Wings' T90 Build log

[Wings0fPlague]

Hi all!

I've purchased the Heng Long T90, and will be doing a conversion to a Ukranian/captured model.

Starting my first build log, this will start out slow as the tank hasn't arrived yet - but, I've started planning and modelling for parts that I will fit to the vehicle.

First part will be the Rubber skirts on the frontal lower plate of the hull. This has been seen on T90A's in Ukraine, and I love the way this looks;


I tried looking around to see if anyone else had made these, but I couldn't find much, so I've started modelling my own.

The T90A has these large bolts just in-front of the entrenching tool, and from the images I can find, this appears to be where the skirts should attach to.

front lower plate.PNG (664.55 KiB) Viewed 629 times

These are also modelled on the Heng Long T90, so once the actual tank arrives, I will be able to take the measurements I need to finish the digital model and prepare it for fabrication.


This is the main bracket that I will need to fabricate; The current plan is to print these from resin, but I am open to suggestions.

bracket.PNG (81.74 KiB) Viewed 629 times

The plan is to have 4 of them mounted as such;

bracketsmounted.PNG (460.02 KiB) Viewed 629 times

and with the rubber sheeting, it will look something akin to this;

rubberskirt.PNG (438.43 KiB) Viewed 629 times

I've bought 0.5mm rubber sheeting, as this works out exactly the right thickness, the thickness of this rubber skirt on the T80U is 8cm, and to scale, that works out the right size.
If this proves too thin to hold shape or similar, I will look at getting thicker. I've not worked with this rubber sheeting before, so I will need to see how it works out.

I've also purchased the Torro 1/16 photo etched copper grilles for the T72/90, some scale tow ropes and some camo netting for the barrel.

I will keep updating with the progress when the tank eventually arrives.

Cheers,
Wings

[HERMAN BIX]

Oh please do post a link to the mesh/intake grilles you used.
I cant see them on the Torro site.

Id go with brass for those front skirt mounts.
They are very exposed & when running Id say resin might be too britle.

[Wings0fPlague]

That's a good point on the brittleness of the resin.
I'll look at brass for them, sure. Do you recommend any specific grade? not done anything with brass before.

I purchased the mesh/grilles here; https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/285333150352

[HERMAN BIX]

K & S Metals brass is well good enough.
If you can find it.
Making small strips out of large sheet will work.

Thanks for that ebay link, I need some of those P.E. sets.

[Pavel]

Here it is useful to read why this skirt was made...


https://topwar.ru/196018-zachem-t-80u-r ... ashne.html

[tankme]

K & S Metals brass is well good enough.
If you can find it.
Making small strips out of large sheet will work.

Thanks for that ebay link, I need some of those P.E. sets.

Torro purchased a bunch of those PE grill sheets from Trumpeter and has been selling them as a separate part for quite sometime. It's the same PE sheet in the Trumpeter T72 static kits.

[Meter rat]

Two things.
How did I miss this?
Secondly, Pavel. What language is the article written in? I suspect Russian?

[King Tigerman]

Hi,
I am very interested in your T90 captured Russian tank, turned into a Ukrainian T90A, as I am looking at doing the same to a Heng Long T90.

The Heng Long T90 does need a fair bit done to it to lift it from its toy like features to something more hobby grade.

[Wings0fPlague]

@Meter rat
Yeah, that article is in russian. It's about the skirts primarily on the T80, being used to protect from dust ingestion in the engine, particularly when driving in a convoy.

The tank is due to arrive tomorrow, I have reworked the design for the skirt bracket to be made from sheet metal, I am likely going to use some sheet tin, or the copper mentioned by Herman above. I'll make a post about all that as I prototype designs. The rubber, flag and camo netting has arrived, just waiting on the tow ropes and metal grilles.

[HERMAN BIX]

I'll be watching this to see how it progresses.
Get into ér Mr Plague, we all need a new version of a T-90