I would like to add a T-72 to ever growing stash and was wondering which is the best kit to get? I’m asuming Tamiya’s, but what about Zveda’s ( they’re half the price)? I’m not looking for any specific model/version. Thanks
Also wondering this, I have an itch for something Soviet.
Zvezda’s T-72s were originally tooled by Dragon and were among the very first kits released by Dragon in the (late?) 80’s. They had soft-ish detail and link-and-length tracks. I am not sure, but I seem to recall reading something about the upper run of the tracks not fitting properly under the fenders because there isn’t enough space?
From what I understand the Tamiya T-72M-1 is the best but its based on an export version I think. There are aftermarket add on to correct its flaws. someone makes a turret for it that fixes up most of it I think.
The only one I have built is an old Dragon with ERA. It was an ok kit for a beginner but for the accuracy crowd I think it leaves alot to be desired.
From what I have read there really isn’t a great T-72 in 1-35 on the market. Kind of remarkable considering how many countries have had or still have it in their inventories.
The guys in Armorama have a forum dedicated to Soviet/Russian stuff if you want to see some WIP on a few as well as dedicated T-72 talk.
The Dragon (also boxed by Italeri, Kirin, Revell of Germany and now Zvezda) T-72 line have plenty of issues. First of all, they were designed before the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Information on the T-72 was garnered from parade photographs, grainy intelligence photos, etc.
Because of this, a lot of detail is surmised and the actual tank kit becomes a mix of details from several different variants since there was no one complete walk around of a single tank. It was highly touted when it hit the market in the late 80s-early 90s, but after the German reunification and the West absorbing the former East German army and their T-72s, we got the more accurate T-72 from Tamiya.
Even that T-72 has issues. It represented a rather rare version in use by the East Germans; they got a few mixed production tanks that had the early T-72 turret mated to the later T-72M1 hull. Unfortunately, when Tamiya got to inspect a T-72 for their model, they got a mongrel tank. There wasn’t a lot of information back then and they were probably happy to get their hands on the Soviet Union’s boogey man tank.
As a model kit, the Tamiya T-72 is an outstanding kit whereas the Dragon/Zvezda kit has all sorts of fit issues and dimensional issues. There are pages of posts at Missing Lynx where modelers note the various changes, mixtures and kitbashing they took to make their T-72(insert version here) more accurate.
It’s a popular subject matter among the former Warsaw Pact country modelers. Probably because it is the most common main battle tank in their neck of the woods.
Thanks guys. I kinda figured that the Tamiya kit was the way to go.
Not to hijack the topic, but which kit would you guys suggest for a T-55? Also, is there a T-90 floating about?
Tamiya’s the only brand for T-55. Forget the Skif kit, Trumpeter kit, old Lindberg kit (if you run across one) or the ex-Esci/now-Italeri T-55. Although it is decent enough if money is an issue.
The T-90 has been a hot spot of discussion. No real kit exist of it, but there are ways to get one if you chuck enough bits and pieces from around the web; then add them to the Tamiya T-72.
Well I have the RoG(Zvedza DML) kit and all I plan to do is replace the AA gun with one from Friulmodel and replace the tracks with ModelKasten.
Dubs on a Yugo, man. Toss in a leather interior and XM radio and you still have a Yugo.
Still cheaper that building the Tamiya. When all is said and done you will have nothing more than a kit that is more resin than Tamiya kit and almost 70% more in cost as well. At least the Zvezda kit at least looks like a T-72B .
Like others said the Tamiya T-72 is the best kit in town. Sure it’s of an East German export version, and therefore has some issues like the mentioned turret and frontal armor, but those are simple fixes(a little putty and the problem’s solved.[;)])
Check out the WIP I did on the Tamiya T-72, I modified it into a early Soviet-Afghan war variant and to create an accurate build I had to fix the turret and etc (but I didn’t have to use any expensive aftermarket parts)… /forums/t/123556.aspx?PageIndex=1
The DML/Zvezda/RoG/Kirin T-72 is still decent as a model kit, but the details are off. All I’m saying is that I wouldn’t put big money into one; i.e. MK tracks or a Fruil Dshk. With the exception of the Zvezda boxing, I’ve got all versions of the Dragon T-72s made.
I’ve bought two of the Tamiya T-72s, one off of eBay and the other from a buy/trade forum. I didn’t pay more than $30 for either of them including shipping. One was built OOB a long while back. The other I have slowly accumulated some resin and AM stuff to go all out. Probably by the time I get around to finding all the good stuff I need, someone will put out an updated kit.
