| Preliminary
note:
The T-34/76 Model 1942 is also (unofficially) known as T-34 Type
C, and T-34-76.
The kit contains 84 injection-molded
light gray styrene plastic parts and two black-colored band tracks.
No etched brass parts are included.
The boxart shows an assembled model painted in a light Russian green
color. In the photo we see the cast turret produced from 1940 to
early 1943, and the dish-shaped rubber-tired roadwheels seen up
to 1944; there are no all-steel roadwheels as was seen on some T-34
mod.1942s and mod.1943s.
The driver's hatch is the the late
style; the earlier 1940 and 1941 driver's hatch had a single periscope
opening in front and two small periscopes on either side looking
off at a 45 degree angle. The bow machine gun now has the armored
mantlet. On the rear are external supplemental diesel fuel tanks.
Atop the turret roof hatch we see a single PTK-5 periscope that
should have a viewing hole drilled into it. Note that there are
no cylindrical fuel drums common to some later T-34s, and no tools
attached to the sides. This model is basically the same T-34 version
as ESCI/Italeri's T-34
M1942 kit. (Aslo see this
article.)
The scan of Sprue C shows the basic parts for the model 1942 T-34
kit.
The driver's hatch can
be modeled open and Trumpeter gives us nice detail on the rear of
the driver's hatch. The rear engine plate which is supplied has
the round rear access hatch so this kit cannot be used for a model
1940 or 1941. An odd thing that Trumpeter did, is to mold 12 separate
grab handles for crew and tank riders yet mold six other handles
as tall ridges sticking up from the engine deck and the sides of
the turret. As a display modeler, the first thing I will do is to
shave off these ridges!
The 76.2-mm F34 gun barrel is nicely done and slide-molded with
an open muzzle. The cast turret looks nicely molded though it could
use some texturing. On the turret sides are viewports that are open
all the way through to the turret interior; these ports should be
blocked off since they are for periscopes and are not supposed to
be open. The turret roof hatch lacks fittings for the earlier 1940
turret.
A significant error that Trumpeter did with their turret is to leave
out a bolted-on, plate with pistol-port on the rear of the turret.
This plate can be scratchbuilt with not too much work. ESCI got
this plate right on their T-34 m1942 kit, while UM also forgot to
model this removable plate on their T-34 m1940.
Sprue B2 shows the solid, dish wheels with the correct number of
bolts and decent and apparently accurate tire thread detail. The
soft band tracks are very well rendered and appear to be 1942-1943
production tracks with tread pattern.
Trumpeter's original sprue (Sprue A, shown below) has parts appropriate
for the 1942, 1943 and 1945 T-34's (sprockets and idler wheels,
fuel containers, storage boxes and small fittings) with parts being
snipped off and left on depending on the kit being sold. This sprue
can be seen at Trumpeter's website and in other kit reviews. On
this sprue were extra parts that Trumpeter has cut off, therefore
depriving us of some extra parts to play with! There are no hand
tools included with the kit, which is accurate with many early-war
T-34s.
The instructions are black and white, 12-step exploded-view type
typical of other Trumpeter kits and other manufacturers. With the
painting and marking instructions on the last page. Trumpeter fails
to identify the vehicle and unit for this set of decal markings.
Unfortunately this is very typical of Trumpeter kits.
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