Soviet Fast Tank BT-7 1935 model/1-35

So here we go with my latest project, the Eastern Express offering , just in time I was tackling this dog to bring him up to standards Tamiya came out with a new model! Just perfect timing!!!!

the first problem with EA models are that hull are for late models, apart a good number of short cuts. Eduard PE was used but again this was no easy job as fit to the model needed adjustments especially grill areas. So apart from battle damage, regenerating to a 1935 model and the good number of missing rivets I wnet to extreem to open all turret hatches to reveal the interior which was 70% scratch and updated. I have to thank Alex for his images as these saved me a lot of time and swearing : )

So here is the built, minus front wheels and some implements




Part of the inside chassis that is seen from hatches, I have minimalised detail to the bear essential structures, limited to what one is able to see, rather then doing all and getting most hidden. I considered the inside as a small box dio, so the effect is playing with colours and highlighting details to create distance. NB that highlights and shadows are more dramatic and boalder to get the effect from a distance and limited light source. Chair got the same treatment and is gonna fit in the front area [driver compartment]. Next in line is the turret and accessories for the inside ...
Hope you like ...

Ivan

Brilliant Ivan, your weathering is impeccable. The only thing i would not have done is the streaking on the back of the seat if this is located inside the tank unless it is just underneath the hatch and would have been effected by the rain coming through into the tank. But i love the chips and scratches, they are no natural. they look great. Well done man.

Thanks Brian

Regarding streaking you have a point there but I took liberty of a little artistic licence [effects more generally used in shadow boxes] to get a 3D effect on a monocromatic white canvas. Infact the place of the drivers chair shall be just under the front hatch, practically just a minority would be seen from that area so I enhanced to get the effect and not to have just a plain white back protruding in a shadowy area ... apart tanks inside can be filty ...

But maybe I will mute the effect a little bit if it looks a little on the overdone ...

Ivan

this is great
as for the streaking. russian paint was not that good and primer was even worse. russian tankers drove with all hatches open if not in combat. as soviet tanks although reliable where not the most comfortable and envoironmentaly freindly around.so i would not find the streaking out of place
please dont keep us waiting long for more updates

Some additional updates, correcting the back to an early style, some additional rivets, and PE updates ... excuse the poor foto!

iCocker wrote:Some additional updates, correcting the back to an early style, some additional rivets, and PE updates ... excuse the poor foto!

apart from the aforementioned deficencies the e.a. kit does not look at all bad
the running gear at least looks quite good. fantastic job on the exhaust/engine grill ivan

what colour scheme on this on vanni

To be honest Alex, I ahve to say that the EA model is quite good overall. It has some issues and fit problems but not drastic that cannot be solved, A PE fret or scratch update is essential. The main complain is that chassis is the post 35 [late model] so need a lot of riviting and is time consuming. Other updates were gethered from some good russian books and sites, have to be honest though I have not yet had a first hand look at the Tamiya offering apart fotos of the built and frets, from what I've seen there are some basic details that also the big T forgot or simplified ... probably the give away is the usual shake and built ala Tamiya and decent fit and have a set of basic PE.

So personally I think the EA model if you have it built it ... finally another part of modelling is, having fun bringing odd kits up to standard ...

As scheme this is going into a Brabarossa period vignette ... probably very basic 4BO scheme as again the attension is going to be on the figures [ala bibi x'jghidu tal-kontinent l-iehor, fimtni nahseb!!!!].

Ivan

ivan just remembered these forgive me i beg you for being a bit late excellent reference pics

http://www.thetankmaster.com/english/afv/bt7-1935_01.asp

http://www.thetankmaster.com/english/afv/bt-7-1938_01.asp

http://www.thetankmaster.com/english/afv/bt7-1938_01.asp

just do you thing vanni u hallijhom jaghmru li joqomsu

It is never late as I have not yet primed the dog, but hey have to see these from home as weapons sites are banned from office

Have to add though an important tank in the Soviet arsenal and design it is hard to get good referances ... strange that it is so neglected!

Ivan

iCocker wrote:It is never late as I have not yet primed the dog, but hey have to see these from home as weapons sites are banned from office

Have to add though an important tank in the Soviet arsenal and design it is hard to get good referances ... strange that it is so neglected!

Ivan

i suggest you take a good look excellent site with plenty of soviet armour walkarounds. off to see england now with fear in our hearts

Great work as usual Ivan..........sublime weathering

Brian has a point but somehow I dont find it out of place...
Lovely chips and work with oils...

Seeing you havent started the paint work reassures me for my own euro work...or youre not bringing it across the Channel?

Dottore

Thank you guys!

