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Armor/AFV: Allied - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Allied forces during World War II.
Hosted by Darren Baker
T34...Hasn't Academy heard of clear parts?
Beastmaster
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United Kingdom
Joined: January 27, 2009
KitMaker: 592 posts
Armorama: 588 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2015 - 05:47 AM UTC
Looks ok but is it just me or should clear periscopes and lights on new tank kits be standard by now?


http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/aca/kit_aca_13290.shtml


their recent Tiger II's were the same from what I remember also.
MCR
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Arizona, United States
Joined: July 15, 2004
KitMaker: 464 posts
Armorama: 407 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2015 - 08:33 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Looks ok but is it just me or should clear periscopes and lights on new tank kits be standard by now?



Clear parts are the least of this kit's problems.

Mark
Me109G
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United States
Joined: December 12, 2007
KitMaker: 170 posts
Armorama: 138 posts
Posted: Monday, March 16, 2015 - 10:18 PM UTC
What's wrong with it?
Buzz
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Georgia, United States
Joined: December 22, 2005
KitMaker: 58 posts
Armorama: 57 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 12:47 AM UTC
I've been working on mine the past week and it's going to together well. I'm not a fan of their attempt to replicate the rough casting texture on the turret but so far no issues with the build.
pgb3476
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Texas, United States
Joined: March 11, 2007
KitMaker: 977 posts
Armorama: 976 posts
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 01:31 AM UTC
Mark has noted a list of issues along with other people. It's a real mixed bag. If your not wanting something too accurate and more focused on the price, this maybe exactly what your after.
HeavyArty
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Florida, United States
Joined: May 16, 2002
KitMaker: 17,694 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 03:52 AM UTC
In my opinion, clear is fine for the light lenses, but not periscopes. I don't think the see-through periscopes look realistic. When you look at an armored vehicle from a distance, you can never really see into the periscopes. They just look like glossy dark-red/purple lenses if modern ant-laser coated, or dark green/thick glass lenses for older ones w/out the anti-laser coating.
18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 04:04 AM UTC
It depends. Not all are anti-laser coated, and certainly not all are coke bottle green.
There's a trick to making good looking clear periscopes. It works especially well on AFV Club Centurions. Paint the periscope housing (not the face) chrome silver before painting it the vehicle's base color. It's similar to painting an aircraft canopy frame the interior color before painting it the exterior color.
Painting the periscopes this way gives them depth and keeps them from looking like dark blobs.
Petition2God
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Colorado, United States
Joined: February 06, 2002
KitMaker: 1,526 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 11:57 AM UTC

Quoted Text

What's wrong with it?


Apparently, lots. Even Korean modelers are critical of it and disappointed.
In fact, the cybermodeler review is the only positive one I've seen so far.
Negative reviews:
http://www.track-link.com/forums/news_industry/29058
(from Mark Rethoret)
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1425399073/Academy+T-34-85+%26quot%3Breview%26quot%3B

Here's another thread from missing lynx:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1420545580/New+T-34-85+from+Academy

I won't be wasting my money on it. Probably just gonna buy AFV Club one even though it's $30 more.
C_JACQUEMONT
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Loire-Atlantique, France
Joined: October 09, 2004
KitMaker: 2,433 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 07:20 PM UTC

Quoted Text

In my opinion, clear is fine for the light lenses, but not periscopes. I don't think the see-through periscopes look realistic. When you look at an armored vehicle from a distance, you can never really see into the periscopes. They just look like glossy dark-red/purple lenses if modern ant-laser coated, or dark green/thick glass lenses for older ones w/out the anti-laser coating.


My thoughts exactly.

Cheers,

Christophe
brekinapez
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Georgia, United States
Joined: July 26, 2013
KitMaker: 2,272 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 08:30 PM UTC
So why is it so hard to get an accurate T34? I can understand lack of accurate info on German vehicles due to loss of said vehicles or destruction of data held in the factory offices and such, but surely there is a wealth of info remaining regarding Russia's own tanks. Why aren't the Eastern European/Russian kit makers churning accurate models out?
Bravo1102
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 - 09:05 PM UTC

Quoted Text

So why is it so hard to get an accurate T34? I can understand lack of accurate info on German vehicles due to loss of said vehicles or destruction of data held in the factory offices and such, but surely there is a wealth of info remaining regarding Russia's own tanks. Why aren't the Eastern European/Russian kit makers churning accurate models out?


Because there are so many variations and postwar re-builds that it is hard for a non-expert T-34 buff to keep them straight. So a model engineer measures one vehicle and they glean details from another that is labeled as from so-and-so factory not realizing that tank had replacement intakes fitted in a post-war re-build and so on.


Or maybe it's a post-war junk pile put together from spares? Several T-34/85's captured in the Korean war were cannibalized to build a running tank for evaluation thereby ending up with the tank in the kit.

And never tell me only X road wheels were ever used on X tank when that tank has a 70 year service history with hundreds of countries and re-manufactured in different places by different makers to different standards. These are from countries where shortage was the rule, what parts we have on hand are what parts will be used.


But then I'm weird. My favorite T-34/85 kit remains the RPM/Maquette kit.
dsfraser
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: October 01, 2007
KitMaker: 172 posts
Armorama: 168 posts
Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 11:40 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

So why is it so hard to get an accurate T34? ...


