Italeri 1/35 scale T-34/76 1943 Premium Edition plastic model kit review
Kit of Soviet stalwart features good fits and options
Kit:6570
//
Scale:1/35
//
Price:$78.99
Pros:
Relatively low parts count; simple assembly; good marking and build options
Cons:
Not all interior parts included; no clear parts; instructional error
Comments:
Injection-molded plastic (color); 391 parts (27 photo-etched metal, 3 metal, 2 vinyl); decals
With the Italeri 1/35 scale T-34/76 1943 Premium Edition, the company has released a versatile kit with interior parts, optional link-and-length or vinyl tracks, a 1942/1943 build, optional flame thrower version, photo-etched metal (PE) fret, and markings for one German and five Soviet vehicles.
I painted the interior and exterior before assembling them, then added interior walls with suspension and axles and assembled and painted the running gear. Opting for the link-and-length tracks, I encountered issues similar to those I had when I built the Italeri T-34/85. I cut off the mounting stud on the idler axle (Part B21) and did not glue it in place so it could move up and down. After installing the track, I could move the idler into position to fit the correct link count.
The intake screen at the rear builds from two PE pieces, one for the mesh and the other for the frame. I curved the parts by rolling them over a paintbrush handle. I superglued the screen in first, let it cure, and then installed the frame. I also rolled one edge of the frame over a paintbrush handle to match the curve. With that in place, I joined the upper and lower hull halves.
Wanting to build the 1943 OT-34/76 flame tank, I fitted the flame projector rather than the bow machine gun. Grab handles and external fuel tanks finished the hull, and I superglued the supplied wire to the tow-cable ends and painted it.
I used the optional turned-aluminum barrel because it was an improvement over the two-piece plastic one. Note, Part D32 needs to be cut as shown in Step 15 for the antenna pot that is fitted to the back of the turret.
The decals for the OT-34/76 went on nicely. They are canted slightly differently from a photo of the vehicle in Soviet Tanks in Combat 1941-1945 by Steven Zaloga, Jim Kinnear, Andrey Aksenov, and Aleksandr Koschavtsev (Concord, ISBN 978-962-361-615-7).
I spent 30 hours building the Italeri 1/35 scale T-34/76 Premium Edition. For those looking to build their first armor model with an interior, this kit would be a good choice in terms of both options and cost.