Need help from the Russian Armor expert here....

I am thinking of doing a T34/85 with Bed spring.....

Which T34/85 between Dragon and Zvezda is the more accurate of the 2...?

I hear that Dragon UTZ is ok and I also read in this website that Zvezda is just as good...in term of accuracy.....

Anyone ?

The answer, in any order, is - Dragon, Dragon, Dragon and then Dragon.

The Zvezda T-34-85 isn't as bad as, say, their T-60, but it has similar dimensional issues to Tamiya and a turret neck that is too small. It also had horrible rubber-band tracks (and I really don't like indy link). The one I built also had fit problems at the rear of the hull. This was strange as the SU-100 had no problems at all.

So unless you want to save money, buy the Dragon one.

That Dragon T-34/85 was a joy to build.

I would recommend the Dragon T-34/85 M1944 UTZ production kit (DML-6203). Superior product.

Dragon also has another (DML-6066) T-34/85 M1944 that is good too, but the newer-tooled T-34/85 M1944 UTZ kit has parts to make the OT-34/85 with the flamethrower.

An excellent in-box kit review by Terry Ashley (at PMMS) can be seen here:

T-34/85 M1944 UTZ

Hope this helps you out

Cheers !!

Alpen

I have never built the Dragon T34 or the Zveda T34 but I have built other kits by both manufactuers. The Zveda kits are rather tough and require a lot of cleaning and work to get good fits. Zveda rubberband tracks are too loose on some and too tight on others. The Dragon goes together a lot easier. However when put side by side it's tough to see the differences. I tend to do a lot of damage, dents and fender removals so I ugly them up anyway.

Thanks....

3 out of 4 recommend dragon...I guess the votes speaks for itself....

I too recomend Dragon for the T-34/85

However, if it comes up, the basic ISU-152 and IS-2 kits from Zvezda are more accurate than the Dragon kits...at least OOB. Go figure!

I have the Zvezda kit on order for the same kind of project.A couple recent builds of it by some members here prodded me into doing it.I've no qualms with fussy kits and russian instruction sheets As with a few manufacturers,some offerings are troubled while others are hall of fame candidates.
cheers!

Im saying Zvezda,,,,just to be different,,,,but I would build the Dragon between the 2.

I went to Hobby easy and they don't carry T34/85 DML 6203...

I went to Lucky model and it is back order...

Does it means that Dragon T34/85 "6203" is already at the end of the line.....or OOP ???

Dragon seem to have the same sort of batch production method as Hasegawa, and don't go in much for continuous manufacture. Makes sense to get their stuff as soon as you see it, as you never know when it will be back again.

I have been waiting for the last 2 months for this model in Singapore. The LHS that I frequent tells me that it's going to be a tough search or a long wait......

Well Mr Dragon....if you are reading this.....please know what to do.....

I'd pick up the Zvezda model just because it has rubber tracks and I hate piece-by-piece ones!

Squadron Shop seems to have stock of DR6066 T34/85 Model 1944 for $24.96

Not to highjack your thread here, but why not compare the Maquette line as well?
Dimensionally, they're nearly identical in height and length to DML, but are 1mm wider.
They also have the hull cutouts for the suspenson springs, which Zvezda do not. Finally, they are the only kits with open grill work on top of the engine over the radiators. Granted, there's PE out there to correct it, but the only PE that was accurate (to my knowledge) was On the Mark, which consisted of rods and spacers. All of the flat PE is just as incorrect as what they replace on the model.
I find the Maqutte kits a very good value for the money.
Oh, and they have the separate track links as well. Bonus or boner, depending on what you like.

18Bravo, I tried looking around for review of the Maquette T34/85 but seems like no one has ever done one before....You are the first I have read so far....

Do anyone know if there is a review of the Maquette T34/85 sitting around some where....or has anyone actually build this one before....and also a dragon one so we can compare between them ?

I would want to built a T34/85 with bed-spring....Is this Maquette suitable....?

Anyone again ?

Maquette kits are finneky, kinda like Zvezda kits but with better details. Fit can be a issue, and you will most likely need good references on hand for some issues that may come up. Also, the instructions can be really good or really bad, or in between, depending onthe kit.

I do not have the T-34/85 on hand, but have seen it in the box. It looked just fine to me. I know Squadron carries them, GMM probably does too.

