Takom 1/72 Object 279 Soviet Heavy Tank (construction process) by Erhan Atalay

 

Hello dear friends,

I shared the in-box review of this kit in December 2019. Click if you want to remember : https://miniafv.....takom-172-object-279-soviet-heavy-tank.html

I did it during the pandemic. I forgot to share :) It has not been painted yet, I hope it is done too.

In the last part, there is the comparison with the 

T-62 tank. It's not a giant tank.

Erhan...

Object 279 Heavy tank : In the 1950s at the height of the cold war, the Soviet Union designed the Oyject 279 (Object 279). As a tank that could withstand a nuclear blast. The disk-like body was designed so that it would not fall over in response to the blast and shock waves during a nuclear explosion.The body armor was 269mm thick at the top, 305mm thick at the front and is made to withstand APDS bullets and HEAT bullets.A prototype was completed in 1959 and various tests were conducted.

turret...

Long and short barrel options..

hull..

The most detailed and boring part. suspension, wheel, track .. It has two tank tracks...

completed..

with T-62 (Trumpeter)  for comparison..

1/72 scale T-62 Comparison & Trumpeter 1/72 Russian T-62 BDD construction (by Erhan Atalay)

Hello dear friends,

Today, I will share an article about 1/72 scale T-62 kits. I hope it will be useful. 

There are two plastic kits (and variations) on the market. (I didn't add the ACE kit which is out of the market anymore)

The first kit was released in 1988 by Esci/Ertl. This kit was later boxed by Italeri from 2002 to the present. The second kit was released 30 years later by Trumpeter in 2018. Trumpeter produced 4 different versions by making minor additions to this kit..

I previously shared the review of these kits in miniafv blog. 

Esci / Italeri T-62 :http://miniafv...esci-172-t62-m-mbt-review.html 

Trumpeter T-62 :http://miniafv..../t62bdd.html

All T-62 page in miniafv archive :http://miniafv..../label/T-62

Happy modelling,

Erhan...

First, let's take a look at the wheels. Esci has very bad molding. Wrong pattern and one piece thick wheels. Terrible..In those years, alternative wheels were only available in the PST T-55 kit. (and maybe ACE kit) Revell T-55, Italeri (T-55), Trumpeter (T-55) and others had not yet ben released. I changed with PST T-55 kit wheels. From left to right Esci and PST wheels. 

Let's review the tracks..

Esci/Italeri T-62 has the link and length track with good detail on the outside but no central teeth on the inner surface. 

The trumpeter kit tracks are modeler friendly with easy assembly. And has enough detail for a one-piece molded track-wheel set.

Esci kit (with PST wheels) on top, Trumpter kit on bottom. 

and bodies...The Esci/Italeri kit details are more satisfying.

Both claim to be 1/72 scale. However the differences in dimensions are striking. I measured the bodies. But I don't have very precise measuring instruments. Also, I may have taken measurements at the wrong points. I may have made minor mistakes.

According to my measurements, 

                                     length         width 

T-62 (original)              663 cm       330 cm  (without barrel) 

1/72 scale                    9,21 cm      4,58 cm

Esci/Italeri kit               9,8 cm        5,2 cm

Trumpeter kit               9,3 cm        4,6 cm

according to my measurements, 

Esci/Italeri kit like 1/68 scale with length and 1/64 scale with width,

Trumpeter kit 1/72 scale with some tolarence (if my measurements are accurate)

We have two alternatives for making the 1/72 scale T-62, vintage kit Esci and Trumpeter,  Trumpeter kit 30 years younger than Esci.

Which one do you prefer ?

Esci is a nostalgia, a trend. However we observed mistakes in it's mesaurements. Tracks are bad, wheels are wrong, I wish the Italeri had corrected these when re-released. The Trumpeter kit has nice molding. The dimensions are correct. Installation is easy. However, Trumpeter engineers forgot a lot of details when designing the mold. Maybe, need some scratchbuild parts. Still, I prefer the Trumpeter kit. (I'm lucky, I made both kits.. 

Erhan..

Finaly,  here is the  completed but un-paint Trumpeter T-62 BDD tank..

Trumpeter 1/72 Russian T-62 BDD Mod.1984 (Mod.1972 modificaiton) **İn box review** (by Erhan Atalay)

Hello dear modeller,

Trumpeter continues make the most of it's T-62 molds by releasing various versions of the T-62. This time they have covered the T-62 BDD (T-62 M) upgrades to their T-62 mod 1972 kit. 

This version of the T-62 came about as a result of the Soviet's experience in Afghanistan. They found the old T-62 was easily damaged and destroyed by weapons such as the RPG-7 and mines. To combat these threats, the armor of the T-62 was upgraded with passive armor arrays on the glacis, the turret cheeks and the forward underbelly extending back to the second road wheel. Steel reinforced mesh side skirts were added for side protection. A Tucha smoke projector cluster was added to the right side of the turret and a laser range finder was placed over the main gun. Internally, the drivers seat was replaced with a suspended one to help mitigate mine blast shocks for the driver. These improvements were also placed on T-55's. Many of these improvements to one degree or another are still in use with T-62's today.

Erhan...

Here is the parts..

Sprue F...

Sprue B...

Sprue C..

decal...

manual...

Painting guide. Left for Trumpeter 1/72 kit, right for Trumpeter 1/35 kit..

click please the "1/72 scale T-62 Comparison & Trumpeter 1/72 Russian T-62 BDD construction" page:https://miniafv....172-scale-t-62-comparison-trumpeter-172.html