Huibs T34 tank project

[Peter]

Excellent start on this new model. Now I'm curious from which kit you will take the wheels!

[Egbert]

Beautiful report of your work dear huib,
which I unfortunately only saw today.
I'm already looking forward to your "new" T-34 tank Project.
It gets sure to be as great and realistic as it was the first time.

[C M Dodson]

Great stuff.

That teabag idea is inspired!

Camo nets, grilles, anything.

Brilliant.

Best wishes,

Chris

[huib]

Thank you very much, guys!

Turret

To continue with the turret, that needs some work too.


All the kitparts for the turret.


I started cutting up the gun.


Made the recoilprotection frame to the breech.


Painted and weathered the turret interior. No detail was aded as nothing can be seen of it in the end.


Two sinkholes on the turret sides were filled and the welding seams were deepened using a scriber.


Turret constructed. Please remark the trapezoid backplate, which is of the wrong model for this tank.


Rounded of the back corners of turret with a file and scribed a rectangular backplate.


A small block of plastic was glued in the front aperture of the turret and a smooth curved front was sanded on the turret.


A new armour plate and gun mantlet were made, and the original kit barrel was shorthened. A piece of iron wire provides strength, coherence and a straigth line up. Especially the gun mantlet was hard work as it has a very complex irregular shape and sizes only 4 x 5 x 6mm.


Armour plate and mantlet in position.


Now the turret was further detailed: bolts and pistol port on the back plate, lifting eyes to the turret roof.


Gun barrel placed and pericope slits melted in using a small hot screwdriver.


The turret hatch became a little project by itsself. De roundview periscope, which is missing in later model T34's, is built in the extended position.


Inside of the hatch.


Well on schedule!
Now to continue with the wheels, which is not very complicated.

[Peter]

What a lot of work to get it right! Looks fantastic so far!

What kit will deliver the wheels?

[Kekso]

Now, how small your fingers are?

[huib]

Thank you, guys!

What kit will deliver the wheels?

Airfix!

Now, how small your fingers are?

Quite normal size, I guess. But I have to admit I sometimes work on the limits of what I can do.

Wheels

That was quite a simple job, but included some kitbashing:


I nicked the roadwheels of the Airfix T34. They are looking fine.


All wheels cleaned up and glued together. Ready for a bit of paint!

[Peter]

Nice looking wheels!

So now we have a Airfix T34 without wheels. And your next project in this row is?

[Wiking]

There is a b/w pic with an SU 85 or 100
that use on on axle at the front Panther wheels.
An ide to compensate the wheel losses on his Airfix T34.

[huib]

Paintjob

The paintwork is not so complicated on this T34: plain green.


The complete model covered in Humbrol 117.


After that all details were painted: tools, rubber wheel rims.,exhausts, spare tracks and the inside of the hatches. Everything is sealed with a gloss cote.

Ready for some weathering now.

[Peter]

Nice progress!

For the weathering, we have nice hot weather at this moment, even at night, so I suggest that you don't use snow. That would look a bit ridiculous.

[MABO]

Read about the progress right now. Amazing what you did again with all these small part. I am sure I would not be able to make it. I am following further steps.

[huib]

Thank you, gentlemen!

Weathering
Now to continue with some dirt grime and wear.


First a filter of yellow ochre oil paint, to simulate dust and dirt. I drew it top down with a brush to make rain streaks at the same time.


After fixating the filter with a gloss varnish a point wash is applied, using dark brown oil paint.


Then some drybrushing using light green colours and some chipping using dark grey paint.


Finished weathering adding some mud to the bottom and around the axles and fenders.

Now it's time to attach the wheels and the tracks.

[Peter]

Nice weathering as always Huib!

[huib]

Thank you, Peter!

Wheels and tracks


The wheels after paint and weathering.


The wheels glued to the hull.


On it's wheels.


Axles from iron wire were added just above the first and last roadwheels, to force the tracks on top of the wheels.


The tracks painted and weathered.


To staples take care of a strong joint between the track ends.


The joint remains a thick piece, due to lack of space in the tracks (not because of the staples. I will see what I can doe about that. For the rest the tracks are quite ok.

And now on to the last additions.

[Peter]

Let the thick piece sink in the mud.

Looks real nice so far.

[huib]

Let the thick piece sink in the mud.

Yes, probably!

The last additions
Still only a few things to add.


Towing cables made from iron wire, plastic rod and iron wire.


Painted.


The towing cables attached to the right fender. Also the drivers hatch is glued in place.


Exhaust stains added, using pastel chalk.

And now for a crew member!

[Peter]

And now for a crew member!

And a bottle of whodka (водка)!

[Wiking]

ваше эдоровье! (Cheers!)

[huib]

Thanks, Peter and Eric.

Potatohead


Potatohead, that´s what you can call the figure included in the kit. In fact this quite a bad and old figure. But exactly because of that, I became a bit sentimental about him and started to like him. So I´ll use him, despite his shortcomings. (Wouldn´t we all like to be treated like that that?)



This is a sharper picture. Potatohead in dark gray primer, after I cut off his right arm and glued it back on in another position. Now he's not waving anymore to his mother-in-law, but firmly holding himself to the turret hatch.


After paint and weathering.


In command.


Almost ready, but not yet. Now for the icing on the cake.