Super shelf queen, Tamiya T-72

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Let’s just say parts of this model were assembled and painted around 20 years ago, or when it first came out. The hull with the glacis roughed in has been staring at me for at least ten years, along with a Miniarm turret in the box, so the other day, after flipping through the Abrams Squad books on Syrian armor, I got motivated. This will be a T-72 “Ural”, operated by the crew of the day, rode hard and put up wet, over and over and over.

I “re-started” with a basic hull, no details added yet, and the turret in the box. So far I’ve added the necessary fittings and fixtures to the hull, torn up the fenders a bit and added a few small bits. The Friuls have been ready for years, so on they went. The turret is, well, a bear. It has excellent detail but lots of short shots, incredibly fragile small parts and only the merest hint of instructions. I’m using a RB barrel to avoid the three piece resin barrel in the turret box, and am about half way there with it. Lots of parts will be “missing”, copying the general poor state of repair most of the pictured tanks are in.

IMG_3612 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3611 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3610 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3609 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

I have some basic PE for the kit and am using extra bits from leftover T-55 and T-62 sets as well. The turret has its own PE too, mostly for the gun tube.

After a good coat of Russian green, I plan on adding a loose pattern of sand and tearing the paint up, even doing chipping… and I never “chip”.

2

Gotta Say!

You may say it’s missing parts and such, but, it looks like a fairly decent “Bangy Thingy” to me. Remember when in battle, the last thing you want to see on the battlefield in range is a Tank of any kind, Those bullets will definitely ruin your day! I like the looks of the Fruil tracks.

3

Cool!

Reminds me I really need to pull more half-finished models out and finish them.

4

Hello!

Isn’t that a good feeling to get a shelf queen back to life? Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

5

Good luck, I got a started kit off of eBay over 20 years ago (wasn’t supposed to be started). Never got around to messing with it.

I did find the Verlinden turret and upper hull for the kit at my local store’s clearance bin, but never got motivated to deal with the surgery required.

6

Gotta love a shelf queen that’s so old you’ve forgotten what exactly you were gonna build out of it…

Rob, any chance you could do a side by side comparison of the Verlinden and Tamiya turrets? I’ve heard the Verlinden turret’s overall shape was exactly like the Tamiya kit part, which is supposedly too short, front to back. The Miniarm turret I have is actually larger than the the kit part, in both lenght and width. Just curious, no biggie…

Looking back on it, I could have easily built the thing with the glacis unmodified since it’s been “determined” that Tamiya actually did a decent T-72M1, and that the 'M1 has in fact been exported all over the place, including Syria.

7

I hadn’t thought about it. I guess I could. I don’t consider myself an expert, enough to point out any inaccuracies. I can identify a T-72, know how to spot some differences, etc.

I can try to post some photos of the parts, that is, if I can find them. I don’t think I’ve laid eyes on them in about a dozen years. I did buy a second Tamiya T-72 that was untouched, but crammed into another kit box (T-62).

8

I’m by no means an expert on T-72 myself, just curious if Verlinden copied the Tamiya turret or not. If you get a chance cool, if not no worries.

I like finding unknown goodies in kits I buy at shows myself, usually a turned metal barrel or some PE, maybe even some resin, but I have yet to get two kits in one box unless it was sold that way.

9

This is looking great! I started this “Cabin Build” this summer. Every summer we spend a week up in the north woods and I bring two or three “basic” kits to start the assembly on. I like the changes/additions that you’ve done. Can’t wait to see the finished product.

tjs

10

Tow cables are made up and ready to go on, the antenna and driver’s hatch are going to stay off until last, and I will severely beat up the road wheel tires, but other than that, it’s ready for paint. The gun tube was kind of tedious.

IMG_3617 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3615 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3614 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3613 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

11

I don’t know squat about the details on the T-72’s turret but she looks just like a Soviet tank to me!!!

Nice work as always!!!

12

Yeah, it’s kind of the poster child of the Soviet Union, isn’t it…

Here’s a pic of what I did to the tires.

IMG_3620 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

I’ve been told I should beat up the sides of the fuel tanks too, and I agree. That’s next.

13

Here’s a pic of the hull and turret in green over hairspray over brown, chipped up and sealed with a quick coat of clear flat. Next is the second color, a kind of yellowish tan in blotches which will also get scrubbed heavily.

IMG_3625 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

14

She’s coming along great! I’ve tried using the hairspray technique for paint peeling but not been totally happy with it. Looking forward to seeing how it comes out for you.

15

G, I’ll use it again, thinking of doing a T-55 now that it would work great for. I also thing it’s unnecessary if acrylic is applied over enamel, my usual painting method.

That being said, here it is now, with the sand on and scrubbed.

IMG_3627 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3626 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

It’s going to get a very heavy coating of gray and sand pigments so I’m not really concerned with “details” or how dark the finish is at this point in time.

16

Cool, that looks nice!

Looking forward to how it works out on the T-55.

17

I think I’m done dusting. Next I’ll add some spilled fuel and oil stains, dig through my figures for some people to stick in the hatches and call it done.

IMG_3633 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3632 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3630 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

IMG_3628 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

18

Cool, I really like how the dust came out. [Y]

19

Thanks!