A SHORT GUIDE TO 1/72 T-34-85 TURRETS

IN MODELING...

1/72nd Scale Accessory Review

With limitations of the molding process, it is rare to have a kit that a little brass won’t improve as a display model. Brass parts can be delicate and may not be suitable for a wargaming piece. Etched brass parts are one of those things that can really improve a display model but also give you so many more opportunities to screw up! With all the brass sets for Soviet T-34’s I have found the infantry grab handles on the frets to be unrealistically flat and too easily bent: use wire instead.

This article focuses primarily on the turret, so even though the aftermarket brass frets carry many hull parts I will not talk much about these.

Eduard Etched Brass set #22018, for the AER T-34-85.

Above is the scan of the Eduard photo-etched fret for AER’s T-34-85 kit. This is a very nice set that can be used with the AER, Eastern Express, Revell and ESCI styrene plastic kits, and any of the resin aftermarket turrets. I used this set for detailing my AER turrets. The brass 11-part cupola is an improvement over the AER cupola, though it is the same diameter, which appears a little too large for a 1944 split hatch cupola. Eduard supplies new fuel tanks, the turret lifting hooks missing from AER’s & ARMO’s turrets, engine screens, angular front fenders needed for the 1945 T-34-85, and new improved periscopes, etc.

Typical of etched brass, the infantry grab handles are flat and too easily bent out of shape. Use brass wire instead.

PART Etched Brass #P72016, for AER’s T-34/85 kit.

The two-part set below is PART’s etched brass frets for AER’s T-34-85 kit. Again, this set should be usable with any of the after-market turrets and T-34-85 kits. This set may be used in detailing two different T-34’s with two sets of rear engine-deck screens, both the 1944 and the 1945 style commander’s hatches, two sets of 1944 turret-lifting hooks, and turret periscopes. My previous experience with PART brass sets is very good.

PART Etched Brass, #P72017, T-34/85 Side Skirts & Mesh turret skirts for Berlin 1945.

In April 1945 when the Soviets closed in through the dense city streets of Berlin, the Soviets found what the Germans discovered in Stalingrad: cities made for good tank-killing grounds, being full of infantry with satchel-charges, and hollow-charge Panzerfausts and Panzerschrecks. To detonate the hollow charge rounds before they detonated against the tank the Soviets welded stand-off mesh to the hull and turrets (on the idea of Thoma Shields of the German Pz. IV J). Though confiscated German bedsprings may have been used, recent information reveals the Berlin-battle mesh skirts to be purpose-made factory items.

The etched fret shown below is of these, consisting of seven screens with mounting brackets.

LEVA T-34 Berlin Upgrade, #72-C-15

I have not examined this resin accessory set at this time but I believe it is on the idea of the above PART etched brass hull and turret mesh skirts.

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