I was cruizin through eBay, searching for "1/35 T-34" stuff when I came across quite the find... a resin V-2 engine and transmission set for the Revell/Coopertiva T-34/85 1/72kits. The company is Kora. I took a chance since I wasn't to familiar with there stuff . Although the kit seems to be to be a bit over scaled I fit it into the Revell kit . That was until I saw the lines of the new offering from Dragon. Anyways, I got the engine and trans to fit in with a bit of work and it looks so cool in this scale! After I got that in I kept thinking the rest of the interior was so naked. I recalled a great 452 pic build of the Trumpeter 1/16 T-34/85 by a talented Liejon Schoot on Tanxheaven. And that got the hamster wheels spinnin!!!!!














This is what I have so far:
I scratch-built the radiators, making a master and the duplicating it for the other side, I did that again by creating the ammo box master and duping x5 for the fighting compartment floor. I built the drivers compartment using Evergreen plastic. I also used various small diameter brass rod for the linkage of the controls back to the engine as well as all the grab handles using Mission Models Grabhandler. I wanted the look of the later model 44, so i took some of he Revell detail and frankenstiened the later model front fenders as well the later comanders coppula. This is only the middle ofthe project as I still have smaller details to add to the transmission and the drivers compartment as well as the turret details; radio. ammo racks, (the rear turret basket holds 12 rounds.)
And speaking of rounds, I also turned a master 85mm round using a dental engine(belt driven handpiece) with an old burr spinning and used a High speed turbine handpiece to do the cutting. It took about 8 times beforre Igot it as close as I'm going to get it. This is not the final as it is not the right shape when compared to my 1/35 brass. I did them free hand. You will see the correct ones later when I start the turret!










I'll post more as I progress....DREW

Very nice work, I am really impressed. How many kits have you used to build this up?

That looks great! Wow, and so small too. (Are those rounds cast with Duralay? LOL)

Darn nice work, I wish I could see this thing in person, plenty of things to see!

Thanks guys! I'll be posting more as I go. Ive just start the ammo racks for the turret. DREW

ps John you were almost dead on, it's actualy another dental product called Pattern Resin by a Japanese company. Can't find the box right now.

That looks great! When I saw your pics I looked at my completed Dragon T-34 and really appreciated how small eveything would be in your 34/85 wow!!


Very nice work.

Regards

Mark

Drew, my hat´s off. Small and beautiful work!
Rene

Must admit that is absolutely great work. One comment though, if you wish to be completely accurate, the side walls below the turret should be bowed outward a touch. You may realise this already, but if you don't, look again at the Tanxheaven shots. Keep up the great work.

Ross

Yeah, I haven't figured out quite how to pull that curve off yet.

well, here are some more shots of the first wave of building, I removed the ammo stowage boxes to show the control linkage, also mounted the rest of the main gun, and started duplicating the most accurate (that I could pull off) 85mm rounds for the turret stowage as well as the turret side rack being just completed... drew



















I will start the rack at the turret rear soon as well as many other smaller details or hints there of that I can get away with (depending on how much is too much!?!?!?) . The othe vehicle is a VT-34, based on the same Dragon kit, that I started last week while contemplating the next wave of building my 85...

great build! most inspiring

keep 'em coming!

Here are some photos of the majority of the turret detail being completted (not including the detail and conversion of the gun) including the ammo stowage racks, turret mechanism, and radio assembly using brass for the ammo trays, resin for corecting the turret ring, pastistruct for the radio, radio rack. and cables



















I'll have more pics as I go..........DREW

Still looking great. It will be a shame to button it all up and hide all the detail.

And there I was, struggeling tonight with a few PE tiedown hooks on my Type 87... thinking they where small..
Outstanding work, and Rob is right, it will be a pitty to cover it all up.

Cheers
Henk

Beautiful work all around. Did you have any reference to detail the engine? I have a plastic engine kit by Maquette in 1/35 scale which is soft, but a good basic block for super detailing.. especially since it sells for only $5. I just need some good reference to do the extra detailing.

A little off-topic if I may.. This is the best answer to those who keep criticising 1/48 scale based on the fact (according to them) that it's just too small to do super -detailing on. It all depends on the dexterity of the modeller.

Again, great looking model.

Check out Liejon Schoot's Trumpeter T-34/85 on Tanxheaven,there are at least 60 pics of the engine build up alone,simply stunning!!

Thanks for ther tip. Best detail shots I've seen for the engine.

VERY impressive work, mate, at ANY scale! I love the detail that you have sp painstakingly built into this little gem, Drew! Thanks for sharing the experience with great photo's and descriptions...personally, I would put together a porfolio of pictures when you're done and submit the deal to Armorama for a MOD feature, for a chance to really show off your work...
~Gunny

Thanks for all the comments, guys. I'll be doing even more turret detail including the main gun's sighting system, the turret seats. wiring up the turret motor, Then I want to re-structure the suspension walls and all the internal fuelcells as well as as much wiring as posible including the hints of guages, the lower 2 round racks on the DTgunners position right side.



There is the Kora resin engine/trans set, Revell's T-34/85 as well as Dragon's T-34/85 model44. (I bought a second Dragon kit due to a mishap spilling dental resin on one of the parts of the first leaving no way to repair).

Anyone have any sugestions on where to find 1/72 scale DT machine guns, I tried removing one from one of Revell's figures but it won't do the trick.

Here is a shot of the finished gunner's sight using evergreen/plastistruct and brass rod. Next step is mounting up the coaxialed machinegun using the DT(?) gun thats mounted on the ol' Polikarpov PO-2 (or U2) bi-plane and to correct for an 85mm gun. and detail the rest of the driver's/machine gunner's position...

[quote]That looks great! Wow, and so small too. (Are those rounds cast with Duralay? LOL)[/quote

Hey sticky,
You saw my scratchbuilt Panzer IV J. Very nice and I liked building it, but of course the judges didn't think so.


The T-34 still looks great! nice work!

Here are some pics of my work in progess I have at Dragon Expo...










I still have a lot more to pull off!?!?! Next mission is to go in and detail the rest of the drivers' compartment includind the wiring(as much as I can pull of), the manual fuel pump, all the instrument panels, DT drum magazine bins and lower hull ammo racks.....I think I'm at the 85% mark as far as the build is concerned...

Where did this build end? Is it done?

regards,
Steen

Rather curious myself. Any progress?

Now that is simply amazing detailing.

Looking forward to seeing more progress pics.

cheers

Mike