T-26 Quickbuilds

The Soviet T-26 was one of the most widely used tanks of the interwar period, and took part in many conflicts that are of particular interest to me.

Two quickbuild models which I have assembled are produced by Pegasus and Minairons.

The Pegasus kit is only 15 parts, and goes together pretty easily. The only real criticism I have with the kit is in regard to the track assembly.

The return rollers, appear as single cylinders, as opposed to being two joined wheels. The same applies to the rear idler.

The tracks have a little too much sag, and are on the crude, chunky side, but they still give the appearance of being proper tank tracks.

It has been mentioned that the tracks stick out a little too much on these models, but I only noticed that on the left front corner of my build (I had already painted the tank by that time, so it was too late to do anything to fix it).

The Minairons kit has 10 parts, and can be built as either the double turreted A version, or the single turret B version. The kit goes together without issue, but it seems less detailed and more toy-like when compared to the Pegasus kit.

The main gun of the Minairons kit does not reflect the appearance of the actual gun, but that was a minor issue I could overlook.

A larger issue was that I had to inscribe additional panel lines to define the second hatch on the turret. The second hatch seems to be present on the 1/100 models, so it's unclear why they would be missing on the 1/72 version.

The panel line needs more work to make both hatches match.

The tracks are simplified with a very shallow pattern. The return rollers are featureless cylinders that protrude directly out from the sides of the hull. The drive sprocket and return idler are similarly rendered.

I glued the track assemblies so that the bottom edge was not flush with the hull, since during test fitting it seemed that not doing so would make the tank sit lower than the Pegasus kit.

The Pegasus T-26 was given Finnish markings, while the Minairons T-26 was painted with Republican markings from the Spanish Civil War.

Here is a comparison of the quickbuild tanks with a diecast Altaya/Eaglemoss T-26.

This particular Eaglemoss kit is made with a metal hull, and has quite a bit of heft. It even has the triangle security screws underneath, so maybe it is from some old Altaya stock.

Experimental Heavy Tanks

In the early years of the Cold War, a number of interesting experimental tanks were developed for the battlefields of that era. Most however, were never pursued beyond the prototype stage. For most mainstream model companies, these unique tanks have been too obscure to merit a release.

To fill part of this void, TOPOP, a Beijing based company that creates merchandise for various video game franchises has chosen to release three experimental heavy tank models as part of their Iron Fist line of diecast armor. These models were created in conjunction with the World of Tanks franchise, and represent Soviet, American, and Chinese heavy tanks from the WoT game.

I have the T57 and WZ-111, but not the IS-7. However, that may change if I can find the IS-7 for a low price.

The T57 was built on a M103 heavy tank chassis, and features an oscillating turret. Only a single prototype was built.

The model is mostly plastic, but it has a metal lower hull to give it a bit of heft.

The turret and upper hull have decent detail, though handrails and vision ports are the simplified style typical of diecast models. The turret is able to rotate about 45° to each side, and can oscillate up and down.

The wheels are also a bit simplified, and are attached to the hull on the reverse side by a rail that I presume is there to facilitate the mass production of the model.

The WZ-111 was based on the IS-2 and IS-3, but also had some design features of the IS-7 and T-10 tanks. The turret was still under development when the chassis was undergoing testing, so I don't think that any complete prototypes were ever produced.

The model has a plastic turret and upper hull, while the lower hull is made of metal. For some reason, the tank was dry-brushed in copper to simulate wear, making it look a bit unusual.

The details of the hull and turret are not bad, with the handrails on the side of the turret being actual plastic rods. Again though, the wheels are attached to the hull by means of a rail like on the T57.

The final model I want to present in this post is the Object 279 from the Russian Tank Collection. This tank was designed with four sets of tracks, CBRN protection, and a uniquely shaped hull that was supposed to reduce the likelihood of flipping over in event of a blast wave from a nuclear explosion.

The model itself is let down by the running gear which was not assembled particularly straight. This, in conjunction with the soft rubber material used for the tracks makes it difficult to arrange all four sets of tracks so they look like they are properly aligned.

The wheels only have detail on one side, with the back being featureless disks, but the tracks hide this deficiency, so it's not a huge issue for me.

