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Kit
Review: Dragon Models Limited 1/72 Scale Armor Pro series kit No. 7262;
T-34/76 Model 1941 Cast Turret; 97 parts (92 in grey styrene, 2 in tan
DS plastic, 2 twisted steel wire, 1 etched metal); price US $11.95
Advantages: provides the second and more common version of the Model
1941
Disadvantages: some grousing about track fit by modelers
Rating: Highly Recommended
Recommendation: for all small scale and Soviet armor fans
Six months after releasing their excellent Model 1941 T-34 with welded
turret, DML has now added to their family of "34" tanks by
adding a model of the most common version, the Model 1941 with cast
turret as produced at Factory No. 183 after moving to Nizhniy Tagil.
I still continue to point out to companies like DML that the Soviets
never called these versions "T-34/76" tanks, as that was a
German description; the Soviets never added any digits until the 85mm
tanks appeared in 1944. In point of fact, many Soviet era documents
show that the tanks were only differentiated by their number of turrets
(as with the T-26) or gun carried (here either L-11 or F-34). The Soviets
dubbed later tanks T-34-85 to show the differences.
This is the second of the DML Model 1941 tanks - T-34 with 76.2mm F-34
gun) - and does a nice job of adding the cast turret to this kit via
a new sprue. It uses the later, more widely produced hull with longitudinal
grilles, now taken from DML's Model 1942 kit.
Again, one of the most impressive tricks is the use of what DML calls
"slide-molding" in which multi-part molds with moving parts
are used vice the older "sandwich-type" two piece molds. As
a result, they can do larger pieces without either ejection pin marks
or sinkholes, and get depth or undercuts in smaller parts. This shows
up in this kit in two areas: first, the fact that even in this scale
the gun barrel for the F-34 cannon has a hollow muzzle as molded; and
second, the wheels come in 14 ready-to-install assemblies vice 28 separate
wheels and perhaps axle caps. The wheels are nicely done, with a nice
deep grove in between (unlike another company's 1/72 scale kits with
solid road wheels or most HO scale armor) and detailed on both sides.
Purists will want to drill out the thin flash in the drivers (parts
C2) and idlers (parts C1) though, but that is an easy task if you have
a pin vise and small drill bits.
The modeler has a choice between either a solid styrene radiator exhaust
grille or one with an etched metal grille instead. Whereas the first
versions produced appear to have had some errors in them and would not
fit, the newer ones show the grill is the right size and shape and only
needs its rear edge "rolled" over a drill bit prior to installation.
The turret also includes a partial interior as well. Most of the details
parts are crisp and well done as well; note since this kit uses the
Model 1942 sprues, it comes with most of the same accessories that were
miniaturized from the old Tamiya Model 1942/1943 kits.
The kit provides single-section tracks as before, but DML has now changed
over to use their DS plastic vice the original black vinyl. This means
that standard plastic cement can be used to assemble them and get them
to "sag" on the model. However, some modelers indicate these
tracks may be a bit short; unlike the 1/35 scale kits that provide an
eccentric idler axle that can be used to adjust tension for shorter
tracks, the idler mounts on the 1/72 kit are fixed and thus care is
needed in mounting the track on the model.
The kit comes with finishing options for six tanks: 1st (Polish) Tank
Brigade, 1945; unidentified unit, Winter, 1943; 8th (Estonian) Infantry
Corps, 1943; unidentified unit, 1943; "Parkhomenko", 116th
Tank Brigade, 1942; and "Bars", Manchuria 1945.
Overall, this kit continues to build on the excellence of the previous
kit. DML now only needs to make an "STZ" version of the Model
1941 to complete the basic early model tanks.
Thanks to Freddie Leung of DML for the review sample.
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Cookie Sewell
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