OK, this restoration is finished (mostly)! I got it all painted up, with just a touch of weathering. This was originally built as a vehicle ID model, so I kept it pretty clean. I did add a couple of lenses from SKP for the lights. The tracks were a problem. After commenting about not liking the original, inaccurate, T-62 tracks, Wade was kind enough to send me a set of vinyl tracks from Tamiya’s T-72. When I went to glue them together, one of them ripped. This was the first time I ever had any problem with Tamiya tracks. I did get it glued back together, but the joint is very weak, so I added a couple staples for extra support. Then when I went to install them, they didn’t fit! Apparently, the wheelbase (is that even the correct term for a tank?) for the Tamiya T-62 is longer than the T-72. Comparing the two tracks side by side confirmed this: the T-72 track fits inside the T-62 track.
So I ended up taking a pair of sprue nippers and cutting out the side bits from the T-62 tracks to make them look like RMSH tracks.
Later I may replace these with some indy link tracks. I have some, but they a for some other projects. Once I finish those, the leftovers can be used here.
I also took a few pics of this next to my more recent project, the Kuwaiti M-84. I think it hold up pretty well compared to the newer, more accurate kits.
One thing I did notice on mine, because it was based on the Tamiya T-62 kit, the turret is too far forward. I had no way of knowing that at the time. Here the hulls are lined up:
And here the turrets/guns are lined up:
A small difference, but it is there. Otherwise, it is pretty close. All in all, I am quite happy with how it came out, especially for when I built it!
Ken