Trumpeter/Taigen hybrid T-34/76 (obr. 1942 model)

[HERMAN BIX]

The mission begins.
I discovered that Australia Post found a way to break the barrel from the Clark recoil unit.
I will need to get into the turret to see if I can fix it.
Just to feel I’m doing something to carry on Mr RAMINATOR’s superb work , I’ve got onto the equally amazing printed early road wheel set.
Found it amusing to spray the primer on( only had red oxide) only to see the wheels tear of in every direction due to being so light. I have only painted metal roadwheels before now !!
Got them and the hub caps primed after chasing them all over the place.
Now masked the running face of the steel centre wheels.
I will brush the colour on and seal each wheel to try to offer some resilience to the metal tracks.

[HERMAN BIX]

I managed to pull off a colour match to Mr Raminators take on the 4BO.
Using a roughly 60/40% blend of XF-81 RAF2 green and XF-4 yellow Green(which is VERY yellow) the wheels and auxiliary fuel tanks now match the rest of this magnificent machine.
While its so very much too clean and straight for a normal one of mine, I intend to honor the intent with which it was built as a newly de-trained arrival into the Kursk salient just before Prokhorovka
I will get a bit of dust pigment onto it, and a(for me) light wash just to give it a bit of depth.
No dinged guards, no scrapes, no bent grab handles.............maybe a wooden crate strapped to the side, but nothing war-weary.(how will I cope )

Later, a couple of good crew figures, and if I can, a rider or three !

The sound set is as to be expected from an Elmod board, outstanding, and the big speaker that Mr Raminator put in certainly belts out the 8 Russian patriotic tunes & tank sounds for sure !
Had the kids scrambling to see what the hell was making the noise this time of night.
Sure does make it difficult to hear a standard H/L old board now without some regret.........

[HERMAN BIX]

As I just uploaded these pictures, Ive noticed the steel centre wheels look like they have tyres on them!!
This is not the case, but I used a very dark pencil to rub the appearance of the contact area on them & it looks too dark.
They dont appear that dark in reality, so I might just run it for a bit & see how it goes.
The printed wheel set that Mr Raminator made went together like machined parts.
Zero slop, and the hub caps snapped into place.

(Sorry in advance Mr Ram)I would encourage any of you that have a need for correct wheels for a T34 build to get your order in

I have applied a dusting of Europe Earth pigment to it which is yet to be fixed, and I am going to try a method that Mr Mcq11 uses to fix pigments by spraying a seal coat over it & see how it goes.
I am still looking at it in comparison to my other models & focus on the straight guards & unblemished paint !...............telling myself its just off the train, driven to the assembly area & has not seen action yet , every tank began new at some point eh

[Estnische]

every tank began new at some point eh

No way! There was a special squad of Babushkas at Glorious Motherland Factory with straw brooms who beat the crap out of the T34s before they left the yard...

[HERMAN BIX]

!!
I bet both of those in the image can be considered weapons !!
I have a 26yo Russian Girl that works with us, she arrived here aged 9, I occasionally warn her when she gives me a serve that there is a very finite window for "the happy times" and watch out for the future, as it may not end very glamorously

I gave the pigment a shot of mat seal & it just failed miserably.
In a good way though, there is zero evidence of any pigment
That said, it did completely match all the paint as one, so my shade and Mr Raminators now are indistinguishable.
I dont have any specific pigment fixer, so I either get some, or find another way.

[HERMAN BIX]

Great news, repaired the broken barrel where it attaches to the recoil mechanism.
Thanks to Mr Raminators Swiss-watch engineering skills, the turret came apart by virtue of magnets, and the entire gun assembly could them be accessed.
There is an acrylic section inside the recoil mechanism that I had to drill out carefully to 4.8mm and them after punching out the LED flash bulb, drilled the end of the barrel to match.
I superglued a short section of brass tube into the recoil, and after feeding the flash bulb back through, did the same to the barrel onto the protruding tube.
Reinstated all the plugs into his mini circuit board and Chantelle's your Aunt that used to be Uncle Bob

I am just listing to a stirring rendition of 8 motivational tunes out of it now to celebrate

[HERMAN BIX]

Almost done
A little bit of pencil polishing here and there & that’ll do pig, that’ll do!
My only tank that can play me a concert while I’m working on it !

[Raminator]

Hell yeah! Great work Herman, you really nailed the dusty look. It looks like it's fresh off a forced march, straight from the train. It's going to fit in nicely with the rest of your collection!

[HERMAN BIX]

Thanks mate, it’s strange that despite it being “my tank” now, I can’t bring myself to do anything that may disrespect it’s intent from when you put it together.
Ive added a scale ammo crate out of wood I had, and a small tarp from remnants of StuG stowage soaked in diluted PVA , painted with flat black and khaki, held on with embroidery yarn in a suitable colour.
Pencil. Rubbing on the handles , a bit of diesel spill here & there in the right places and that’s it.

The dusting was a wash wiped off on application, with a bit of Mig Europe earth pigment into the crevasse’s as appropriate.

I’m just happy to have it and it will indeed have a special place in the collection.