SimonT - T34/85 Dragon 1:72

[SimonT]

Currently having fun experimenting with painting / weathering / mud on my 1:35 T34/76 and I want to see if I can translate it to 1/72 so started this Dragon kit

Unfortunately it is one of the new breed of simplified Dragon offerings - bought two a while back before I found out that they have mucked about with them

Not as bad as the Stug, this one still has separate wheels but in common the etch has gone. Should still build up ok with a little work


quite nice box art on these revamped releases





currently still has separate wheels and tracks (which don't stick with liquid cement - I'm sure they used to do on older releases)

quite a few pieces marked as not used including all the tow cable ends

the open engine deck cover that used to get an etch mesh is now one of the unused parts - you are meant to use the solid moulded version now


a brass barrel from my stock


made a start thinning the track guards down, although I have now cut off the front and rear angled flaps


just because they told me to use the solid cover doesn't mean I am going to take any notice of them - open cover fitted with a piece of Accurate Armour mesh

will need to fit some bars to divide the grille


basic hull parts stuck together - typically the suspension is all moulded integral to the lower tub so couldn't leave it separate


barrel installed after a bit of wrangling

needed to sleeve the mantlet with a few sections of telescoped micro tubing to provide a mounting point that the barrel pin would fit into

that's as far as it got

 

[JR]

Simon.
Love the " Just because they told me to use the solid cover doesn't mean I am going to take any notice of them " Really !

With those front and rear flaps missing are we to expect the P to make an appearance ?

 

[Jim R]

Moring Simon
Those tracks would be enough to put me off. Whoever thought that tracks which wouldn't glue were a good idea .... I have no doubt you'll sort it.
Jim

 

[SimonT]

John - no, I just cut them off. Not replacing this time

Jim - found that they stuck with CA. Definitely stuck ones in older Dragon kit with normal poly. There has been rather a tradition of making small scale tracks from vinyl type material that does not stick with anything. Airfix, Matchbox and a host of others rendered useless by the material used. I always preferred the solid styrene of ESCI - the tracks were not the most accurate, many of the guide teeth were little more than a little pip of plastic but at least you could stick them together


turret has had a few more parts added


sponson underside filled and sanded


drilled out all the lightening holes on the wheels

 

[JR]

As happy as you could be

 

[Jakko]

Airfix, Matchbox and a host of others rendered useless by the material used.

The Revell reissues of Matchbox kits have horrible material for the tracks, which warps and twists in the box, feels oily when you get it out, and breaks sometimes even as you put it onto the model. Those from the original Matchbox kits hold up much better.

 

[Steve Jones]

A nice little kit Mr T. Liking the changes you have made. Looking forward to seeing how your tackle the white stripe.