saa oT Ta MniCe ami CoM VLU Vy 16 | T-34/76 & T-34/85 |SERIES EDITOR: DONALD SOMMERVILLE T-34/76 & T-34/85 RODRIGO HERNANDEZ CABOS AND JOHN PRIGENT OSPREY MODELLING} Thie one USCF-WNA-SC63Feat published in Groat Brae i 2001 by Osprey Pushing. Ee Count (Chapel Way. Baty. Oxford OX2 OLP United Kingdom mat mle @osereyputtanng com (© 2001 Ospewy Publishing Lc (© 1952 Euro Moda, Accion Pres, SA, Ezequiel Solana, 18 28017 Madi, Spain [AX rghts reserved. Apart trom any fa dani forthe purpose of private study, research, crticism or view, as permitted under the Copyrat, Designs and Pterts Act, 1988, no pat of hs publeaton may be reproduce, steed ‘retrieval system, be transmitted in ary foe or by any means, electronic, ‘lectrcal, chemical, mechancal optical photocopying recording or etherwise ‘nou the prior writen permission ofthe copyright owner. Enqutes sould be poorensed 19 the Pusher 180 1 84176 2001 ator: Smen Forty Design: Compendium Pubishing Lis (Ocignated by Acc Press, $A Printed in Crna trough Wer Pit Lid 01 op 03 Of os 10987 ESAS2T For a Catalogue ofa books published by Oxprey Miltary and Aviation please write to: ‘Tow Marketing Manage, Osprey Pushing Lid. PO. Box 140, \elingborough, Northants NNB 4ZA United Kingdom Enatt rio ospreyiectcouk ‘The Marketng Manager. Osprey Ovect USA. lo Metorbooks international, PO Box Oncoat, 1 §4020-001, USA E-mat nfotospryaectusa com wan ospreyputshng com Acknowledgments The Introduction and Chapters 3 to 7 were written by John Prigent. The first section of Chapter 1 (34/76 Model 1942) was written the step-by-step by Carlos de Diego Vaquerizo; the final section (I-34/76 Model 1943) Jose A. Velazquez Encinas. The first section of Chapter 2 was written by Jordi Escarre; the Model 1943 was written by A. Mayoralas Fernindez, the T-34/85 in Croatia is by Miguel Jiménez Martin, The walkround photographs were taken by Rodrigo Hernandez, Cabos. Scale Drawings: Carlos de Diego Vaquerizo. Colour side views: Rodrigo Hernandez Cabos. Model for illustrating the cover: Miguel Jiménez Martin, Photographs selected by: Accion Press, S.A.+ ‘The publisher's acknowledge with gratitude the help given by the following museums: Musée des Blindés “Général Estienne™ de Saumur, and Bovington Tank Museum LEFT 7-34/85 Model 1944 — seo pages 40-43.CONTENTS SCALE DRAWINGS 50RIGHT These 7-34/78 Model 1943s are seen in winter white, rather crudely applied over their basic green camouflage. The boxes on the hull side of the nearest tank are crates for extra 76mm ammunition, but since they are in such vulnerable positions it seems likely that they are being used to carry the crew's possessions rather than ‘explosive ammunition. Note also the radio aerial and its armoured ‘pot’ mount. via Chris Ellis INTRODUCTION A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE T-34 efore the German invasion of Russia in 1941 there had been a Becee of co-operation between the German and Soviet armies. In spite of the mutual hostility of their political creeds, it had suited both Hitler and Sta allies, most notably in their joint invasion of Poland. Since the Js this co-operation had included the use of Soviet testing grounds to evaluate new German tank designs. German officers had been baffled by their Soviet counterparts’ refusal o believe that Germany had nothing better than what was sent for testing. ‘The T34 was the reason for this doubt, and it came ay an enormous shock to the Germans when they first encountered Russian tank forces during Operation ‘Barbarossa’. With its wellsloped armour and potent 76mm armourpiercing gun, the T-34 was more than a match for any of the German tanks. Fortunately for the German tank crews, however, it laboured under several self-inflicted disadvantages. In the first place, s 's purges had climinated many of the Red Army's best tank officers, so tactics were pri Secondly, it had a rather unreliable transmission in its carly versions and spares were in very short supply. