T-72 Skirts.

Modeling Subjects Armor
1

Working on a 1/35 T-72 and I’m wondering about the colors of the rubber side skirts.

Now most of the pictures on the net show the skirts as plain black rubber, although a few appear to have been painted green (or brown) to match the rest of the vehicle.

Since I am doing a two-tone desert camo I am torn between three options:

1-Black skirts (seen this in photos)

2-One-tone skirts to match the base color of the tank (Seen this in photos)

3-Two-toneskirts to match both colors of the rest of the vehicle. ( Have not seen this…)

Ideas?

2

The black skirts would make a nice contrast. In all modern pictures of late era T-72 and T-90 tanks they have been painted to match the camo- 2 tone and even 3 tone.

It’s really up to your personal taste, but if you want to make a recent T-72 (1990’s-200) paint them camo color.

3

What version of T-72 are you building?.. if you want to see a T-72 with two-colored skirts, here you have one (in fact there are three colors: black, sand and green), and they are T-72B-1, aka T-72M-2 (like the Dragon kit):

Well, I think that the black skirts are most situable for a parade vehicle… Hope this help.

4

Look on the web site tanxheaven and go to reference pictures. Once there look under the different T72 files. There are desert and european paint schemes. All with the painted skirts. Greg

5

I checked out Tanxheaven first of all, and while there were a zillion pics, I couldnt find one with painted skirts…unless I missed it. (most likely)

Zero, the photo you found is perfect. I just wanted confirmation that such a thing existed. Im building an Iraqi T-72M1 version. Its the Hobby Craft kit which has some problems, but it came together nicely and will look better with a nice wash.

Ill post pics when complete.

6

So it’s an Iraqi T-72M-1… Well, here’s a couple of pics of this version:

Hope this helps…

7

Nice…very nice. Thats going to be quite helpful. Where’s you find the pics from?

8

They are scans from the Osprey’s book T-72 Main Battle Tank 1974-93… the other “desert camo” T-72’s in the book are from Iran and Kuwait.

9

Does anyone have pics of Syrian T-72s circa invasion of lebanon 1982?

10

I did a Hobbycraft T72 as well and painted the skirts the same as the vehicle. For a cheap kit, I really liked the way it came out. (Iraqi, Desert sand color) I made my own sand paint mix and it looks awesome. Unfortunately I am unable to post pics.
My HobLob sold out of the Hobbycraft/trumpeters or I would buy more. They’re not the best by far, but affordable and fun if you’re not to big a stickler for detail.
Paint them skirts however you wish.

-60

11

As Tankmaster said, a black skirt would contrast the vehicle nicely, but just make sure to ‘fade’ the paint considerably.

12

Well I appreciate all the advice and information greatly. You guys really know how to come through for a fellow.

Ive decided to go with the painted skirts since most of the Iraqi phots I have seen do not have the black rubber. (either painted, or removed completely.)

I’m close to getting finished, and am 95% pleased. The wash gave me some problems, and I need to learn how to ‘scratch up’ my armor better as well.

Unfortuantely, I lent my digital camera out and wont get it back for a week. I’ll post pics then.

:slight_smile: