Everything you’ve heard about the Trump T55 series is probably true, it’s dimensionally off, soft detail, weird plastic, etc. I got this one as a gift, had the friuls around already, and wanted to build it anyway. Some of the details are just plain fiction, but with the old Verlinden book on the Tirans and a couple of other pics, I jumped in. I had a very old Eduard etch set for the Esci T55, and a couple of pieces almost fit…
There’s a lot of detail approximated with plastic rod and other shapes, which I’ll bring out with paint (hopefully). Almost ready for paint…
Startiing with the Tamiya kit would have been so much easier, but heck, a gift comes with a challenge, right?
Looks pretty good from here. Last time I built one of the Trumpeter T-55s, I ended up replacing most of the lower hull. Then the model met with an accident, and I’ve had the Tamiya one sitting in the stash for some time now waiting [:)]
I can’t tell from your pictures, but did you add the fuel lines to the tanks?
I tried to cover up the error in the hull depth by lowering the suspension arms so thatthe road wheels covered the same amount of the hull sides as in pics of actual tanks. It sure would have been easier to use the Tamiya kit…
The fuel lines are there, I used .020" steel wire. They don’t show up in the pics at all.
Yeah I couldn’t see much from the pics, but sounds like you used a good wire for it. They’re usually way overscale in other models.
When I finished mine, I was actually really happy with it. It certainly looks the part. Are you planing on picking up the Tamiya one eventually? I can’t wait until I get around to it, in a nice two-tone camo job.
Oh yes, the Tamiya kit is definitely on the list, more than once. I have yet to do something that I can really chip up and show some seriously worn paint, and a Lebanese T55 is just the choice. Maybe even an Egyptian Marine unit…
Yours looks good. Whose tracks and blade did you use?
Nah, it doesn’t look good. When I built it years ago, I was super happy with it, because of all the dirt and grime. Now I just want a nice clean, more refined build.
The tracks are fruils, and will be migrated over to the Tamiya offering when I build it. The blade is actually from Trumpeter.
I can understand wanting to re-do a particular subject. Some of the models I did years ago aren’t quite so pleasing to me now. In fact, most of them find their way into the hands of friends’ kids.
Loader’s MG, commander’s MG mount, and fender hold-down springs added. Almost ready for paint!
I went ahead and used the Trump .30, but the .50 was a little off so that one will be Acad. Antennae were made from those tag retainers that come on new clothes, and “balls” at the tops are white glue.
The Trumpeter T-54/55s are certainly a serious modeling challenge. I know…[blkeye] But you have made it look pretty easy! I cant wait to see this one finished! I do like what the Israelis did with their Tirans.
thats cool rbaer,i’ve been looking for a t-55 to model since i saw a movie called “the beast” it had one of the baldwin brothers in it and it was about a russian tank crew on the run in afganastan, cool flick never got around to picking one up but i’m gonna look for the tamiya one now.
Thanks, Tony. I hope to actually start the new year off with a completed model, and this one is close. It’s going well enough that I’m maintaining interest in it, and also want to see a finished end-result.
