6479 - T-34/76 No.112 Factory "Krasnoe Sormovo" Late Production

"...nicely done “slide molded” turret ."

"It is certainly different enough to warrant the attention of serious Soviet armor modelers..."

<full review here>
- Frank V. De Sisto

6479: T-34 /76 No. 112 Factory “Krasnoe Sormovo” Late Production
1/35 injection plastic kit with multimedia accessories and decals

The later production T-34/76 from the Krasnoe Sormovo factory featured a new six sided turret and had a more consistent appearance than the earlier tanks. This factory in Nizhny Novgorod (Gorky) was a major supplier of the T-34 and T-34 produced by the Krasnoe Sormovo factory, like with other plants, had their own distinguishing features. For these tanks it included the use of interlocking plates on the hull glacis, additional handrails for infantry riding on the tanks and the circular hatch for access to the rear transmission. Other distinguishing features common to the T-34/76 produced circa 1943 include the 550mm waffle pattern tracks, larger pistol ports on the turret and the boxy external fuel tanks on the rear. By 1943 the diesel engine was uniform at Krasnoe Sormovo like for other plants.

CONTENTS

This new Dragon kit depicts a later production T-34/76 from the Krasnoe Sormovo and features a range new tooling to distinguish it from the early production version, which Cyber-Hobby released recently. The kit is in the Smart Kit format and comes with some multi-media extras making it a complete out of the box release.

The layout is familiar with large single pieces for the lower and upper hulls and turret shell. The tooling for many parts such as the front and rear tow hooks, external fuel tanks, turret, sprockets, rear idler and the road wheels is new or from one of the recently upgraded releases. A large photo etch fret provides many small details, and a metal barrel is included.

Features include:

· A newly tooled slide molded turret shell has the profile unique to the late production Krasnoe Sormovo T-34/76 and realistically captures the casting texture. There is a separate part for the turret roof plate and there is the new hourglass shaped commander’s hatch which can be modeled open or shut and a new roof mounted periscope with small detail. For this new release the turret shell has the late profile rear panel integrated into the main part.

· One-piece turned metal barrel that is a drop fit into the mantlet. This barrel has the barrel end drilled out and there is the option of a one-piece injection plastic barrel. The gun’s breech and two crew seats are inside the turret and would be visible through an open commander’s hatch.

· New box shaped external fuel tanks, which attach to the hull’s rear plate. These tanks include the support brackets and upper detail.

· New rear idlers with the simplified later profile with six ribs and lightening holes.

· 550mm wide ‘Magic Tracks” with the cast waffle pattern profile as fitted by the Krasnoe Sormovo plant. As these come loose they are easy and quick to assemble. Typical of the T-34 the tracks alternate between links with and without guide-horns, so make sure you have an even number of links on each track. There are two slight injection marks on the inner face of each link.

· Recently tooled road wheels with the perforated rubber tyres which are very crisply tooled.

· Metal tow cable with a choice of plastic cable heads and PE clasps.

· 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.

· For the rear fenders there is the choice of using the plastic fenders, which are integrated with the upper hull, or replacing them with the optional PE parts.

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

· New jack block with a convincing wood grain effect.

· Ice grousers with PE straps and tie-downs, which are stored on the right fender.

· 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. New track guards are attached to the hull near the drive sprocket.

· A large photo etch fret includes the louvers and mesh screens on the rear of the engine deck, rear fenders, base for the headlamp, upper hull detail, and interior detail for the turret hatch and vision blocks.

DECALS

The Cartograf decal sheet has markings for several T-34 from the Eastern Front in 1943. All tanks are painted solid green. One T-34 has turret number large white ‘41’ with ‘05’ in a small font, another is white 64, one is from the Polish 1st Tank Regiment, Oka River, Russia July 1943 and features the Polish eagle, while the last tank featured on the painting guide is from 8th Estonian Infantry Corps, Eastern Front, 1943 with slogans in Russian and Estonian on the turret. The decal sheet also includes a pair of quite distinct spare decals that have a Soviet red star inside a red and yellow oval frame with CCCP written on the bottom and a red flag on the top.

RECOMMENDATION

This kit of a late production Krasnoe Sormovo T-34/76 reflects the ongoing improvements that Dragon has made to their T-34 range and is an excellent choice for some wishing to build a mid war T-34. The kit is well designed and given the inclusion of PE, Magic Tracks and a metal barrel will allow you to make a rewarding model out of the box. Definitely recommended.

- Neville Lord