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, it had only a wwo-man turret. ‘The commander acted as gunner as well as directing the driver and, if he was unlucky, trying to command a unit and issue orders to other tanks as well. On top of all this, most tanks lacked radios and orders hadted vision afforded by the to be passed by flag signals. The | large turret hatch which opened forward meant the tank comma had to peer round while exposed to enemy fire: it is hardly surprising that Soviet tank tactics in both attack and defence were somewhat lacking. Nevertheless the T-34 was a very good tank when properly handled, and later versions proved this as the Red Army drove the mans back from the outskirts of Moscow to Berlin, The original Model 1940 had a shorter gun than the main production types, mounted in a rounded cast mantlet. A longer gun was soon introduced and remained standard until the 85mm gun became available in 1943. The Models 1941 and 1942 were alike to look at in most respects, but there had been successive internal improvements which gave better engine and transmission reliability as well asa reduced manufacturing time and cost. A cast turret had been developed beside the original welded one, and either could be found on any of the early models. The Model 1943 used the same hull, but had a new hexagonal turret, seen in several sub-types, which differed mainly in the join between top and bottom sections. The most obviously different was the forged type built at the Chelyabinsk factory, which can be spotted by its rounded top LEFT Here is a 7.34/76 with an alternative type of Model 1943 turret, this one with a flat edge to Its lower front. Here you can ‘00 the fairly common mixing of roadwhee! types which happened when rubber supplies began to run short — all wheels are the perforated ribbed type, but only the front one has 2 rubber tyre ‘and the others have steo! rims. The rear wheel probably had a rubber tyre as well, those wheels being reserved for front and rear positions to cut down the vibrations caused by running on all-stoe! wheels. via Chris Euis BELOW This Is a -34/76 Model 1942 with a cast turret It has ‘only one stowage bin, unlike the Model 1941, and uses the plain dished roadwheols with rubber tyres which were common in that ‘year. This Is a command tank, as ‘can be seen by the radio aerial visible behind the turret; most ‘F348 at that time had no radios, ‘and those that did had them {fitted in the hull with an aerial mount on the right hull side. via Chris EllisRIGHT This Is another T-34/76 Model 1943. The rubber-tyred, dished rosdwheels and infantry ‘grab handles are clearly shown, land this tank carries not only a ‘fuel drum but also a tog on its ‘side. The log was not used to fill ‘sunken obstacles but was ‘carried as an unditching ald — it the tank bogged down it could be pushed under the front of the tracks to improve their grip. via Chris Ete edge. A vision cupola was introduced partway through production of the Model 1943. All the improvements to the T-34 so far had been by slow increments rather than major leaps forward; the Soviet High Command had made a deliberate decision not to allow drastic design changes which might disrupt the production of desperately needed tanks. However, work had been progressing on an improved three-man turret with a vision © and a better gun, and the combination was mounted on the ori hull to produce the T-34/85. German tanks had improved to the point where the 76mm gun was marginal against many of them, but the new 85mm gun was much more powerful. The new turret also came in several sub-types differing in the details of the join between top and bottom. There is no room here to go into the differences between the subtypes of the T-34/76 and T-34/85: the books suggested in the reference section later deal with them in detail. Like its predecessors with their 76mm guns, the T-34/85 had several different turret types as variations on the same basic design. The improved tank was a battle-winner against all but the heaviest German tanks, and remained in service long after 1945, Improved versions used a more powerful engine and different roadwheels as well as having internal improvements, and were built in Poland and Czechoslovakia as well as in Russia itself. They were used by the Red Army and its satellites behind the Iron Curtain, of course, but also exported to many countries, 'T34/85s were used in the early Middle East Wars, Korea and Vie and are believed to remain in service today with several smaller armies. MODELLING THE T-34 THEN AND NOW | 1 the 1960s Revell (the original US company) produced aT-34/85 in about 