Trumpeter 1:62 T-34/76 mod. 1942

 

 

Upper and lower hulls are mated in Step 8 of the instructions, but you'll commit to some parts quite early in the build. There's no reason you can't mate the hulls earlier in the build to ensure everything fits 

Unfortunately the upper rear plate doesn't meet the lower hull well - I can't recall if this was a moulding error or a side effect of oversanding the left side to clear the rather fat part/sprue connections after side-cutting 

Rear upper and lower plate joint was cut and sanded for consistency, albeit at a further cost of historical accuracy. The upper plate should be sitting inside of the lower, however the kit isn't moulded that way. 

Basic assembly completed, excluding undercarriage which will be fixed to the model later in the build - Unfortunately the plastic is more brittle than I'm used to, and close side-cutting of the gun mantlet resulted in a crack which will require repair 

 

Marking off model position on a balsa display base - Finished product will be painted back, so the sharpie marks are irrelevant - If I'd attempted to use a pencil, it would be erasable but would likely deform the soft balsa 

Air-drying clay was used for base substrate. Tracks were given a dusting of flour so that they could be pressed into the clay and pulled off without bringing the clay up with them  

Kneadatite (Green Stuff) used to repair the gun mantlet and fill "holes" in the engine cover. I later found that these holes were supposed to be there, and was able to reinstate them within the workability window of the Green Stuff.  

Fuel tanks were moulded hollow, which was clearly visible from the front. More Kneadatite (Green Stuff) was pressed in to fill 

Completed Gun-Turret assembly - Structural repair of gun mantlet will require further filling/sanding before final priming 

Display base textured with a stick from the garden, some sand/gravel outcroppings and Muddy Ground textured paint from AK