Sunday 29 March 2015

Warlord Games plastic T34/76 review

Another week another review!

This ones been out a little while now, but I've only just got around to painting it. Now, I had every intention of modelling the tank for my Russians, however whilst Googling around looking for photo's of T34's I came accross this picture of a Captured T34. Seeing as my mid war SS force is based around the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich who operated a lot of T34's in 1943 I decided to give mine a change of ownership. 

The simple route to making a Beute Panzer (Booty Panzer!) is to paint the tank in it's natural colours, put some crosses on and Bob's your aunty Mavis. As you can see from the period photo that inspired the build though sometimes the Germans added or altered the vehicles. This ranged from everything from new Cupolas, Schurzen plates, guns, weapons, it's a pretty endless list. 

Warlords new T34/76 is a superb kit. the model is very, very simple to assemble. The kit has a nice little commander figure, and has optional hull flame thrower to make an OT/34 variant, plus a choice of 3 turrets, though sadly only 1 gun and turret ring.  Tracks and suspension are simple and well detailed. Excluding the extra modelling work I inflicted on myself I think the build took about 20 minutes. If you've build Warlords T34/85 you will know what to expect from this.

I added some spare Schurzen plates from a Warlord Panther, as well as some bits of stowage from my spares box. The commanders is from Warlords Panzer IV, and the grumpy looking bareheaded guy is from Warlords tank crew set.

The only area worth mentioning is the optional fuel tanks on the rear hull. The best way to fit these is by butting the edge of the fuel tank up against the exhaust, and the top edge of the fuel tank butted against the hinge of the air vents.

The track join on Warlords kits has the potential to be very prominent, however it is possible to reduce this almost completely. To do so make sure you are using a proper plastic glue, my preference is EMA plastic weld which is actually a solvent, although something like Revell or Liqued poly are ok too.


 I leave track and suspension units off the model until it is painted as this makes weathering and painting easier. Once I'm done attacking them with Crayola's I put hold the top run of tracks in place and apply glue to all the contact points between the wheels and tracks. Leave this about 15-20 seconds for the glue to eat into the plastic and then do the same thing with the bottom run of tracks. Using a glue like plastic weld allows you to use an old paint brush to paint the glue onto the model, and lets you run glue along the joins. Applying some pressure eliminates most of the join, with minimal clean up required.

 The tank was airbrushed using Vallejo Model Colour paint over a grey car primer. I tend not to use model air as I prefer to thin my own paints for spraying.

Colour
Vallejo Paint
Games Workshop colour
Dunkel Gelb (Sand)
882 Middlestone
Ushabti Bone

RotBraun (Brown)
846 Mahogany

Skrag Brown

 

Dunkel Grun (Green)
890 Reflective Green

Straken Green




Shading was added using Dayler Rowney artists oils, and mud was from Games Workshop Agrellan Earth special effect paint.

I've not included comparison shots this time with other T34's on the market as my conversion work has rendered it very hard to compare and do a fair view of Warlords kit, so I shall be building another as Uncle Joe intended and that shall be used in comparison photos.Size wise the model is identical with other kits on the market, and you can happily mix it into other existing 1/56 scale vehicle models.

For more captured tank research check out this website Beute Panzer

I can't recommend snm stuff enough for modelling supplies, here's a link to some plastic weld. Get some, it's brilliant for plastic work.I'm not even being sponsored by them, it's just such a useful tool Go here, buy this

Warlords website is here 

Lastly, my work can be seen here Volley Fire Painting Services

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