Introduction

The T-80U is a version of the Russian T-80U, featuring an improved gunsight, Kontak-5 third generation reactive armour and the 9K119 Refleks barrel fired missile system. Recently, the new company Xact Scale Models released this T-80 varient as their first kit. Soon after, SKP Models produced a set of highly detailed coloured resin and photo-etch lenses specifically for this tank’s lights, tail lights and IR spotlight lenses.

Review

The set of lenses comes on a single photo-etched fret, featuring the main IR spotlight and its unpainted frame, plus a smaller infrared headlight, a silver head light, two smaller IR spot lights and parts for 4 smaller lights. The IR lights use a clear resin with a dark clear red color in such a way that it provides convincing depth and shadow, much the same as the real thing does. The head light is clear over silver and features the visible details seen in glass headlights. The realism here is as convincing as anything I have seen in this scale. The only nitpick I have with this set is the lack of instructions. The location of most parts should be easy to determine, but you will want to have some photo references handy for some of the smaller details.

Conclusion

Once again, SKP Models has produced an excellent and very convincing set of lenses for another newly released subject. Although some may think they are a tad expensive, they are simply the most realistic way to do headlights on the market. Personally, I cannot get enough of them! Thanks to Armorama and SKP Models for providing the samples to review.