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The model features a T-28 version 1939 in Finnish winter camouflage pattern from March/April 1940. Finnish army captured two T-28's during the Winter War, both 1939 vintage.
The model is scratch-built. Only the tracks and drive sprockets are from Cromwell Models but even they were modified (tracks cast in metal for example). I used photographs of a T-28 tank from Parola (it has added armour which the model does not have!), Russian drawings of T-28 and war time pictures from the Photographic Center of the Finnish Defence Forces to build the model.
Chassis of the tank is made out of 0.7mm sheet styrene The structure was strengthened when necessary with 2.0mm polystyrene sheet. Turrets were made out of 2mm sheet (base ring + roof) and 0.5mm sheet styrene (walls). Hatches and hinges were etched from brass. The star on top of the main turret was cut out of 0.7mm sheet styrene, rounded from the edges and glued on the turret roof. The seam was filled with putty and sanded. Some of the seams of the chassis and turrets were welded with a pyrogravure.
Mudguards, skirt armour and most of the rivets were made out of 0.3mm aluminium. Small rivet heads on the mudguards were punched with the wrong end of a drill from below. I used Historex punch and die set to make the rest of the rivets and bolt heads. Tool brackets were made out of 0.1mm and 0.2mm copper sheet. When necessary the copper parts were soldered together.
The 76 MM canon of the tank was turned out of brass on a lathe. Machine guns were made out of 0.6x0.25 and 0.4x0.2 hypodermic needles. The rings on the machine gun barrels were cut from 1mm and 0.7mm brass tube and soldered together. Exhaust muffler was formed from a solid 10x5 MM polystyrene block. Seams were done with a polygravure. The exhaust muffler shield was made out of 0,1 MM copper sheet.
Wheels and wheel axels were cast in metal, I turned the mould masters from 2mm plastic sheet on a lathe. Then I tried to cast them. I soon (after 200 + wheels or so) realized that without a centrifuge the castings would not be satisfactory. So I sent the wheels and tracks to a friend of mine to England who cast them for me. I am pretty happy with the result.
I had great difficulties in positioning the track in the right place. Reason to this was that the mudguards were a bit too narrow in the front and did not leave enough space to the tracks in the inside. With a bit of adjusting the result was never the less good. The lesson: one can never do too much fitting of parts before gluing them into the model!
It took me a year and a half to get the model ready. The cost was approximately $60 including photos, material and the price of silicon for the moulds.
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