"...Most accurate kit of this version of the T-34 now in production..."

<full review here>
- Cookie Sewell

6424: 1/35 T-34/76 Mod.1942 Hexagonal Turret Soft Edge Type ~ Smart Kit
1/35 injection plastic kit with multimedia accessories and decals

While the T-34/76 provided the Red Army with a capable tank, its turret design was a weak point in terms of both internal space for the crew and production effort. This lead to the introduction in 1942 of the soft-edged hexagonal turret, which was fitted to a high proportion of T-34/76 and is widely seen in photos. This new turret had six sides and was a generally manufactured by casting which better suited mass production. From a combat perspective it offered good protection while the larger size made it easier for the crew and allowed more ammunition to be stored. It was designed to fit on the T-34s existing turret ring to minimize disruption to production, but still only had a crew of two in the turret.

CONTENTS

This new Dragon kit depicts a T-34/76 with the widely used hexagonal turret with soft edges. It represents a 1942 production version as seen by the retention of the two hatches on the turret roof, which meant the commander had to expose himself to gain a good awareness of the battleground. Later models addressed this limitation by adding a cupola for the commander. This kit has mixed road wheels with the front and rear road wheels having rubber tyres, while the three inner wheels are all-steel to conserve rubber which was typical of 1942. This kit also has newly tooled 500mm tracks, which are in the pre-cut Magic Track style.

While much of the tooling is new, the layout is like other Dragon T-34s with large single pieces for the lower and upper hulls and turret shell. A photo etch fret provides small details. The overall standard of the tooling is high as expected from recent Dragon Smart Kit releases. New parts include the turret, fenders, mantlet, upper hull glacis, sprockets and rear engine deck and chassis plates.

Features include:

· A newly tooled slide molded turret typical of a cast hexagonal turret. It realistically captures the casting texture on the main turret shell and also on the soft edged underside. The underside includes the ribs on the turret ring and the casting gate seams, while the turret rear has the ID marking (serial number) applied in the factory. These parts are the focal point of this release.

· A new separate turret roof plate, with the twin hatches of a 1942 model. Both hatches can be modeled open or shut. Also included are a roof-mounted periscope and ventilator, both with small details such as the weld marks on the base of the ventilator dome.

· One-piece injection plastic barrel. The gun’s breech and two crew seats are inside the turret and would be visible through open hatches, while the mantlet has crisp bolt detail and an injection plastic rain cover.

· New sprocket and idlers with crisp detail for the lightening holes and ribbing.

· New 500mm wide ‘Magic Tracks” with a cast profile and typical of the T-34 they alternate between links with and without guide-horns. As these come loose they are easy and quick to assemble. There are two slight injection marks on the inner face of each link.

· Recently tooled road wheels with the perforated rubber tyres for the front and rear stations which are very crisply tooled and equally crisp tooling for the all steel wheels on the other stations (10 lightening holes and ribbing). The kit includes sufficient spares to depict a T-34 with steel rimmed wheels on all stations, which is a useful option (this configuration while saving rubber caused problems with the tracks and excessive noise).

· Metal tow cable with plastic cable heads (to be positioned if and as you wish).

· Clear plastic lens for the headlamp.

· A choice of two air-intake covers on the engine deck. One has a single piece plastic frame to simplify assembly and the other has PE mesh screen and PE louvers. The frame with the PE parts has the improved design used on the most recent Dragon/Cyber-Hobby releases.

· Two multi-part plastic toolboxes with optional PE latches and hinges. There is a choice of toolboxes designs for the right hull side.

· One-piece tub hull with separate parts for the vertical suspension towers, which are fitted inside the hull and have the exposed (but obscured by the road-wheels) large coil springs.

· A photo etch fret includes the louvers and mesh screens on the rear of the engine deck, rear fenders, and bases for hand/spare track rails on the turret. The PE straps in step 10 are not seen in many photos of this 1942 model T-34.

DECALS

The Cartograf decal sheet has markings for three T-34 from the Eastern Front in 1943. One is from an unidentified unit and is solid green with turret number 2 - 71 in white; the second is turret number red 252 from an unidentified unit on the Middle Don and has a mottled white wash; while the last T-34 has a solid white wash and on the turret in red Cryllic writing Moskovskiy Kolkhoznik which translates as Moscow Collective Farm Worker, and is placed in Moscow, possibly for an official occasion.

RECOMMENDATION

Due to the widespread use of the T-34/76 Mod.1942 with Hexagonal Turret Soft Edge this release provides an important addition to Dragon T-34 range. The parts are crisp and carefully designed and the kit benefits from PE and Magic Tracks ensuring that an impressive model can be built out of the box. Definitely recommended.

- Neville Lord