[quote
18Bravo, I tried looking around for review of the Maquette T34/85 but seems like no one has ever done one before....You are the first I have read so far....
[/quote]

The only T-34/85 that I'm aware of from them is the Model 1943. I'm not sure if it's suitable for your project or not. I have built all three of Maquette's Egyptian and Syrian SPG's based on the Maquette hulls, and can only say that I'd chance a whole T-34 based upon what I saw. True, the instructions are on the level with a resin kit at best, but since that's mostly what I do lately I'm used to it. There will be slight sinkholes in areas easily fixed, especially on the road wheels. The worst thing is the smoke pots. The ends don't rest flush inside the barrel and will require patience.

Phillip-I believe the 1944 edition of the T34/85 is the one you want for the bedspring look as this was the one used in the Berlin fighting.IIRC Dragon and Zvezda are the current offerings that qualify for this.I don't believe there were any radical changes between '43 and '44.I know there is a write up online somewhere about this because another kit is taylored for '45 -post war only! Wish I could help more.
cheers!

I don't know a lot about the differences in the turret, as I mainly do post WWII, so I'm pretty much free to mix and match at will. I think the major difference between '43 and '44 is the position of the commander's cupola, and the style of periscope. In '44 the cupola was further back, which might better facilitate the rooftop "bedspring" armor. Other than that, most differences would go unnoticed to a dude like me. I do know that later examples had the traverse motor bulge and a flattened portion. You might get away with a slightly altered Maquette '43 turret. If it were me, I'd try it just to save on my already exhorbitant kit costs.
I'm still trying to figure out the turret on the 1/25 Tamiya model. I'm thinking post war Czech, but it still doesn't look quite like any one in particular that I've seen.

Hi all,

One last effort from me....I have been seaching on the web for Maquette T34/85 and I found one with actually a bed-spring to it...



However , it seems like the top ventilator of the Maquette is quite different from the Dragon Model 6203...as in the dragon one, there seems to have 2 ventilator whereas the Macquetter has only one....

A few questions...

1) Bed Spring for T34/85 only appears in 1944/1945...does it means that if I get any T34/85 models depicting this 2 years, bed-spring could be put on it ?

2) I get confuse for the T34/85 track.....If I want indy track for the T34/85 with Bed-spring...I should getting the track for the late model type, is this correct ?

3) Dragon 6066, another T34/85 is still available in the market...can this one be done with bed-spring ?

Thanks....need help again.....

I'm not a real WWII expert, so I don't know when the "bedspring" armor first made its appearance.
Kits 6066 and 6203 are very similar to one another. I believe one difference was in the fenders. However, for 1945 Berlin the 6066 would certainly be appropriate as it's the later model. The late tracks would be suitable for the time as well.
Earlier I mentioned I was only familiar with Maquette's hulls, but later I realized that I have used one of their turrets as well. It was at the time RPM, but is now sold by Maquette. It has the split ventilators as shown in your photo. I even mentioned it in a different thread not too long ago. Squadron have a few Maquette T-34/85's listed. I'm ordering one tomorrow for the hell of it.. The one with mine roller is actually cheaper than the one without. It'll be interesting to see whether or not it comes with the mesh for the transmission area as did their T34/122. I would imagine so.

Philip, I may be wrong but Maquette turret looks like post-war version.
Bed spring armor in fact wasn't made using beds but mostly from fences or other available materials. It was field modification so there're many different versions. Anyway Russians used it only in the final stages of war when entered German teritory in 1945. Dragon 6066 will be perfect, it's late model produced from January 1945 and it saw combat.

Piotr

The split ventilator type of turret on the Maquette T-34-85 is one that has caused a little debate. Depending on which reference you use it may or may not have seen service in WW2. It was certainly used in Korea.

And the stand-off protection only seems to have been photographed around Berlin AFAIK.

ive built DML's T34/85,it went together,really easy.afew weeks ago,I picked up Maquette's T34/85 with mineroller,on ebay,iam getting ready to start it.from what i can tell you is that the detail is very well done,but did notice that there where parts with flashing,so care and time will be needed,the hull is multi piece construction.instructions are mainly in russian,but does have some captions in english,and vehicle histroy,it can be built two ways,varition A,is very late WWII,or varition B post WWII / Korean.ive built Maquette's british Valentine,went together pretty good,but did have some fitting problems,but nothing major,on the other hand thier russian SPG,Zis-30 was horrible,you shouldn't have any problems building thier T34/85,detail is very good,i picked mine up for $13.00 (inculding ship)you could pick this up and save the mineroller for another project.
Joe