Because there are so many variations and postwar re-builds that it is hard for a non-expert T-34 buff to keep them straight...


Nonsense. There is ample information available from Russian sources detailing the differences between one version and another. There are also things called photographs. It's not rocket science. It seems no one in their organization can read Russian, or else they just don't care.

Frustrated once again,
Scott Fraser
18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
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Posted: Friday, March 20, 2015 - 12:57 AM UTC
[quote
Or maybe it's a post-war junk pile put together from spares?...[/quote]

With my ADD I quickly became bored with the links provided above. However, I do find your idea worth some merit. It's been known to happen. Apparently Aberdeen had a Russian tank once with the wrong engine deck and it was copied. Just curious - it it based on the turret below? It's from the Korean War Memorial Museum.



M4A1Sherman
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New York, United States
Joined: May 02, 2013
KitMaker: 4,403 posts
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Posted: Friday, March 20, 2015 - 02:05 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

So why is it so hard to get an accurate T34? ...


Because there are so many variations and postwar re-builds that it is hard for a non-expert T-34 buff to keep them straight...


Nonsense. There is ample information available from Russian sources detailing the differences between one version and another. There are also things called photographs. It's not rocket science. It seems no one in their organization can read Russian, or else they just don't care.

Frustrated once again,
Scott Fraser


I'm primarily a US/Allied Fan. I don't include Soviet WWII armor in my general reference to "Allied"- the Soviets were only included as "Allied" for expediency's sake by Great Britain and the United States in getting the Third Reich destroyed. Let's face it, deep down and not quite in the open, at least publicly, there was A LOT of antipathy against Stalin and his policies, or lack of them, depending on whom you're talking to. I'm going to keep my opinions regarding the war on the Eastern Front to myself, because this is not the time or place to express them.

I don't build very much Soviet WWII, Post-War, or Russian Federation Armor. Consequently, in my model-building efforts, I only stick to a few basic types of DRAGON's T-34s, a couple of TRUMPETER's KV-series types, a couple of TAMIYA ISU 152s & IS-2s, one TAMIYA IS-3 (maybe I should upgrade, but it's not a priority of mine) and the new HOBBY BOSS T-28 and T-35. I also bought a ZVEZDA T-90, befrore the much better MENG T-90s were released. Still waiting for the Ukrainian T-84 "OPLOT", however. Anyone know the status on that one? I'd like to see a "BLACK EAGLE" as well...

Now, I have a question for all of you WWII Red Armor Fans:

Why was there no mention of DRAGON's various T-34 kits? My not having read any comparo-reviews of AFV CLUB, RPM, TAMIYA, ACADEMY, and DRAGON T-34s, I'm kind of lost at sea, here. Exactly HOW GOOD are DRAGON's T-34s as compared to the others? Any opinions would help me out... THANKS...
Bravo1102
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: December 08, 2003
KitMaker: 2,864 posts
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Posted: Sunday, March 22, 2015 - 07:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text


Quoted Text

So why is it so hard to get an accurate T34? ...


Because there are so many variations and postwar re-builds that it is hard for a non-expert T-34 buff to keep them straight...


Nonsense. There is ample information available from Russian sources detailing the differences between one version and another. There are also things called photographs. It's not rocket science. It seems no one in their organization can read Russian, or else they just don't care.

Frustrated once again,
Scott Fraser


And you're the expert and they're not and they only took a surface study of the subject to make a plastic kit not a lifetime of study to get every rivet in precisely in the right place. They could have benefited from your knowledge and experience but their project budget probably didn't allow for that kind of research.

The real existing tanks running around in Eastern Europe these days are running junk piles with bits and pieces gleaned from numerous vehicles to keep them running since 1945 not to mention several rebuild programs that have left their origins obscure. So a guy says Oh this is factory so and so and the engineers copy it slavishly. And they barely look at photographs as any glance at many major maker's decal sheet would tell you.

As far as T-34/85 kits? Good question. They're all dated and mix production variants to get the most out of the molds. It's not economical to account for every single production variation if the company wants to do more than one kit. Tamiya is ancient and has some serious proportion issues. Zvezda is dated and way under detailed. I'll probably get this so I can do a Korean War tank because the one I did back in the day got lost in a museum exhibit move.
Petition2God
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Colorado, United States
Joined: February 06, 2002
KitMaker: 1,526 posts
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Posted: Sunday, March 22, 2015 - 10:15 PM UTC

Quoted Text



Nonsense. There is ample information available from Russian sources detailing the differences between one version and another. There are also things called photographs. It's not rocket science. It seems no one in their organization can read Russian, or else they just don't care.

Frustrated once again,
Scott Fraser

And you're the expert and they're not and they only took a surface study of the subject to make a plastic kit not a lifetime of study to get every rivet in precisely in the right place. They could have benefited from your knowledge and experience but their project budget probably didn't allow for that kind of research...

As far as T-34/85 kits? Good question. They're all dated and mix production variants to get the most out of the molds. It's not economical to account for every single production variation if the company wants to do more than one kit. .


Eh, at the same time, Academy has the reputation of producing sub-par kits notoriously so it's nothing new...
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