box contents

This update set comes in the now familiar Trakz black box with picture on the front of the set installed but unpainted.
Inside the box there are instructions on 4 sides of A4….all the instructions are photographic, a bit unclear, and in black and white. The part come in 5 ziplock bags, and are made from Trakz familiar cream coloured resin. The parts themselves look extremely well cast with very little flash, and reasonably small pour blocks that should be easy to remove (wearing a proper mask of course!)
The ziplock bags contain parts broken down by area, and with the photographic parts map on the first page of the instruction, it should be easy to check if there is anything missing, everything was present and correct in the review sample.
The areas covered by the parts are:
1. Hull walls
2. Front hull
3. Centre Hull
4. Upper hull
5. Turret parts.

parts included

There are an awful lot of parts in this set. It is definitely not for the beginner. This is not a drop in kit. Complicated assembly is needed along with some removal of areas of the donor kit (Dragon # 6205).

No painting instructions whatsoever are included, and since the photograph on the front shows the set installed but unpainted then this isn’t much help either so you will need to have your references handy!

It is possible to make a showstopper with this set, and because of the large opening in the turret of the T34-76 then a lot will be visible. All you need to add is various bits of wire for that ‘complete’ look. The drivers and machine gunners station is fairly complete, with even a full set of batteries, the rear of the MG, gas cylinders, seats, full controls, although the instrument panel would have been better as PE with an insert instead of a solid moulding which will need careful painting to look good. Behind the fighting compartment a bulkhead is fitted to the hull roof. This is a beautifully cast part with superb detail, it’s only failing as mentioned earlier is that it suffered from a little warping, which you can soon sort out with a little hot water and careful; pressure. The walls of the driver’s compartment have to be seen to be believed, they are so full of detail they will be an absolute joy to paint.

The fighting compartment wall comes with a complement of 9 rounds of ammo in racks, which will look fairly good when painted, and then there are various small pieces that go together to ‘busy’ up the inside of the turret, which includes a full breech assembly, plus seating for the gunner and commander, firing controls, traverse mechanism etc.

conclusion

This set isn’t cheap, but you do get an awful lot of resin for your money, and if you want to model the T-34/76 opened up, it’s well worth it. Coupled with an engine set it would be fantastic project to attempt.
Thanks to Trakz for the review sample.