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Trumpeters T 64b 1981, Any issues/corrections
TopSmith
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 09:50 AM UTC
I am ordering trumpeters T 64b 1984 and wanted to know if there were and issues with the build or with accuracy. I want to do an Afghanistan version. Are there any upgrades you would recommend?
Tanksami
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 10:21 AM UTC
Hi Greg,

No idea sorry re the accuracy of the kit, but I don’t believe the T64 was sent to Afghanistan?? Unless it was in very small numbers?? I have only seen pictures of T55’s & 62’s.

Would love to be proven wrong though as I have a couple of T64’s in the stash. I know originally the T64 was only for top echelon units in the Warsaw Pact Russian armies in Germany etc.

Mike
hugoalejandro
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 11:25 AM UTC
As Mike said, no T-64's were sent to Afghanistan.
If you are talking about the Afghan "war" where the Soviet Union was involved from 1979 to 1989, the only tanks sent were T-54/T-55's and T-62's, and the light PT-76's.
If I recall right, China provided the Mujahideen with some Type 59 tanks.
Back to the kit, just be aware that Trumpeter T-64's are not "shake and bake" kits and demand some effort, mainly when building the tracks.
But nothing that can't be handled with a dose of patience.

jasegreene
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 01:58 PM UTC
One of the items you can replace would be the barrel with a nice aftermarket one.Also Miniarm has a aftermarket turret you can get also but I don't know if it is for the Mod. 1984.T-64B's have seen combat in Ukraine and Echelon Decals does have a set for one of these.What most people don't know is that the T-64 did see combat in Angola in the late 90's after being purchasing several from Uzbekistan.
TopSmith
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 02:17 PM UTC
Would a set of Friules make the build easier?
dylans
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 07:36 PM UTC
Fruil tracks would work, but Trumpeter make a set of workable tracks that are really good for about half the price of the fruils.
RLlockie
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 09:32 PM UTC
Bear in mind that T-64 track used links with end and central connectors, conceptually like post-war US track. This means that the connectors are only in the same plane as the links when flat. When the track curves, the connectors span the angle between them. If you are going to use Friuls, check that the links include specific ones for curves, as they will not look right if they all have the connectors in line with the links.

Trumpeter’s individual link stuff gets around most of this issue as the end connectors are separate. Although the central ones aren’t, they aren’t very visible when built. Ideally we’d have something like Meng’s Leopard track but not yet...
mwells63
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 10:23 PM UTC
I've built both the T64A and BV versions and found both to be pretty decent kits out the box. Sure there's always space for improvement, but that depends on time and budget as some of these aftermarket sets can be pretty expensive. In my opinion you can build a pretty acceptable and decently accurate kit without having to resort a plethora of resin parts and photo etch. Suppose it boils down to personal preference.
marcb
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Posted: Monday, August 10, 2020 - 11:17 PM UTC
The Limited Contingent of Forces Afghanistan only used T-55's and mostly T-62's.

You could add the exhaust port on the left hull side.
It's above the last swing arm:
http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/egor_kalmykov/t-64/index.php?Page=4

During exercises "aggressor forces" used a large white cross as indentifier.


hugoalejandro
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 01:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text

One of the items you can replace would be the barrel with a nice aftermarket one.Also Miniarm has a aftermarket turret you can get also but I don't know if it is for the Mod. 1984.T-64B's have seen combat in Ukraine and Echelon Decals does have a set for one of these.What most people don't know is that the T-64 did see combat in Angola in the late 90's after being purchasing several from Uzbekistan.



You are right, between 10 to 12 T-64's were sold to Angola by Uzbekistan.
It's hard to find any photos of them, the only reference I found were a couple of blurred screen captures from TV news...
And both were of wrecked vehicles with their turrets blown away.
MLD
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 01:06 AM UTC

Quoted Text


SNIP
Back to the kit, just be aware that Trumpeter T-64's are not "shake and bake" kits and demand some effort, mainly when building the tracks.
But nothing that can't be handled with a dose of patience.




To piggyback on what Hugo said, leave the idler swing arm loose until you get to the point of joining the tracks. You might have to cut a locator peg off the arm to allow for enough play in final assembly to get the tracks to line up fully.
I have a stalled build, largely becasue of track difficulties. My tracks are off by 1/2 link, which I intend to hide in the upper run and behind skirts, but it is frustrating.
BootsDMS
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 03:08 AM UTC
Trumpeter tracks highly recommended; they just click together. I used them to enhance an ancient Skif model ("Yes, I know the Trumpeter ones are better but I had it in my stash") and they greatly helped in bringing the project up to spec.

Brian
TopSmith
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 04:15 AM UTC
I haven't searched yet, but what is the part/kit number of the approperate Trumpeter replacement track? Thanks for everyone help.
BootsDMS
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 08:51 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I haven't searched yet, but what is the part/kit number of the approperate Trumpeter replacement track? Thanks for everyone help.



Greg,

Marketed as "TK-21 T-64 Workable Track Links for Russian T-64 MBT"

There is also another number on the box: 02051

'Hope this helps.

Brian
TopSmith
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 06:48 PM UTC
Thanks. The replacement track, is the same as the kit track or is it different?
BootsDMS
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Posted: Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - 07:48 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks. The replacement track, is the same as the kit track or is it different?



Greg,

I've just been scouring the Scalemates site to try and find out what the kits come with. What I also noted was that Trumpeter appear not to produce a "T-64B 1981" but rather a "T-64A 1981" so I have presumed that that is the one you're interested in.

Anyway, a bit academic as it looks like all the Trumpeter kits come with link and length tracks as opposed to the individual links mentioned above.

So, whilst I'm sure the link and length versions will work perfectly fine, the separate links were to me, enhancing a different model, a boon, and as I say, were easy enough to assemble.

As the above model (1981 version) has side skirts you'll only have to assemble sufficient for what can be seen in any case, whether you go with what the kit has, or if you go down the separate links route.

Brian
RLlockie
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 08:35 AM UTC
If you plan on building more than one T-64, you might consider using a combination of the kit tracks for the top and bottom runs and the workable stuff for the curved bits. That will allow your workable set to be stretched to accommodate several models and is what I plan to do with my T-80s.
TopSmith
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Posted: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 - 12:38 PM UTC
Great Idea if the workable and the link and length are the same size!
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