Introduction:
There is a vast selection of T-72 plastic 1/35 scale kits from various manufacturers on the market today, with the recent releases from Trumpeter, Meng, Das Werk and Amusing Hobby far superior to old Dragon and Tamiya offerings. Catering to those interested in adding extra detail to their builds, WWP recently published a comprehensive photo manual for modelers, showing the T-72 and its early variants inside and out: T-72 MBT in Detail.
Review:
T-72 MBT in Detail is a softcover book (22 x 24 cm), printed in full color on high-quality paper. Here are the basic facts:
· Title: T-72 in Detail – Early Models Ural, 72, M and M1
· Publisher: Wings & Wheels Publications (WWP)
· Code: G069
· Authors: František Kořán, Tadeusz Machowski and Josef Spurný
· Format: softcover (22x24 cm)
· Pages: 180
· Color: full color
· Language: English
· ISBN: 978-80-87509-95-1
· Retail Price: $58 (€46)
The book is jam-packed with about 600 photos and drawings, showing both the complete vehicle and close-ups of all the possible vehicle details. The photos are large and clear, displaying T-72s in military museums and private collections, with the concise captions providing explanations of the various details presented in the photos.
The book is organized in 15 chapters color coded on the page edges, allowing easy navigation:
· Introduction (002-007)
· T-72 Ural (008-021)
· Early T-72 (022-029)
· Late T-72 (030-047)
· T-72M (048-059)
· T-72MK (060-067)
· T-72M1 (068-085)
· T-72M/M1 Hull Details (086-109)
· T-72M/M1 Turret Details (110-133)
· T-72M/M1 Turret Interior (134-153)
· Engine Bay Details (154-165)
· Chassis Details (166-173)
· Engineering Gear (174-175)
· Wrecks (176-177)
The opening chapter, Introduction, briefly outlines the origins of T-72 and provides technical details on the vehicle. T-72 Ural is a short chapter showing the original Russian first series production T-72, code named Ural. Both the exterior and interior are depicted, covering the details by which to identify this vehicle version. Early T-72 provides references of early production series of T-72 and their details. Russian and Polish produced T-72s are depicted. Late T-72 shows the Czechoslovak produced vehicles, inside and out. The driver’s compartment as well as turret interior are covered in detail. The next chapter deals with T-72M, the modernized variant, listing the modernization elements, displaying images of the entire vehicle and then exploring the details. Turret exterior is offered in a series of close-up photos. A chapter on T-72MK command tank follows, showing the turret details with characteristic short-wave radio station R-103M telescopic antenna. T-72M1 walk around is quite extensive, offering details of additional modernization parameters, as well as slight differences between Polish and Czechoslovak vehicles. The following two chapters of the book are 24 pages long each and provide a ton of photos of technical details and parts shared on all T-72 variants or M/M1 modifications. T-72M/M1 Hull Details starts with self-trenching dozer blade mounted under the front hull armor, headlamps and electrical cables, driver’s hatch and periscope, side skirts, tool boxes, external oil tank, exhaust details, fuel tanks and rear 200L fuel barrels… it’s all there, covered in a series of close-up photos. Also, this chapter contains 8 pages of driver’s compartment interior… wow! Next up are the T-72M/M1 Turret Details with the gun barrel, mantlet cover, IR searchlight, gun sights, NSVT ammo boxes, rear searchlight, gunner’s hatch and commander’s cupola, OPVT air-intake tube, turret boxes as well as the NSVT 12,7mm machine gun details provided. Absolutely amazing level of coverage for every part of the vehicle. Turret Interior comes next, with 20 pages packed with detailed photos showing gunner’s compartment, commander’s compartment, gun breech, automatic ammo loader and cartridges ejecting lift. Engine Bay Details chapter covers engine and radiator hatches, air and oil radiators, as well as provides detailed photos of V-46 engine and gearbox. Chassis Details deal with all parts of tank suspension including RMSh tracks. Next up is Engineering Gear, a two-page chapter briefly covering recovery log and towing system. The last two pages of the book, Wrecks, show a destroyed Iraqi Army T-72.
After going through the entire book, I was very impressed. First and foremost, it’s the sheer number of high-quality photos, displaying just about every aspect of T-72 and its early variants, combining full vehicle photos with the detailed images of vehicle exterior and interior. I particularly like the addition of a small schematic drawing, showing where the details displayed are located on the subject vehicle.
Although primarily a photo reference book, the concise information provided in the introduction and image captions is very interesting, covering various details presented in the photos.
Conclusion:
18 years after publishing the first book onT-72, now out of print, Wings & Wheels Publications return to the subject with a new title: T-72 MBT in Detail.
With its 180 pages packed with over 600 images covering every detail, bolt, nut and screw of the T-72, this is without a doubt the definitive photographic reference book on the T-72 main battle tank, plus M/M1 variants. An absolute must for fans of Russian armor!