Impressive to say the least

Also very impressive is the "over $200CAN" price to buy all the AM needed

thanks fo that expensive reminder, I have go that stuff on order

Why don't regular manufacturers like Russian stuff It is obviously much better looking than all those 1.000.000 Sherman versions (I must have insulted half of all armorma members right now, the other half builds Tigers)

Ahhhh, mat......I'm with you.....



I ONLY have the Dragon M4A3E8....right now, that's good enough for me for Shermies....oh, and JagdTiggy on the way.....

BUT, regarding Russian kits....seems for the most part, Trumpeter (KV1's and KV2's) and Dragon (T-34's) are about it for good kits.....kits that don't need a bunch of AM to make 'em look good. Yea, there are other companys out there that make some decent stuff, but....show me a cost effective BMP, BRDM, or BTR....one that can be built OOB without AM and not need three days of "flash suppression" and "goo-release!"

I've got a newly acquired thang for Ruskie stuff....but unless it's something I realllllllly want, I'm NOT going to go with a $100 to $200 kit or another that takes too much to fix....know what I mean?

Anyhow, sorry Shermie- and Tigger-dudes and dudettes.....no offense "intentionally " meant!

And Gary, thanks for postin' a veddy, veddy nice build...........

Mike

I think the lack of kits really is from a lack of customer base right now. While I am sure many in Eastern Europe would love to buy/build kits, their love of miniatures is as strong as anyones, they do not have the appropriate discretionary spending for manufacturer's to drop the money on Russian tank kits, for example.

Once Eastern Europe gains wealth in the majority of the people, or if the Chinese population gains an interest in Soviet/Russian vehicles, then we will see more kits of high quality. I know that Armorama's own Pawel has attempted to interest DML into doing a new-tool BMP-1 and recieved no interest from them.

Here is hoping Trumpeter does a GREAT job on their upcoming 3 releases (T-62, BMP-3, and MAZ transporter) and that they do more after that.

The bear of it is; I really want a T-90 in my collection and will end up cracking and ponying up the $200+ to build one. I am a bit amazed that there are not one but two kits of the Dicker Max out there but not a single one of the T-90 or a decent T-80 kit. While I think that they are a bit less polished than the Miniarm T-90 it's rather nice that one can get a full T-80 conversion from SP Designs for ~1/4 of the price.

I keep holding off because I just know that the day I order the Miniarm stuff Perth MM will put up the news that Trumpeter or Dragon are doing one. . .

Matt

Gents,
I have a cheaper idea towards making a T90.
Just go get the turret & the frontal armour sets,forget the track & road wheels because....
a:A lot of T90 are still using the old T72 track,therefore the T80 track(the so call 'new' track is actually a t80 track set.)is NOT a must;
b:Buy a old DML T72m2,this one comes with a full set of 'six holes' roadwheels.

Great models - both the T-90 and the SAM truck.

Too bad we do not have more Russian armour even though I still like all those Tigers and other German stuff.

We've got much more now than we did just a scant 15-20 years ago when the Cold War was winding down. I like to see the various late Soviet and modern Russian armor kits brought to life. They have an appealing look to them.

Now Gary...

Just as an example that it is not ALWAYS true, both the Miniarm T-72B front Glacis and the SP Designs T-72A/B glacis have been compared side-by-side (not by me, sorry, so no pics). The concensus, by a EXTREEMLY impartial judge, was that the SP Designs piece was ever-so-slightly better in detail and casting quality. While the Miniarm glacis does come with K-1/3 ERA, it is a difference of price of $50.00 to $5.00. Really.

But don't let that fool you into thinking that ALL similar conversions are the same. The Miniarm T-72 tracks run $40.00 and the SP Designs link-n-length runs either $7 or $8. But the Mimiarm tracks are superior. They are clickable indi-link tracks with better details and better casting. The extra $32 will get you a better product with less work to use on your model.

But I will let you know that I do not buy them as I just do not have $40 to drop on just tracks for something that 99.999% of the modellers looking at the built kit will not know the difference, even Soviet tank-o-philes. Once under a coat of paint and chalk/pigment, the difference just does not show as readily. Yea, I have already had this happen with some MT-LB tracks and people asking if they were Fruils...nope, just well cleaned up SP Designs tracks.

Now I am not trying to argue against Gary in this either...he is absolutely right. Miniarm makes GREAT conversions, the Lambourgini of our niche. But many of us can only afford Saturn's. Like SP Designs (or, shudder, AEF Designs) or Verlinden...etc. Neither set of companies should be punished for serving different niches of our hobby.