The TOPOP models are better assembled than the Russian Tank Collection model and have much better paint jobs, but they are a lot more expensive.

For all three of these models, the main detraction is the running gear. The plastic rails used to attach the wheels of the TOPOP models are not too obvious from a distance, but I still don't like that they are there. Those of the Russian Tank Collection model on the other hand, are just poorly assembled.

Still, the T57 and WZ-111 are probably difficult to find in any scale, while the only other Object 279 that I am aware of in 1/72 is a resin kit that is probably at least four times the price of the Russian Tank Collection model.

4D Puzzle Models

There are a number of companies that are producing military vehicles under the category of "4D puzzle model". I believe that the first of these may have been the 1/90 scale 4D Master tanks produced by Fame Master out of Hong Kong. The kits were also repackaged by Academy, but sold at a much higher price.

These models are like typical 3D puzzle figures, consisting of blocky pieces that fit together to make the model. They seem to look okay on the box art, but they're obviously toy-like, and the wrong scale.

Another line of "1/72" scale tanks that claim to fall into the 4D puzzle category are reviewed over at Men In Boxes. These models appear in a number of different packages, with the most common bearing a logo imitating that of World of Tanks.

These tanks are very toy-like and not to scale, but I couldn't help but buy the M-42 Duster, because nobody seems to be interested in making a model of it in 1/72.

The packaging for the model I bought did not have the bland-name logo, but it has the same image of the 1/35 Tamiya M-42 on the box top, the same product number, and the exact same contents.

The pieces are all made out of different types of plastic. The turret and side panels are PVC, the upper hull is polystyrene, or maybe ABS, and the lower hull and wheels seem to be made of polyethylene or polypropylene.

The problems with the wheels and tracks are obvious. The lower hull, which is shared by all of the tanks in this series is too long for the M-42 (though not by much), making the tank scale out to perhaps 1/70 to 1/68 scale.

The model goes together easily without any need for glue, though some clean-up of flash is required to make all the parts sit flush.

4D Duster vs Altaya Duster

Overall, the 4D M-42 is not very good. I don't recommend bothering with any of the models in this series. Maybe one day Hobby Master will come out with a diecast M-42, since they already make an M-41.

One final manufacturer that uses the 4D puzzle model designation is a Chinese company which I believe is called 4 Paragraph. They have produced a series of vehicles with the MAZ-7910 chassis, that are part of the С-300ПМУ (S-300PMU; SA-10 Grumble) missile system.

The series consists of two color variants of the 30N6E2 fire control/illumination and guidance radar vehicle – one in gray plastic with black and light gray camouflage markings, and one in olive plastic with apple green and tan camouflage markings.

There are also two different mobile TELs – a 5P85S in gray plastic with black and light gray camouflage markings, and a 5P85D in olive plastic with apple green and tan camouflage markings. Each mobile TEL has parts (and instructions) to assemble the S or D type, so both are actually available in each color.

These "puzzle models" are actually simplified quick-build models based off of the 1/72 scale PST S-300 models. I bought all four for less than what I paid for a single PST model. They are made of ABS, so you cannot use regular plastic cement for them, but I found that for the most part, glue is not necessary to build these models.

I used images from Air Power Australia as references for assembly, but the instructions included with the models were sufficient for the most part.

For the 5P85S/D models, when performing step 16, insert the pegs starting from the rear so that the sides are flush with the truck bed. For step 17, I installed the arm so that the irregularity at the sprue attachment point will be hidden from view when the launch tubes are raised.

Sprue attachment point.

Once the arm is installed, it will be difficult to remove, so double check before attaching the part if seeing the attachment point matters to you.

For step 33, I installed the piston so that the irregularity at the sprue attachment point will be hidden from view when the launch tubes are raised.

Piston and launch tube attachment points.

For steps 35 and 36, make sure the parts are connected so that the openings for attaching the launch tubes face up.

I didn't bother with putting the missiles into the launch tubes, and left them empty.

5P85D and 30N6E2 in travel mode

5P85S in launch position, 30N6E2 with raised antenna

The datalink antenna on the radar vehicle is not very accurate. I'm not sure what the PST version looks like, but it can't be worse.