Well Trumpeter better get their butts in gear to put out a new tool T-72 to replace that clone of the Tamiya T-72.
Believe it or not, I like the AMT T-72/74 even with all its problems. Something about it appeals to me. The other models are better/ more accurate, but I like the old AMT clunker.
Jim
I have been unsuccessfully trying to locate information about that AMT kit.
If people built that kit, they never posted photos of the build.
From what I vaguely recall, the kit was not well received at the time of introduction.
Comparing photos of Tamiya T-72 builds posted on FSM to the AMT kit I own ( paid $ 4.00 → 15 yrs ago )I see detail differences ( raised not recessed lines , driver hatch, lack of lower hull detail and some rear engine deck areas ) but I have not yet noticed anything grossly different from the Tamiya kit .
I do not yet own the WWP book on the T-72 or a good set of blueprints so I do not have a way to compare kit vs. actual machine.
Are my recollections of the AMT T-72 kit reception correct ?
Oddly, while sifting thru old early 1990’s FSM issues, I came across a Squadron Shop ad. showing the Lindberg T-55 advertised as Squadron Shop kit of the year.
I’ve got both the Esci (AMT) T-72 and T-74 unbuilt in the box. What do you need to know about them?
I built both versions back in the late 80s. At the time, they were the best things going as far as modern Soviet armor was concerned. The main difference between the two kits was the inclusion of smoke grenade launchers and side skirt armor on the T-74 (which as a designation, did not exist).
I built several of them for friends when I was stationed in Germany. They looked like T-72 and built up well. The link and length tracks were high tech at the time.
When Esci released their last gasp of modern armor in the 80s, some were great (M60A1/A3), good (T-55), acceptible (T-72/74, BMP, Abrams) and poor (HMMWV, LAV, Leo 2). The 60-series was better than Tamiya’s but it was yesterday’s tank. The T-55 was good, but again, yesterday’s tank. The T-72/74 and BMPs were acceptible because it was the only thing going. And the HMMWV/LAV/Leo were not as good as the Italeri kits but cost the same amount.
Their Abrams was OK for the time, but not as good as the Tamiya M1 and their M1A1 was error riddled but was the only kit of the A1 at the time. I learned to cast resin parts trying to make upgrades of the Esci M1A1 for use on the Tamiya M1 (before they had an M1A1 kit). Getting AM resin upgrade parts from AEF Designs (my first interaction with that company) turned out to be more of a hassle and a waste of my money.
When the Lindberg T-55 kit was released, it was a 3 in 1 kit with the ability to be built into a Warsaw Pact vehicle, an Egyptian vehicle and a captured Israeli version equipped with the NATO 105mm gun (often called the Ti-67 in the modeling world). It was the first new modern Soviet tank kit to be released since the old, poor Tamiya T-62. That’s why it was the kit of the year. The arrival of the Esci T-55 made the Lindberg kit an after thought.
Then Dragon came with their T-72 and T-80 variants and the Esci T-55 was vastly superior to the Lindberg kit.
Zvezda just released what I understand to be a new tool T-90. I haven’t built it, but I’ve seen the contents of the box and it looks good with sharp, crisp molding, etc. It’s on my to-do list…
If you are interested in T-72s, Cookie Sewell converted Dragon and Tamiya kits to build two Iraqi tanks, a T-72M and an Asad Babil. The article was published in the February 2001 issue. It’s also available as part of a digital PDF of modern armor.
Cheers, Aaron
<<<<<< I’m trying to determine what the ESCI T-72 most closely matches in regards to T-72s in service with various armies over the past 30 + years. My best guess right now is that it may have matched Tamiya in copying the old East German version - early T-72 turret and later T-72 M-1 hull.
I am considering using the kit as a painting / weathering practice kit and would finish the kit according to whatever version / army it best matches or may easily be modified to simulate. >>>>>>>>>>
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<<<<<<<<<<<<< My recollections of the ESCI kit must be incorrect. It appears ESCI did a credible job at the time. >>>>>>>>>>
**<<<<<<<<<<<**Thanks for that Lindberg T-55 information. Fills in a big gap! >>>>>>>>>
Thanks for that information about the new Zvezda T-90-
as well as the FSM Cookie Sewell article.
Seems the February 2001 issue is one of the few issues I did not buy that year.