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Яusso-Soviэt Forum: Cold War Soviet Armor
For discussions related to cold war era Russo-Soviet armor.
Converting T55 into a T62 with verlinden set
Jurjen
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Groningen, Netherlands
Joined: September 21, 2003
KitMaker: 3,040 posts
Armorama: 1,016 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 16, 2006 - 01:55 AM UTC
Hi Guys,

I know that there were some previous topics about my question but I can't find them anymore. I was building the T-62 with this set:


This is the current status:


(Bottom turret ring wrong placed)

Well, to be honest, this set really s*cks and absolutely not worth his money. But that's a different story. Well, the main problem so far is the Tamiya T-62 and I was wondering If I could redo this whole project but then with the T-55 from Tamiya. The dimensions are overall much more accurate but I need to change the hull because the T62 hull is longer. Would this be possible?

So can anybody provide some advise about the (main) differences between the T55 and T62? (some kind of tweak list)

Thanks!!!

Jurjen
blaster76
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Texas, United States
Joined: September 15, 2002
KitMaker: 8,985 posts
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Posted: Thursday, March 16, 2006 - 02:28 AM UTC
2 totally different tanks. Be sort of like trying to convert a Chaffee into a Bulldog. It looks like you've got a pretty healthy go at the 62 I would finish it concentrating mainly on the outside if you really are that fed up. My suggestion would be to set it aside for a while and work on something else that way you'll be fresh when you tackle the project again
Jacques
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: March 04, 2003
KitMaker: 4,630 posts
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Posted: Thursday, March 16, 2006 - 03:10 AM UTC
Yup, this has indeed been discussed before.

Link to Thread

If you need more on this, let us know. It is possible to convert, just a lot of work.
spongya
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODELGEEK
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Budapest, Hungary
Joined: February 01, 2005
KitMaker: 2,365 posts
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Posted: Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:02 PM UTC
Why isn't the Verlinden set worth the money? (I"m seriously thinking about buying one.)
Jacques
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: March 04, 2003
KitMaker: 4,630 posts
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Posted: Thursday, August 17, 2006 - 11:52 PM UTC
Mainly because the turret Verlinden supplies is still incorrect in a noticable way. They should have not only made it "thicker" but also have changed part of the shape of the turret in front of the commander. They basically reshaped the front of the Tamiya turret and left it at that. For the price they ask, they could have done much better.
spongya
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODELGEEK
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Budapest, Hungary
Joined: February 01, 2005
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Posted: Friday, August 18, 2006 - 05:09 AM UTC

Quoted Text

If you want to spend time, and in my opinoin end up with something you can be proud of, take my route.



Which is? Complete scratchbuilding? (I suck at that. I tried to scratchbuild a Tiger interior...)

I just want to have something that looks nice. It doesn't necessary has to be dead accurate -it doesn't hurt, though- but right now if I can finish a model the way I like it, I'm happy
I got the tank, now I'd just have to get the Verlinden stuff. And maybe, later, when I'm a confident veteran, I might start over again...
kjoy
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North Dakota, United States
Joined: September 11, 2005
KitMaker: 63 posts
Armorama: 57 posts
Posted: Friday, August 18, 2006 - 07:44 AM UTC
What ever happened to verlinden? They use to be a leader a while back. It seems like the hobby just walked away and left them behind. I just bought their "Things to Do" figuring I'd give them a go again...yeah not so much, their still junk.
13M201182
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Michigan, United States
Joined: November 28, 2005
KitMaker: 164 posts
Armorama: 110 posts
Posted: Friday, August 18, 2006 - 08:49 AM UTC
I think what happened to them is they've never bothered to really keep up with the hobby. They were the big boy's on the block for a long time. I remember when they would put out a new product, everyone wanted it, a)because you know it would be a good kit, and b) it was Verlinden. Then when some of these other companies, started making better plastic kits, and even doing their own accesory sets, that started the down slide, and they either decided not to keep up, or just rely on their name to sell kits. Don't get me wrong, they still have some decent products, but not what they used to be.
TopSmith
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Washington, United States
Joined: August 09, 2002
KitMaker: 1,742 posts
Armorama: 1,658 posts
Posted: Friday, August 18, 2006 - 11:27 AM UTC
Let me help you out. I recommend finishing up the kit. I built the kit (with some changes). This was the first kit I did after a 20 year break in modeling. I didn't realize the challenges of this conversion. The basic hull and fenders are the most important. Make sure they are correct before you move on. I see you had to make a spacer on the sides of the hulls rear deck like I did. You think they would have made the new hull piece the right size. I didn't use many of the verlinden parts. I had bought the Tamiya T-55 and found out that many of the T-55s parts were the same parts the T-62 had but were molded much better than the T-62 or Verlindens parts. I used all of the T-55s parts that corresponded with T-62 pieces. I used some fine wire and wired the fuelcells. I had an AEF T-62 turret and used that with T-55 parts and Machine gun. I used frieul track. The combination won best military model at the local hobby shop model contest. Stick with it, you can make it a winner! If you would like me to send you some photos of the finished kit, email me at [email protected]
Greg
Jacques
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: March 04, 2003
KitMaker: 4,630 posts
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Posted: Friday, August 18, 2006 - 09:04 PM UTC
One thing to remember when swapping out parts of the Tamiya T-55 and the Tamiya T-62 is that the T-62 kit is really 1/32 scale or so. Tamiya's T-55 parts, while much better molded, will look undersize compared to the T-62 hull/chassis. Ask me how I know (I used Tamiya T-55 wheels on the Tmaiya T-62 kit...it looks...strange.) See below...

afv_rob
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: October 09, 2005
KitMaker: 2,556 posts
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Posted: Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 01:35 AM UTC
Very nice Gary!! Have you thought about creating a feature for this site on how you went about the conversion, its looks very good and detailed but at the same time not completely impossible for someone like myself, a feature would be very useful!

As to Jurjen, I would press on with it regardless of accuracy. Just have fun depicting a blown up tank. I think your progress looks good so far and it looks like it will build into a nice dio. Forget accuracy for a moment and just have some fun with this idea. The kit is very pricey but looks like it can still create a pretty interesting model regardless of accuracy issues. I really look forward to seeing this progress. You could probably build a pretty accurate KO'ed T55 using the Tamiya kit, Migs set and the CMK interior sets, that way you get a more accurate tank, thats KO'ed and can depict middle east armor.
spongya
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODELGEEK
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Budapest, Hungary
Joined: February 01, 2005
KitMaker: 2,365 posts
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Posted: Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 03:41 AM UTC
Thank you all for the answers. I too would love to see articles on these builds...
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