7TP Polish Tank

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post and would like to start from recently finished 7TP Polish single turret tank from 1939.

Kit i used comes from Mirage. I added set of photo etched parts from ABER.Paint I used from AGAMA and Vallejo. Metal tracks, muffler from Moskit.

The base is made of plaster…

Few early photos:

2

Hey Van, welcome to the FSM Armor Forum! That’s a beeeyootiful 7TP!! I love early WWII armor. You did a great job all around, from the PE to the painting & weathering, and the base! First Class dude!! I really like how the Aber PE adds to the detail; just this morning I was pondering if I should get a set of Aber PE for my 7TP in the stash, but its made by HobbyCraft, not Mirage. Anyway, great work and thanks for posting!

3

Thanks! for the first reply to my post. I forget to give info about scale of the 7TP. It’s 1/35 scale.

I would like to post some reference links to a REAL recently build in Poland 7TP. It’s almost finished!. It has a engine and most parts installed on. I believe it will be completed in spring this year…

http://www.dobroni.pl/rekonstrukcja-zdjecia,26285

http://www.dobroni.pl/rekonstrukcja-zdjecia,26471

4

Thanks for the reference links Van! I’m sure many here will appreciate them! That is SO cool that they’re rebuilding that 7TP in Poland!!

5

Looks great!

6

[snWcm] to the forum. You did a nice job.

7

Excellent build. I really like the free hand camo & weathering. Thanks for sharing.

Regards, Rick

8

Very nice job. I especially like the camo. Excellent!

Nate

9

Now that’s a nice little tank, Van![Y] Not a tank you see built very often, but I do love the camo and base. Only thing I’ll suggest is adding a few washes to the upper hull and turret to bring out the rivet detail. Other then that your build is very nicely done.

10

[snWcm] to the forum! No better way to introduce yourself than with pics of a finished build. [;)] Nice work and a subject we don’t see built very often. [Y]

11

Van-this build is fantastic. I’ve got a couple of these in the stash, but haven’t nerved up to build them up yet. Finally got the ARMO barrels in, which makes all of the difference. In the process of finishing three Polish Vickers tanks right now in different configurations and your build is an inspiration to get them back underway.

VERY nice and welcome!

In reply to the post above, this is the only 7TP kit out there, so the ABER set will work and is essential IMHO. The original was Spojnia (or something like that) and has been reboxed/rebadged several times, including the HC one).

12

VANtastic!

Thanks for the pictures on the other thread, and thanks for the nice prepaint PE shots here, it’s a treasure trove.

Your work is flawless, very neat assembly and the paint is top notch!

Bill

13

Thanks for all the comments… I want to share some more info about “things” I changed in this model to make it correct as possible…

The rear bumper had to go too… Original Mirage bumper: After making the correct one…

14

Van, thanks for all those additional pics of the work you did to correct the model. That’s why so many of us post WIP threads so we can show all the little details we add, remove, correct, etc. Looks like you have a good handle on these types of modifications; try posting a WIP thread on your next build! I’m in the process of doing my first WIP and I’m having a blast!

15

Way to go Van another nice one , good to see the base get some attention…

16

Yeah Van, nicely done tank. And it’s Polish, it’s always a good feeling for me to see something connected to Poland on the net. By the way, according to wikipedia the 7TP is the first diesel-powered tank in the world! Did the ability to speak polish help you to use more references from the web? Keep them coming, have a nice day

Pawel

17

There is a lot of references, original photos etc… about the pre war time…mostly in polish on .pl sites

A few words about the 7TP:

7TP was a was based on the Vickers 6-ton. A Swiss Saurer engine was installed making the 7 TP the first diesel powered tank to be in production. The single turret version was armed with a modified Bofors 37 mm.It also was equipped with a Polish-made clone of the American Browning M1917 heavy machine gun. Produced with only minor modifications, it was an unlicensed copy of its predecessor and was the standard machine gun of the Polish Army.
Among the most notable differences between the original and the Polish clone were:

  1. Different calibre, adapted to the Polish standard 7.92x57mm ammunition
  2. Loophole iron sights replaced with V-notch sights
  3. Butt handle of the weapon was lengthened for easier carriage
  4. Longer barrel for greater precision and accuracy
  5. Rifle lock was modified for easier exchange of used-up barrels
  6. The lock was modified for easier handling
  7. The mounting was adapted for anti-aircraft fire
  8. Sights were adapted for AA fire as well as a handle for aiming in the air was added

7TP was also first tank quipped with rotary periscope.
Gundlach Rotary Periscope, Patented in poland in 1936, which made possible 360° vision. The periscope enabled an observer (e.g., the tank commander) to look forward or backward without moving his seat. Since it greatly increased the comfort of observer and widened the field of view, the new periscope design was used in virtually every tank built after 1940.

It was first implemented in TKS and 7TP Polish tanks. As a part of Polish-British pre-war military cooperation, the patent was sold to Vickers-Armstrong. It was produced as Vickers Tank Periscope MK.IV, and built into all British tanks (such as Crusader, Churchill, Valentine, Cromwell). After the fall of Poland, Germany, USSR and Romania captured equipment, allowing them to copy the invention. In the USSR, the Gundlach periscope was known as MK-4 and implemented in all tanks (including the T-34 and T-70). All Axis tanks and APC (including tanks of Italy, Romania, Hungary, Finland and Japan) were equipped or retro-fitted with this periscope until 1941. The technology was later transferred to the USA and implemented as the M6 periscope in all US tanks (M3/M5 Stuart, M4 Sherman and others). After the Second World War the technology was adopted thorough the whole world.

18

That’s a very nice build and finishing job. I’ve got a goofey question though, where did you get the eagle for your sign post?

19

Hi Steve,

long time ego i bouth a kit T-34-85 and there was a sheet of decals, few with eagles.

20

Hi Van, nice build. I’m currently working on one (the Mirage kit) and have a question you may be able to answer. What is the post next to the drivers hatch on the tank model? I’ve done extensive searches and have found no information on it. I can’t even find an original picture showing it on any 7TP. About the only change I’ve seen to the front deck was the addition of the larger searchlight on some of the tanks. I know you research it a lot and did add it to your model, so I thought you might be able to help.