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In-Box Review
135
T-34/85 With Bedspring Armour

by: Vinnie Branigan [ TEACHER ]

introduction
Back in October of last year Dragon released their T-34/85 Premium Edition kit, which was welcomed as a great kit by most modellers........... they've now released the version with bedspring armour! Since this is essentially the same kit, but with a lot more photo etch, and since I know next to nothing about Allied armour, this is a preview, to let you see the parts in close-up, and also so that you can have a closer look at that new photo etch!


the kit
The review for the original release back in October can be found here!
As mentioned, this kit is basically the same release, with the addition of an extra fret of photo etch with the 'matress springs' on. The original fret of photo etch supplied is changed too, to allow the inclusion of another 'matress spring'. Of course all the framing is also included, so you'll probably neeed a decent folding tool for this one!

You also get new photo etched parts for the engine air intakes, which were not supplied in the original release. As this is just a preview there's really not much more I can say about this kit that hasn't already been said! Moulding is of course up to the same exquisite standard that we've come to expect fromDragon lately, and the kit includes some really outstanding features, from the fully detailed and complete hull machine gun, the multi-part individual track links, the photo etched tie downs for the spare links, and also the photo etched brackets for the rear fuel barrels. This kit seems to have it all and it's definately one I'll be building! Enjoy!


Marking options
Dragon supply four different marking options in the instructions, with of course the appropriate decals. These are;
1. An unidentified unit in Berlin 1945, a narrow white band around the turret, number 230.
2. 2nd Armoured Corps in East Prussia during 1944, number 318.
3. 3rd Armoured Corps, in Prague during 1945, number 257.
4. Anothe unidentified unit on the Eastern Front during 1944, in a two-tone camouflage scheme with the number 2-220 on the turret.

SUMMARY
A preview of a kit almost identical to one released by Dragon back in October, but now even better with the addition of matress spring armour on a new photo etched fret.
  Scale: 1:35
  Mfg. ID: 6266
  Related Link: Dragon Models Ltd
  PUBLISHED: Jan 08, 2007
  NATIONALITY: Russia
NETWORK-WIDE AVERAGE RATINGS
  THIS REVIEWER: 87.97%
  MAKER/PUBLISHER: 86.16%

Our Thanks to Dragon Models!
This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.

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About Vinnie Branigan (Teacher)
FROM: ENGLAND - NORTH WEST, UNITED KINGDOM

Copyright ©2021 text by Vinnie Branigan [ TEACHER ]. All rights reserved.



Comments

Yep - same story with the T34/85 Mod 1944. I spent at least an hour using a seam scraper and DYMO tape as a guideline to cut out the solid plastic grille. What they have done though is to provide the internal louvres below the grille - a nice touch although you can't actually see it... :-)
JAN 08, 2007 - 03:04 PM
Ack! Is it just me or I see two ejector pin marks on the tracks!
JAN 08, 2007 - 05:12 PM
You see them on nearly all Dragon Magic Tracks. They're injected! They're also dead easy to remove as they're proud of the surface. Vinnie
JAN 08, 2007 - 05:30 PM
Mmm-Hmm, that's what I'm talking about! What a terrific looking kit. . .great photo coverage, Vinnie, thanks for the effort! Pre-orders to follow directly! ~Gunny
JAN 08, 2007 - 08:33 PM
My pre-order for this kit went in today Great in-box review Vinnie, and thanks for posting it ! Now, if Dragon would only do this "premium" thing to their SU-100 Cheers !! Robert
JAN 09, 2007 - 12:54 AM
I've just been told (by someone who has both the original and the new kit) that the wheels ARE new and that there are a few minor changes/updates to the turret....
JAN 09, 2007 - 03:16 PM
I wonder if the engine cover for the T34/70 that comes sans the grille will work on this kit. I should be getting this kit in a couple days
FEB 02, 2007 - 02:34 AM
I've built the older 34/76 kit and used the plastic ventwork. I read all the reviews on this and the premium saying the grilles look too big, but tried them today and they seem to fit dead on. In the CAD drawings on the box they looked ok too. I don't know why all the reviews online brought this up but never tried them, I was going to just skip em without removing them from the fret. I mean the grille should just cover the openings with the bare minimum excess, the plastic ones are kinda squashed in the holes attempting to emulate this. I think they look great in PE.
FEB 13, 2007 - 06:15 AM
I'm not a reigning expert on the T-34 by any stretch, but the turret provided in this kit looks to me to be a 1945 model, therefore one should keep the squared-off front fenders and use the alternate hatch provided but listed as not used in the instructions. No? I'm trying to hunt down photos of the vehicles for which decals have been included to see if they are 1944 or 1945 models. No luck so far.
JUL 16, 2007 - 03:31 PM
   
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