1/40 scale — opinions still vary about what scale it actually was. It was seen as a good model in its day, and was famously used in a photograph allegedly showing a real T:34 which had rammed a German tank. During the 1970s Tamiya began a small series of T-34 kits, which are still rereleased from time to time. They suffered from beingdesigned as motorised toys, which meant their hull dimensions — were distorted to accommodate the electric motor, gearbox and batteries. However, the distortion is not immediately obvious except to experts and these kits have the advantage that several of the aftermarket companies have produced accessories such as replacement wheel sets specifically to fit the Tamiya kits, A T-34/76 Model 1942 with cast turret was the first kit, followed by a v extra parts to produce the version built at Leningrad with appliqué armour added to its hull front and turret, and then by a Model 1943 with its different hexagonal, or six-sided, turret. In 1985 a T:34/85 appeared, and then in the mid-1990s a revision of the T-34/76 Model 1943 to give the drop-forged Chelyabinsk turret type. Unfortunately the opportunity was never taken to revise the hull dimensions and angles for greater accuracy, but the finished models still look like T-34s and are easy to build. Tamiya also produced a T-34/85 in 1/25 scale, which can still be found. Although it shares many of the problems of Tamiya’s 1/35 scale T-34s, it is the only kit available in the larger scale. Meanwhile, several companies had been active in the smaller scales. Airfix produced a 1/76 scale T-34/85, as did Fujimi who also made a 34/76 with welded turret. Matchbox also made a T-34/76, which is now available from Revell of Germany. Esci produced the 'T34/76 Mode! 1942 with cast urret and the Model 1943, and Bandai gave us two T34/76s in 1/48 scale. More recently there has been a minor explosion in 1/35 scale 34 kits. Dragon's T-34/85 is available as a Model 1944 and as the postwar improved Model 1945, though as yet there is no sign of the T-34/76 kits which had been hoped for. These are excellent models, probably the most accurate ones available. Italeri and Zvezda have produced both T-34/76 and T34/85 kits, also regarded as very accurate though slightly Jess easy to br is not obvious which company is the maker for these as they seem to be a co-production. ‘The position of Eastern European and Russian kit makers, where companies arrive and disappear and trade moulds between themselves, is equally confusing. The same T-34/85 kit has been described as coming from RPM and Maquette, but whoever's box you find it in, it is a good model. It has a different turret type to all the other T:34/8! models, and though the hull angles have the same faults as the Tamiya highly detailed. For all these modern kits there are some good upgrade and conversion sets, including some to fit out the interiors, from the aftermarket accessory makers. Some sets are made specifically to fit the Tamiya kits as well. ation with ABOVE These T-34/85s in winter white are advancing toward Budapest in the winter of 1944/48. Apart from the new ‘gun and larger turret there is, litte to distinguish them from late T-34/78s. The T-34/05, hull was almost completely unchanged apart from a sharp angle where the upper and lower glacis meet, an area where most 734/768 had a rounded appearance. via Chris EllisBELOW A side view of tho completed model shows how its MODELLING THE T-34/76 T-34 MODEL 1942 [: the summer of 1941 the al-conquering German army turned its attentions to Russia, and in a lightning campaign reached the outskirts of Moscow, some 3,000km from its start lines, within four months. During this summer of victories the unpleasantly surprised by the power of the Russian tanks, particul: when they found themselves facing 17 Although the Soviets did not initially distingui use of armour, as the camp: able gradually to assimilate the tactics of the critical fact, in conjunction with the mass production of tanks, was to be the key to eventual victor nst the invader, and one of the crucial weapons in this victory was the This chapter examines a T-34 Model 1942 manufactured Krasnoye Sormovo Zadov No 112 (Gorki). It was characteristic of this. periscopes into the turrets, as well as to add numerous handrails along the