While I’m working on the M60A2 and M1 (on this one are missing the figures and still some details besides the base), I started working on another kit, a T-55 (Frankestein), let me explain, a friend of mine gave me an old trumpeter kit of the Finnish model of the tank, but the turret, several other details and tracks were missing, but he gave me also a Tamiya turret and a PE set of the same model, for several years I did not know what to do with it, but since I was already working by some years on a diorama set in Berlin during the crisis of '61, this one, but with only an M48 (Gen. Lee) and a scratch built M59, an M38A1 and a Beetle, but this is another story
…so I wanted to create a small scene of the same period but seen from the Soviet side, so I thought of backdating the T-55 in T-54, I’m absolutely not an expert on Russian vehicles, in fact I don’t know anything, so I used the Miniart instructions as a guide, correct? I don’t know, but this kit as well as for the M60A2 is made without any pretensions.
These are the images of the various works done on the kit, I defined it Frankenstein because of the miscellany of the brands from which it is composed, Trumpeter for the hull and lower turret, Tamiya for the upper turret, Miniart for the road wheels and the tracks, Eduard for PE set, plus various copies of pieces obtained in resin.
I remind you that I made the kit without any pretensions, so forgive me for any mistakes, I will add the flowers to the finished work, along with some figures, this figure I’m preparing, an old Dragon one (soviet WW2) with arms from another kit and modified in the pose
I hope so and thanks, it’s a bit difficoult due the bad quality of the plastic, also the tamiya glue is not very effective on this material, every now and then the arms of the torsion bars come off, the plastic is really weird.
I just wonder if the infantry figure should have an AK 47 not a PPSh? I know some of the East German units still had PPSh at (roughly) this time but feel pretty sure that regular Soviet troops were fully equipped with AKs.
No - quite agree (as I noted the East Germans were still using them): I wasn’t too sure what your figure would end up as. May I recommend Hornet Heads if you need an East German one.
I’ll continue to follow this with no small interest.
Hi all, question for experts, watching the pics of the period the tow cables looks like wrapped up with that i think to be white paper, what do you think about it?
I shouldn’t think so; it wouldn’t make much sense. I imagine that as these tanks were fairly new pieces of kit that the colour contrast in the pic just reflects that the cables are new and it’s just the shiny steel-sort of thing. I suspect that the Soviet garrison were also aware of their representational status and kept their vehicles up to scratch, as indeed did the Allied contingents.
I understand what you mean about tow cables, I too imagined they were new and that’s why I thought they were wrapped in (oiled) paper to prevent rust and just installed on the tank, it was my idea, too white in my opinion to be a reflection of the steel but I could be wrong (for sure)
Thanks for the link, this signal are perfect for my other diorama, same place but from allied side, but already did the checkpoint sign
another idea, what if it was part of a “decoration” like those used during the victory parades on red square in Moscow? looking at the photos I notice the hook which is colored in white, at least I think, and perhaps the cable could have been “wrapped” with something white, enlarging the photo it does not seem painted, the surface is too irregular, just my impression