And it is not like SP Designs is making a intentionally inferior product, or using too many shortcuts, etc...I make sure that Sergej does not slip and if he ever should, I would stop selling kits for him.

But I think I know where some of the grief comes from too...those T-80 conversions. Sergej has put out a good conversion for a good price...but they are a BEAR to work with, and there are some current casting issues that are being worked out. Once they are solved, things will be better. This does not make the T-80 conversions unbuildable, but it does make them more work than a expensive but easy Miniarm conversion (when they get the T-80 sets out that is). And even they will be compromising as they are intending, so far s i know right now, to build their conversions on the Zvezda kits...which have problems that I am interested to see them solve without making a whole resin kit.

And finally, we in the US often loose sight of what the primary focus of the kits are for. SP Designs, for example, is for Eastern European consumption first, and Sergej does VERY well by them. So well that his shipments to me are getting more spread out as he is casting more and more for the EE market. And he has said to me often that the way the T-80 kits are set up is the way his PRIMARY customers want it. Really. I wanted him to cast the engine decks without the screens so they could be added in, for example. He said he has been told that doing that would DECREASE its appeal to his EE customers...so it does not happen. An example of this is kit 081 T-80 tracks. He has sold ~100 sets in the USA/UK. He has sold over 500 in EE. Guess who he listens to?

And so...

(And even I have a hard time remembering that SP Desings is not my own private casting house! I have great detail ideas that are not practical because of lack of salability. BUT I got him to make the T-72 Glacis conversion and the M107/M110 tracks, thank you very much! )

That is enough hot air from me for now...

Please take a look at:
http://www.armyrecognition.com/Russe/vehicules_lourds/T-90/T-90_Russe_description.htm
A T90 with T72 tracks.

http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:WyYL53OhERgJ:www.enemyforces.com/tanks/t90.htm+t90+tank&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t-90.htm

maybe this question is best answer by expert like Mr S Zaloga.

Nice to see the Miniarm stuff built and painted up. For all the allied armur fanatics crying about the lack of good kits, they still have it far better than the Ruskie lovers.

Hey Gary,

- for the SP Designs front Glacis...you get the new front glacis to replace the incorrect Tamiya piece but no ERA of any kind. I tried to compare it to the Miniarm T-72B front glacis, not the T-90 one as well, just to keep things even and as compared by my "accomplice".

- In dealing with the T-90, We both know that the Russian military is/has been in "low budget mode". While I cannot confirm it, I am sure that the few units within Russian service are fairly likely to be using up older T-72 tracks before they work in the newer T-80 style ones...I mean, it is not like they have to spend more money to use tracks that have already been procured and are in storage somewhere. And since photos of T-90's in Russian service are much rarer than ones at the trade shows and in foreign service, it may be that the T-80 style tracks are showing up much more often and assumed to be in widespread use in Russian service as well. Add in that the Siberian districts vehicles are not easily accessable, even to US Military Intelligence...

i am willing to entertain a kernal of doubt. (You have met the Colonel, right? Second door down on the right, just past the latrine... )

Hi Jacq,
Did any T90 take part in the Chechnya situation?
Your comment on the T90 track is 110% fair.

T-90's in Chechnya...that is kinda tricky. It depends on if anyone has finally come out with a definative answer to what a T-90 and a T-72BM are.

I can say that I have NOT seen any T-90S or T-90(M) in Chechnya. I HAVE seen pictures of T-72BM (T-72B with K-5 ERA but no Shtora emitters). But that should not be taken as a confirmation or denial.

Gary, has anyone confirmed a T-90 in Chechnya?

So the photos of the T-72's with K5 ERA in Chechnya would be either late model T-72BV's upgraded or early T-72BM's, correct?

And there were at least 4 t-64 used int he first Chechan war. One was captured and used against the Russians for a while until two of the other T-64's manuevered in against it and destroyed it.





I do not know who to credit the pictures to.

I have also seen pictures of PT-76 and T-55 with K-1/3 ERA in use there as well, though mainly in the first war. Seems the Russians just rushed in anything nearby that was available, hence the T-64's going in.

Also a nomenclature point: T-72BM's became the standard T-90 and evolved to the T-90(M). T-72S became the T-90S. Man, I love this stuff...

Hi all...
I'll get my T-90 in May ....Andreas Todorovic T-90 is definitely a great building...very good work.

Ciro


PS
Hi Andy!!!Did you get my last mail?!

In response to Dmitry Kiyatkin's questions in another thread, there is a planned T-90S turret from Miniarm sometime in 2007-2008.