One thing I always like in a kit is some kind of interior, even if it’s just a minamlistic one as it allows you the option to leave hatches open without the fear of the insides being a large empty cavern. The more the interior the better and usually this means resorting to expensive resin detail sets to add engines, turret interiors and driver’s compartments. Which is what makes this kit such a great move on AFV Club’s part as it puts it up there with kits like the Academy Tiger I with full interior in terms of value for money, with the added bonus of being a very good quality kit.
This kit represents a 1944 model T-34/85 with the 85mm gun and comes in a large tray and lid style box containing eight sprues moulded in light grey as well as the hull tub also moulded in light grey, a large sprue of clear parts including the turret, the upper hull, also in clear plastic, and four small black sprues containing the roadwheel tyres. There is also a small brass photo-etched fret, a length of thread, an aluminium gun barrel, a set of springs for the suspension, and the single length vinyl tracks. So it’s a nicely filled box of bits.
The moulding quality is faultless, with no flashing worthy of note, almost non-existant mould seams and clean, sharp detail on every part including some very fine and delicate pieces. If I had to fault something it would be the lack of any surface texture to represent the cast finish on the upper hull and turret which are clear parts and intended to be left that way, but if you want to paint them you’ll need to add your own.
The chassis on this is brilliant, having been designed to be fully working with scale springs used as on the real thing. AFV Club have managed to get these spot on this time so unlike the suspension on their Churchills they aren’t too stiff and unyielding, so the suspension once together works as it should. The roadwheels are made up of a separate wheel with a late style tyre moulded in black plastic that fits onto it. So no need for wheelmasks when painting these ones. Again the detail here is very well done.
The tracks are single length “rubber band” style vinyl ones but these are some of the best I’ve seen and include all the small gaps between each link. They are also very soft so they sit well on top of the roadwheels. For those wanting to go that little bit further AFV Club do make a set of individual link clip together workable tracks suitable for this kit that is sold as a separate aftermarket upgrade.
The upper hull is moulded in clear plastic with the engine deck moulded in the light grey with a separate engine hatch so that it can be modelled open to help display the engine. Likewise the very detailed driver’s hatch can also be displayed open. Photo etched parts are provided for the engine cover grille as well as the fuel tank and smoke pot straps. The usual assortment of T-34 bits then attach to this clear hull, such as the fenders, tie downs, added track links, tools, grab handles, external fuel tanks, smoke pots, and tool boxes so care needs to be taken with the application of glue and paint to these parts if the intention is to leave the hull clear to view the inside as any excess glue or paint will stand out.
The hull interior is very thorough looking. I’m no expert on T34s but from what I’ve read elsewhere the interior is very well done with the only issues being with some of the connections in the engine compartment. The hull tub includes moulded on linkages and a separate escape hatch below the bow machine gunner, which has full detail as well. An assortment of shells is supplied for the main gun as well as several racks of drum mags for the bow machine gun. The floor section beneath the turret is composed of the raised ammunition lockers and the driver’s and bow machine gunner’s seats include separate thigh pads and very subtle texturing. All of this is beautifully rendered in crisp detail. As with the exterior care will be needed with the glue and the paint on those parts attached to the insides of the hull top.
The engine and it’s internal walls are a little kit all in themselves, taking up several of the construction stages and using around 75 parts which is more than some small vehicle kits have. It is an absolute beauty and it is such a shame for it not to be seen, this engine deserves a maintenance scene diorama with the engine being removed just so it can be shown off. The complete engine, transmission, fans, radiators, and all the little attachments right down to some tiny little wingnuts are all represented in extremely good detail.
The turret is also a completely clear plastic part, including the cupola and it’s two split hatches. The only major external parts on the turret that aren’t clear are the loaders hatch and the mantlet. So again the same care and attention will be needed here with the glue and the paint, possibly more so as there is a lot more attached to the inside of the turret walls than on the upper hull. The gun barrel is a very nicely done aluminium barrel with rifling at the muzzle.
The turret interior as mentioned has quite a bit attched to the walls, this includes a full ammo rack in the rear of the turret, the commander’s radio, shell racks on the side of the turret, plus periscopes, intercoms, and machine gun drum mag racks. The rest of the turret interior is taken up by the full and complete Zis-S-53 gun breech with the co-axial machine gun, both of which get the same level of attention to detal and finish that the rest of the kit gets.
Decals are included for three vehicle marking options although they aren’t the most descriptive and all three have the same colour scheme, Russian Green. The decal options are - 164th Tank Brigade, 16th Tank Corps, Poland 1944 : unknown with the numbers 215 : unknown, Germany 1945 with the numbers 121.
This is a fantastic kit, the level on interior detail is just so good that it makes you want to actually use the clear body. But even if you don’t it just lends itself so well to having as much opened up as you can. I don’t personally have any interest in Russian armour but this kit is just too tempting. If you only ever buy one T-34 let it be this one.
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