introduction
You have the old Tamiya T34/76 (kit# 35059) laying on the shelves and you don`t know what to do with it… Well MIG offers you quite an interesting option for this vehicle… Make it a Beutepanzer. This new release from the MIG stables enables you to make a quite extraordinary vehicle which is not often seen. Namely: The German T34 or better known as “Pz.Kfw. 747 ( r )-1”

Some History
During WW2 the Germans made a program to do modifications to captured T34`s and turn them into German service. The Modified T34`s were known as: “Pz.Kfw. 747 ( r )-1” “Pz.Kfw. 747 ( r )-2” and “Pz.Kfw. 747 ( r )-3”. The first type (“Pz.Kfw. 747 ( r )-1”) was by far the most popular of all and the modifications consisted of a Pz.III/IV cupola on the turret roof. Because the original T34 did not have a similar structure on top the Germans welded a “V” shaped shell deflector in front of it so the cupola wouldn’t be so vulnerable to enemy fire. Because of the new cupola the gunners hatch needed to be cut in half or else there was no space for that addition. Further a Notek light was added and a new tool box to the right side of the vehicle.
The other two (less popular) versions had different kind of Additional Schurtzen.

The box.
Well I have said it before… MIG is somebody how knows that something needs to be attractive to look at. This is another fine example. The accessories come in a well designed box with the print of a Russian Staff Map. On the front is a Sticker with the vehicle assembled and painted with a small picture of the same vehicle without paint.. only assembled. Further the Sticker tells you for which Tamiya vehicle the modification is, what the contents are the scale of course and the Internet address. The top shows a picture of the same vehicle photographed from another angle.

Box contents.
In the box you’ll find 2 Ziploc bags with cream colored resin parts. And a little but clear and full color instruction sheet. Bag 1 contains parts for the whole vehicle and the second bag contains the parts for the PzIII Cupola. I will discuss the contents of the bags separately

Bag 1.
In this bag you will find 15 parts which are: the modified turret roof, 2 new external fueldrums, the loaders hatch, Several additions to the hull structure like clamps, two standard toolboxes and the new tool box and last but not least the Notek light

Bag 2.
This bag as said before holds all the parts for the Pz III cupola and holds 19 parts. These are: the Cupola, The vision blocks, the parts that go between the vision blocks. The Cupola hatches and the closing handle for 1 of the Cupola hatches.

Instruction sheet.
The Instruction sheet is 20cm by 6cm and is high quality printed. One side shows the contents of Bag 1 and the locations they need to be on the Tamiya kit. The other side shows the contents of Bag 2 and how the cupola structure is being built.
The instruction sheet is just as the box well thought out and really clear as to which part needs to go where.

Final verdict.
Having examined each part of this conversion set I have to admit that MIG has done a really good job of making the conversion parts. The detail is very well done. But…. what needs to be said, the detail is so good and crisp that some parts get very very thin or very very small and thus a bit vulnerable to damage and some care in cutting and sanding is required. The Notek light that was in the set I had was broken off his standard but with a little drop of CA glue this was easily solved. Here and there is some minor flash but nothing that can`t be solved with a little sandingpaper, files or an Exacto… but remember some parts need extra care when being cut out or cleaned.
The very good casted parts together with the brilliant instruction sheet makes this a good conversion and everybody should be able to make something out of the old Tamiya T34/76. I would say another good addition to the MIG assortment

Greetz Robert Blokker

A big thanks goes out to Miguel Jimenez of MIG Productions for the review sample!