4D 5P85S vs Russian Tank Collection 9A52

30N6E2, 5P85S, 5P85D, 9A52

The dimensions and wheelbase of the MAZ-7910 and MAZ-543M chassis match up fairly well between the 4D model and the diecast Russian Tank Collection model. There are some differences in the shape of the cab, and the Russian Tank Collection model has larger wheels, but I can't say which is more accurate.

I will probably get a couple more of these kits so that I can create a complete fire unit (although I'll repaint the new ones with more accurate PLA camouflage).

Landships

Evidence for the maritime heritage of tank design can be seen in the multi-turreted landship type designs that were created in the interwar period before WWII. While probably not what H.G. Wells envisioned when he wrote The Land Ironclads, there is a good possibility these designs were influenced by concepts developed by the Landships Committee that were later embodied in the Vickers A1E1 Independent.

Models of interwar tanks are scarce, but three different types of multi-turreted tanks have been made in 1/72 scale. Most likely because they were actually used in the early part of WWII.
The first model is a Soviet T-35 from the Russian Tank Collection. It is mostly plastic, with a metal lower hull. The details are decent except for the silver painted headlamps which make the model look very toy-like.

The second model is the Soviet T-28, also from the Russian Tank Collection. This model is also metal and plastic, though there may be more metal in the T-28 than in the T-35. Details are a bit softer on this model because the rear deck is made of metal. It also has the same issues with the headlamps as the T-35. A resin model of the T-28 is also made by MIG productions, but it is fairly expensive when you can find it.

The final model is the Dragon Nebaufahrzeug Nr.3-5. Frankly, when I saw the model, I was a bit underwhelmed. It is the smallest of the three tanks. I would have thought that the people who came up with the Maus, the Ratte, and the Monster would have developed something bigger. Despite this, I will probably be getting the Nr.1 version with the Rheinmetall turret as well. There is another kit for the Nr.2 version, but I'm guessing that it is the same as the Nr.3-5 except for different decals so I'll skip that one.

A comparison of the three tanks.

MLRS

Rocket launchers have had a long history, but it wasn't until WWII that they really began to proliferate. The WWII era rocket launchers are adequately represented in 1/72 with injection kits and some diecast vehicles, but modern rocket launchers remain fairly scarce.


I have three types of modern launcher in my collection. All of them are diecast models, and seem to be made by De Agostini (or whoever the manufacturer actually is).

The first vehicle is the БМ-30 Смерч (BM-30 Smerch) from the Russian Tank Collection consisting of the 9A52 launch vehicle (MAZ-543M chassis) carrying a dozen 300mm rockets.


The cab is diecast metal, but the rest of the parts are plastic, so it feels light for the size of the vehicle. The tires appear to be made of vinyl. The details are a bit soft, but the model seems very sturdy, so I'd have no qualms about using it for gaming.


I thought it looked a bit underscale because the doors seemed so small, but in fact, that is how they are in real life.


Overall, I was rather disappointed with the model. It is one of the more expensive Russian Tank Collection vehicles, but the launch tubes are fixed in place. This vehicle would have been so much more impressive if it could be displayed with the tubes in firing position.


The next two diecast models are from the AmerCom Collection, which seems to be the Polish equivalent of the De Agostini Combat Tank Collection subscription service. The first vehicle is the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System consisting of a M269 loader launcher module mounted on a M993 carrier vehicle, while the other is the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which is essentially a truck mounted version of the M270 with half the firepower.


The M270 has a diecast upper hull which give it a bit of weight, but the launcher module is all plastic. They matched the plastic color very well with the paint for the hull, but the difference in sheen gives the launcher module an obvious plasticky look that detracts from the overall appearance of the vehicle.


The M142 is mostly plastic, with a diecast cab. The tires are rubber and slightly loose on the hubs. It came covered in greasy fingerprints as if someone was assembling the model over a lunch of fried chicken. The grease came off without any problems using a dry cotton swab. Like the M270, it has a rather plasticky appearance.


Unlike the Smerch, the launcher modules for the M270 and M142 can be posed in raised and rotated positions.


Overall, I wouldn't say either of these models are bad. They are definitely more suited as display models (their intended use) as opposed to gaming models, though a repaint, or some weathering would definitely improve their looks. The molding is not as soft as the older Altaya models, and some of the small plastic details like the side view mirrors need to be watched out for.