I like both, however I found the Academy kits hulls goes together better than the Dragon hull. Dragon might have some sharper detail here than there, but after building both I passed on the Dragon T-34/85 kits and got several more of the Academy. It simply goes together better, and can be found for half the price of a Dragon kit.
I have not been able to get the Zvezda T-34 variants because they are hard to find, or cost too much to ship. There was a build here on several of their kits and I would like to get one to compare to the old Dragon kits.
Lakota
#123
Joined: November 17, 2008
KitMaker: 1,202 posts
Armorama: 635 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 01:27 PM UTC
Howdy Y'all 
What about decals for a Korean war T-34/85? I looked around on eBay but couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Don "Lakota"
What about decals for a Korean war T-34/85? I looked around on eBay but couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Don "Lakota"
GeraldOwens
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 07:42 PM UTC
This T-34 photo is really interesting, because the hull is definitely Factory 112 (the oversize hinges on the upper tail plate and the plate itself overlapping the lower plate are indicative of the tanks built in Gorky). The turret shell is the "flattened" type usually seen at Factory 183, but it may be that 112 got some as well. Alternatively, it may be a rebuild, with parts from two tanks. I cannot comment on the other tanks you found, as the tail plate is not visible.
I'm building the new Zvezda kit, and it's quite decent, if you add some photoetch grills and a metal barrel. If you want to depict a tank involved in Operation Bagration (aka The Destruction of Army Group Center), it's really the only kit in town, as it depicts a Factory 183 tank from the spring or summer of 1944 (Dragon's kits are suitable only for the final five months of the war). The Zvezda version would be unlikely for postwar armies, though, as few of that variant would have survived.
The major gripe about Academy's T-34/85 is that the glacis plate should slightly overlap the hull sides, but it's actually narrower, with a welding fillet in the corners. If this deeply bothers you, it's not a difficult fix--add some Plastruct or Evergreen styrene 'angle iron' to cover the joints, and putty and sand them smooth. The raised rim around the cupola should actually be a nearly-flush weld bead, so scrape it down and texture it accordingly. The kit also includes an optional early-1945 turret with the earlier narrow cupola with two-piece hatch, and the conjoined ventilators.
Italeri's new kit is a bit confused, as it mates a late-war Factory 183 turret with some very early 1944 wheels.
GeraldOwens
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 08:28 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Howdy Y'all
What about decals for a Korean war T-34/85? I looked around on eBay but couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Don "Lakota"
White, three-digit numbers over 4BO Protective Gteen. Any generic Soviet decal sheet should work. There is one photo of a burned-out T-34/85 from 1950 with a tiny star on the center of the turret sides as well. Presumably, it was red, but it's a black and white photo, and the paint is charred. North Korea's T-34/85 tanks were mostly lost by the end of 1950, but China sent several regiments in early 1951, that were marked identically (indeed, the UN forces--and many historians--seemed unaware that the tanks were Chinese reinforcements).
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 08:51 PM UTC
Thanks for the ID tips Gerald. I must admit my knowledge about the T-34 series subtleties is rather limited 
H.P.
H.P.
Lakota
#123
Joined: November 17, 2008
KitMaker: 1,202 posts
Armorama: 635 posts
Posted: Monday, August 12, 2019 - 11:46 PM UTC
Thanks for the info Gerald. I see one of the photos shows T-34/85's with a couple of different types of stars. I was also wondering where I could pick these up. The 3 digit code may be easier to replicate.
Take care,
Don "Lakota"
Take care,
Don "Lakota"
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 - 01:24 AM UTC
Just came across this period picture (from the Australian War Memorial website) showing two captured T-34's that are visibly different from each other
H.P.
H.P.
GeraldOwens
Joined: March 30, 2006
KitMaker: 3,736 posts
Armorama: 3,697 posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 - 07:24 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Just came across this period picture (from the Australian War Memorial website) showing two captured T-34's that are visibly different from each other
H.P.
These are great pictures--I haven't seen them before.
The nearer vehicle is a Factory 183 tank from 1945 or later. It has the flattened area on the lower center of the turret sides, and the spiderweb pattern cast wheels. The basic Dragon kit depicts this version. The vehicle behind it is a 1945 Factory 112 vehicle with the late turret with the wide, low-riding turret bustle and the two mushroom ventilators on the roof (as seen in Academy's kit). It also has the solid, stamped wheels. Note the larger hinges on the tail plate, and the overlap of upper plate over the lower. On the 183 tanks, the top plate fits inside the edge of the lower tail plate, and the hinges are smaller.
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 - 08:11 AM UTC
While looking for Korea War reference stuff, I've found a Korean blog dealing with this conflict. Here's some info about T-34 variants used there. Don't know where this blogger found the turret drawings he used... :
https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=ds1jxm&logNo=40153919903&proxyReferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.fr%2F
However that may be, this guy has gathered a lot of interesting pics (armor, aircraft, equipment, for both the UN forces and the NKPA)
https://m.blog.naver.com/PostList.nhn?blogId=ds1jxm&categoryNo=13&logCode=0&categoryName=Korean%20War
Don't hesitate to click on the thumbnails scattered all over the pages to see more
EDIT : the drawings come from this article on ML :
http://www.missing-lynx.com/articles/russia/rpt34/rpt34.htm
H.P.
https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=ds1jxm&logNo=40153919903&proxyReferer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.fr%2F
However that may be, this guy has gathered a lot of interesting pics (armor, aircraft, equipment, for both the UN forces and the NKPA)
https://m.blog.naver.com/PostList.nhn?blogId=ds1jxm&categoryNo=13&logCode=0&categoryName=Korean%20War
Don't hesitate to click on the thumbnails scattered all over the pages to see more
EDIT : the drawings come from this article on ML :
http://www.missing-lynx.com/articles/russia/rpt34/rpt34.htm
H.P.
Wierdy
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
Armorama: 553 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 15, 2019 - 05:35 AM UTC
Is there any clear photo and/or good reference on those smaller size fuel tanks at the rear of Factory 112 tank?
Frenchy
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 15, 2019 - 06:07 AM UTC
From Dmitry Kiyatkin's walkaround on Primeportal
I guess they're the same as those included in ET Model photoetch set E35-020...
H.P.
I guess they're the same as those included in ET Model photoetch set E35-020...
H.P.
Wierdy
Joined: January 26, 2010
KitMaker: 570 posts
Armorama: 553 posts
Posted: Thursday, August 15, 2019 - 06:23 AM UTC
Thank you! From what I can see, they are just shorter variation of standard tanks. For some reason in DML's OT-34 kit 6614 they have reinforcement ribs and no weld seam 
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