Review

This offering from MiniArt arrives in a cardboard tray with a separate card lid. Inside the sprues are packaged in a single plastic bag, which also contains a small bag containing some sprues; the clear sprue and the photo etch fret have been placed in a bag together, and this is an aspect that I am not pleased about due to how easily the photo etch could be damaged. The instruction booklet is loose in the box, but there are no issues with that. The contents as far as I can assess live up to expectations, and with the number of models MiniArt has released of the T-55 fitting should not be an issue. 

An estimated 10,000 T-55s with many still in service with a huge number of countries and a smaller but still considerable number of countries that have retired the tank. This particular model I believe is a scale replica of the Enigma T-55 that currently lives at Bovington Tank Museum in the UK. The hull of the model uses the Ikea approach of flat-pack panels being brought together to create the hull. This has enabled very nice reproduction of some of the surface detail and the curves present in the lower hull. The suspension of this vehicle is torsion bars and these have been replicated in the model making the suspension workable. They have also provided individual track links, meaning that the  suspension can be adjusted as wished without having to revert to aftermarket parts. Being flat pack getting parts accurately placed and angled can be difficult, to aide in this regard MiniArt has included a portion of the firewall between the crew compartment and engine bay which ensures that the side panels sit as they should, and then the rear and front panels can be added using the side panels which you know are correct as placement guides. This model is part of a series that when released was a mix of full interior or exterior only. This has resulted in very many panels that need to be added to the model, which while potentially a pain does mean that you have a large number of options as regards how you finish your model. There is no need for you to place everything exactly on the model, as due to this being an Iraqi tank it could have been destroyed, damaged or broken down and some hatches could have been moved to give your model its unique appearance. 

The side skirts that cover the tops of the tracks are no longer covered in large numbers of items as the Enigma Armour package interfered with this layout. A nice feature of this model is that lifting and tie down loops have been provided in photo etch, and these items were often very stiff and so do not feel that you have to lay them down flat to be accurate, and this is another feature that could be unique to your model. One part of the photo etch that irritated me for the T-55 series were the 4 metal bands that used to travel across the underside of the front flap as I always found then a nuisance to get them to sit properly. Fuel tanks present at the rear of the vehicle on the track guards, have accurate re-reinforcement crease detail and very pleasingly the fuel lines, which are a pain to add if scratched built are provided in the model. The added frontal Armour appears to be accurate from the photographs I have. This includes the cut out for the tow hitches and the securing bolt placements. 

The wheel pattern provided in the kit, matches photographic data. However, the rubber tyre portion does not and I do not believe that even if worn down it would be any better. All of the wheels have been provided with hidden pins and so can rotate. The side Enigma Armour package does not match photographic detail, as the front 4 of the kit offering are stepped down, where as the 7 that appear on the real vehicle are all of the same length. With that said, The very first or last armour plate depending on how you look at it (towards the front of the vehicle) is correctly angled and the 7th armoured plate behind the angled one is shorter on the right-hand side. The fuel barrels that sdit at the rear of the vehicle have very well detailed support structures and retaining straps, but I do not believe that these must be added to the model and so another optin to give you model that unique look. 

The turret of the model has exceptional exterior detail, but you are not going to see it due to the armour package you are going to be adding. The top of the turret is an area where you want to take you time as this is seen, as well and the mantlet for the main gun. There are a number of lights such as an infra-red mounted both in front of the Commander’s hatch and to the right of the main gun. There has been a number of threads covering infra-red lights with the most common answer paint it gloss black on the rear. Ammunition storage for the heavy machine gun is stored to the rear of the turret, as this is the only real open space once the Enigma armour is added to the turret and the rear of the turret is protected by a stand off armoured panel behind which is a storage box that could be shown open and perhaps could contain some personal items of kit or some of the tools provided in 1/35th of which MiniArt has several offerings. The heavy machine gun meets my requirements regarding in box detail and I appreciate that a small number of linked rounds have been included for use between an ammunition box and the gun feed. 

MiniArt has provided 2 finishing options for this release:

15th Mechanised Brigade, 5th Mechanised Division, Iraqi Army, Kuwait, Winter 1991

1st Mechanised Division, 4th Army Corps, Iraqi Army, Saudi Arabia, Battle of Khafji, January 1991