Dottore not to panic you but interior including turret is in progress of painting, apart that tank is half the size of your cromwell ... so that means I am ahead of you

So why not start priming one of your beauties maybe you want be stressed out by September!!!!!

Alex, apart that you are relieved that the lions have passed and fear [I love this word] is over , I have one inquisitive question, the front wheel of BTs strangely nough from many fotos I enquentered has the hub fixed in the position of image below, seems that hub was fixed somrhow or is it me I have not seen enough images?

Thanks for the links, very useful, noticed I forgot something, just in time to fix
Ivan

iCocker wrote:Thank you guys!

Dottore not to panic you but interior including turret is in progress of painting, apart that tank is half the size of your cromwell ... so that means I am ahead of you

So why not start priming one of your beauties maybe you want be stressed out by September!!!!!

Alex, apart that you are relieved that the lions have passed and fear [I love this word] is over , I have one inquisitive question, the front wheel of BTs strangely nough from many fotos I enquentered has the hub fixed in the position of image below, seems that hub was fixed somrhow or is it me I have not seen enough images?

Thanks for the links, very useful, noticed I forgot something, just in time to fix
Ivan

now tht you are mentioning it, yes it is. it seems that the hub is in a fixed position on all the photos i have as well including the finnish self propelled and all experimental soviet sp command and artillery. this culd easily be explained by the fact that the front two wheels where steerable considering that the bt could travel without tracks on smooth surfaces. the centre part looks like it is the main shaft

What a great reference site for you tank guys, those pics are really great. Sorry for the comment ivan but having explained your reasoning, do not touch it in any way, it looks good. Besides, for anything to show through a small open hatch, it needs to be a bit overdone.

bcauchi wrote:What a great reference site for you tank guys, those pics are really great. Sorry for the comment ivan but having explained your reasoning, do not touch it in any way, it looks good. Besides, for anything to show through a small open hatch, it needs to be a bit overdone.

No opoligies Brian, you pointed out something that is obvious in the picture I posted, it was my mistake I did not explain clear why I overdone things. Apart that does not mean that I am totally correct

Infact I have gone trough again the process of playing the part of the viwer and see from that angle what really captures the eye and what is hidden. Infact I retouched with further highlights and demarkation shadow the leather parts as they looked very opaque and flat nad also retouched the arms as in the shadow given my the front compartment it got almost totally lost ... the problem now is it very difficult to capture things in a camera lens ...

Thanks guys!

Ivan

Once you finish the interior, it would be nice if you could post a pic of the view through the hatch. Jsut to give us an idea.

I try Brian, but it is difficult to capture it without loosing focus, have to study better lighting setup maybe or invest in a better camera with a decent macro

I think ideally is to bring it over to the club next time I come over ... infact I haven't done this till daye due that I had so many bits and pieces around apart the riveting process drove me nuts, especially the tiny archer transfer ones ...


Ivan

I don;t think it is a matter of the quality of the camera. It is more the lighting or rather the lack of. This happens to me when i try to take photos of the internal of a cockpit. I will be seeing much more detail and colour than will actually show in the final photo. No matter how much i doctor the photo, it will still loose a lot of the detail so i guess the only way to see this is in person. That would be great.

Further progress and corrections. As from the images sent by Alex I noticed how prominent is a certain bracket in the front fender, tks mate ... it is particularly unoticable imma mad as we are if we now it's there we can't avoid not making it ... what type of syndrome is this Dot? Rivets are a mixture of punch n die and archer 3D transfers.



The damaged fender, acheived by thinning the overdone plastic parts paper thin with Dremel tool and then damage the parts with pliers to get the angles correctly reflecting that these were metal parts. Were the plastic has cracked had to do with MSculpt.



Some details of the engine deck





Bird's eye view ...

ivan re 2nd photo. just confirmed that the wheel hub (which actually is a shaft not hub the wheel held in place by a gigantic slip pin) should always be in a fixed position. is the front wheel in the second photo temp fixed?

anyway i love what youre doing

Tks Alex

Yes all wheels are temporary in place, I thought so about the front hub as in each foto I have seen it is fixed in a certain position. Tks for the help!

Ivan

Interesting tank, great work, details and impressive painting/weathering - well done.

Tks JF, yes I agree it's a very interesting design, with the famous Christie suspension that the US army rejected.

Dry fit of the driver chair and inside area. I have placed the essential items that can be viewed from the hatch of the turret, due that turret is already clattered with implements. Kept matters minimal as it is useless putting everydetail when it would be totally hidden or obscure in the shadow when turret is in place.

Impressive weathering mate!!!