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Modeller Build Logs
Building the Soviet T-35 |
| By Daniel LeClair | | Started: | Jan 30, 2006 | | Updated: | Feb 23, 2007 |
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Tanks have always fascinated me, and the more exotic the better. So, when I saw the ICM "Battle of Moscow, 1941" kit, which features the multi-turreted T-35, in a hobby shop recently, it was a no-brainer to buy it. Despite the fact that I knew nothing about the manufacturer, or hadn't done an armor model for nearly 25 years!
As it turns out this is an excellent kit, loads of nicely-cast parts with very little flashing. And, since I'm a glutton for punishment, I thought I'd blog my efforts at building it. Although it looks like it would finish nicely straight out of the box, I intend to detail it with some of the aftermarket parts that are available:
- Friulmodel ATL-75 metal tracks (the kit comes with separately-molded track links)
- Eduard 35316 photo-etched detail set
- Replacement barrels - Armo, Jordi Rubio, and Model Point all make them
As reference, I will be ordering Militaria 159 - T-35 (book). If anyone knows of other references for this unusual vehicle, please let me know.
I expect this project will take some time, so bear with me. Meanwhile, since this is my first project here on Track-Net, feel free to check out my website for a little info about me. |
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| Chapter 1 - Model Prep | Jan 30, 2006 |
The ICM kit is huge - 21 sprues plus loose hull planks. It includes interior details such as engine, fully-formed machine guns, and ammo for the main gun (see photo). The first task was to clean off the mold-release agent; I don't know if this is typical for Eastern European kits, but the sprues were pretty liberally coated in a light oil. Two soap-and-water washes later, the parts were still coated, so it was time for a swim in "Lake CSC" (Castrol Super-Clean). That, followed by another washing to get the CSC off (it doesn't rinse cleanly, I've found) left everything ready to go.
As you can imagine, with a model this size there are lots of repetitive parts. It took the better part of an evening to clip off just the track links. There were no visible defects on the track links, but I like the heft of Friulmodel tracks so I intend to add those later. It took another evening to clip off just the roadwheel pieces; I normally separate and prep things like this in batches, and put all the same parts in small 3x3 ziplock baggies.
The top hull plank was the only part that appeared to be misshapen to any degree, as it was slightly bowed in the middle. However, the plastic is soft enough that it will flex into place. If it had been cast out of the super-hard plastic used by Tamiya in the early days, this would have been a bigger problem. Except for that, a cursory examination of the parts showed very little flash and no offset - all in all, a nice cast.
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