hull so that infantry could cling on to them. Another characteristic feature of this plant was to weld splash sermans were 1 themselves in theirguards — metal strips on the upper edge of the front and side panels around the turret ring — in order to divert enemy shells. From close examination of contemporary photographs, the modeller identified three versions of the Model 1942, each differing in terms of their external fuel tanks. There were nine in the first production batch. The second had slabsided con mudg: nd the last was to have the typical cylindrical iners on the rear able within each factory's annual ‘hine gun, the use of 35mm in the front of some jations are also ni output — the absence of a mantlet for the hull n additional appliqué armour plating of ov units of the last type. Assembly ‘The 1/35 scale Tamiya model is very old, but still quite good. It is easy to assemble and has a clean-cut, austere appearance, We need to begin by opening the ventilation grilles the length of the engine in order to put into position some excellent etched-brass accessories from On The Mark Models, This requires gr In order to assemble the Model 1942 version with rear fuel tanks, you will need to close up the holes for the defunct cylindrical tanks with attention to detail ABOVE The splash guards which protected the turret ring are Clearly seen in this view.ABOVE LEFT Detall of mantiet. ABOVE RIGHT Crate ‘measurements and lock detail. {See photo 14 page 48 for reference.) CENTRE RIGHT Gun barrel and mantiot. CENTRE FAR RIGHT The parts from On The Mark Models are ‘complicated to assemble but the results are magnificent. BELOW RIGHT Plastic has been used to recreate the tool erate. ‘ther home-made improvements ‘can also be appreciated. BELOW FAR RIGHT Small hooks ‘on the right side, made from ‘copper wire. OPPOSITE, TOP Hull showing ‘modifications and additions. OPPOSITE, BOTTOM The modet ‘nears completion following work fon the turret and rear fuel tanks. putty, and then position the numerous handrails. This is easily done with thick copper wire from telephone cable. The small hooks for the straps which held additional track links can be made from finer copper wire. ‘The big join between the hull side and top panels isn’t very good and needs a lot of work. It’s necessary to fill in the hole with putty and simulate a line of solder by making small incisions in the putty. ‘We also had to add solder lines between various armoured panels, at the junction of the mudguards with the hull, and elements such as handrails or splash guards; these can be made from strips by Evergreen bevelled with a modelling knife. Other parts to be added are the small catches next to the hooks for the towing cables. These can be made from small pieces of plastic, small pieces of tin and copper wire (see sketch on page 12). ‘The position of the headlamp needs to be changed and a tin bracket has to be made, Don’t forget the headlamp electric cable which can be made from copper wire (see photo 15 on page 48 for a reference). You will also need to replace the machine gun with a hypodermic needle.12 TOP LEFT Turret detail. The wold lines have been made out of ‘modelling putty and textured by ‘small incisions made with a kite. TOP RIGHT Hook for towing cable. ABOVE Latch for small erate and side engine hatch. RIGHT The two adjustable ventilation panels are made from fine aluminium sheeting, as are the fuel tanks. Two protective panels will need to be added to the area below the main ventilation grille of the engine. The part in the kit corresponding to the large removable rear panel fits poorly. You will need to cut off the ends of the mudguards and adjust this part using some strips of plastic imitating the edges of the steel panels and then replace the mudguards, adding rivets. The crate holding cleaning materials that is provided in the kit is accurate, but a somewhat improved part can be made as shown in the accompanying photographs and diagrams (see page 10), As far as the turret is concerned, art from the handrails and wmour soldering joints, you can also add serial numbers from any kit. ‘The PTK-5 periscope is from a 1943 F34 and the small hatchway hook can easily be made from scratch. The mantlet needs to be filed down on the left side, at an angle to allow for the gunner’s li