Soviet Fast Tanks BT in 1/35 Scale

The next topic of kitography was the family of Soviet pre-war BT light tanks. As always, I start from Scalemates , which contains a lot of information on models of all eras, scales and directions. The only thing is that he does not give quite complete information, there are many blank spots. We have already established mutually beneficial cooperation - he provides the outline and direction, I return the fully completed section to him.

I post the same material on the Panzer35 forum (in Russian) and on my website “… in Mirror 1/35 Scale” (in Russian and English).

At the end of the work, as before in others, I will demonstrate the “before” and “after” states.

Resin kits

The pioneer in this area is the American company Lunar Models , which existed in the period 1986 - 2008. Basically, she, in accordance with the name, specialized in all kinds of space affairs, but at the beginning of her activity she released the BT-7 model, which I will start with,

011 BT-7
LUNAR-MODELS-WW-II-BT-7-RUSSIAN-SOVIET-CALVARY-TANK-RESIN-MODEL-TANK-KIT-300x3011

A review of the set was published in the March and April 1990 issues of Military Modeler magazine.

The quality of the kit, according to Michael Bedard “This was a horrible kit. Lots of air bubbles, brittle resin, dimensions off by quite a lot and missing detail.” , while their later products appeared to be decent enough, I’m inclined to date this set to 1987.

Next in the chronological line of Scalemates is the product of the Japanese Fairy Kikaku and I am inclined to agree with this, but move the release dates 10 years earlier: not “199*”, but “198*”. In this, I will help the only temporary reference to the Japanese modelist TF Manliko, which in his blog it writes: "フェアリー 企画 と いう メーカー メーカー は ご存じ ない 方 も と と 思い ます が, 1980 年代 に に 11/35 の レジン キット 何 何 種類か出していたようです。このBT7(通常型砲塔と傾斜型砲塔の2種)… [ As many of you may not know, Fairy Planning seems to have released several types of 5 resin 1/3 sets in the 1980s. This is BT7 (two types, normal turret and tilted turret)… ]

Well, the “small” omission of Scalemates is that there was not one resin set, but four, namely:

3 BT-5
3-BT-5-300x1941

5 BT 42
5-Rare-Fairy-Project-135-BT-42-Tank-Composite-Material-Kit-Super-Unprecedented-Price-Finnish-Army-7-300x2101

6 BT-7 2
6-Germany-Tanks-BT-7.2-RESIN-METAL-MODEL-KIT-FAIRY-JAPAN-300x2141

8 BT-7 1 Finish Defence Force
8-FAIRY-Model-BT-7-1-Military-Model-Kit-300x2111

Another resin kit manufacturer listed by Scalemates is the Scottish-based Accurate Armour Ltd with a product

K42L BT7 M1937 Late Pattern Model 1937 Turret
K42L-Box-300x1801

that’s just the twin of this set is not listed on the site

K42E BT7 M1937 Early Pattern Model 1935 Turret
K42E-Box-300x1811

At the same time, these are some kind of Siamese twins because they have one instruction for two.

K42-BT-7-Instruction_Страница_01-300x4121

the release date is correct, as confirmed by an article in Model Military magazine from March 2013. This is also confirmed by comrade Scenarist on the pages of Panzer35 , where he questions the scale of the model: " Модель не поподает в 35тый маштаб, она заметно меньше(есле ее увиличить в 35 раз то она будет меньше прототипа на 38 саантиметров!),для сравнения сфоткал с бт-7а в 35маштабе. [The model does not fit into the 35th scale, it is noticeably smaller (if it is enlarged 35 times, it will be 38 cm smaller than the prototype!), For comparison, I took a picture with bt-7a in 35 scale.]"

3321887-300x1951

The Spanish KMR also has one resin set on the topic

RT-020 Carro Medio BT-5 TU
KMR-Raretanks-BT-5-TU-300x1931

The set is not dated. Personally, based on the feeling and dating of other products of this company, I am inclined to attribute it to 1992.

So the resin sets on Scalemates ran out. But since my text continues, it means I have something else to show.

I’ll start with the oldest, in my opinion, resin set from the German Karo-As Modellbau

KA/EP-35.15 BT-5 / BT-7
Soviet-Tank-BT-5-BT-7-300x1871

Under the name of the company, one can also consider the name of the country - W. Germany, and since 1990 such a country has disappeared. So I date on the verge of 1989. As always, apart from box art, there is nothing else.

It is very interesting why the work of the American MB Models is missing?

MB-1073 Soviet BT-7 Fast Tank Model 1935
MB1073-Dew-BT-7-300x1091

MB-1089 Soviet BT-7 Fast Tank Model 1937
MB-Models-Soviet-BT-7-Fast-Tank-Model-1937-Complete-Resin-Kit-MB-1089-300x1071

These can be safely pushed back to 1994.

And that’s why there is no information about the products of the Ural Sokol on Scalemates is just clear.

BT-42
Уральский Сокол БТ-42 финская САУ на базе БТ-7 кит Ручная работа смола+белый металл 3

BT-7А
Уральский Сокол танк БТ-7А (с пушкой КТ-28) кит Ручная работа смола+белый металл   6

BT-7
Уральский Сокол танк БТ-7 (с конической башней) кит Ручная работа смола+белый металл 5

Who would know in the West about the Siberian company!

I have already said that the main material of these sets is not metal, as expected in appearance, but resin with silver added. I think it would be appropriate to attribute them to 1993. It may not be entirely accurate, but they are certainly from that era.

There are several more prefabricated models from an unusual material in this scale - paper. In general, there are enough paper models, but they are on a different scale and are not interesting to me. The only thing that does not allow me to include them in the catalog is the note that they are assembled without glue, on some latches.


There is an even more exotic model - entirely made of bronze

“Only” $300 and it’s yours!

Since this thing is certainly not a team, I definitely won’t add it to the catalog.

PS I would be grateful for any additions, pictures of the kits shown, or items that I have missed on the topic covered.

To be continued…

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Interesting compilation, thanks for making the effort.
It is appreciated, facts about tanks from CCCP and Russia are a little bit harder to get than data about tanks here in the west

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BT line from Zvezda

The era of resin BT tank kits ended in 1992, when the Russian Zvezda released the first plastic kit.

3507 BT-5 Soviet Light Tank (mod.1933)
3507 Сборная модель советского лёгкого танка бт-5 1

This is the first 1/35 scale buildable tank model produced in Russia using high pressure plastic injection molding technology.

And although according to Russian tradition: " there is a small break between the first (glass) and the second ( glass) " - the break at Zvezda between BT-5 and BT-7 was 10 years.

3545 BT-7 Soviet Light Tank with crew of 4
3545 модель танк БТ-7 и 4 танкиста

Due to some marketing frills, they added sprues of one of their first sets of figures.

Apparently, the kit was not produced in the period 2009-2013, and in 2014 it was presented as a novelty, but already without a crew.

And it is right! I had this set of figurines. And it was even very useful - I covered the damaged hatch on the T-24 with a mechanical driver (it was no longer possible to make it closed, and if you open it, it is empty there).

But I won’t recommend it to anyone.

The release of the BT-5 model by Zvezda initiated a number of repackaging and conversions based on it.

Italeri was the first to get involved in this in 1994 by simply repacking the original set

272 BT-5 Soviet Light Tank
iTALERI WW-2 RUSSIAN BT-5 SOVIET LIGHT TANK PLASTIC MODEL KIT # 272

There is currently no such set on the company’s website.

An interesting repacking was carried out by the German TVA . However, judging by the number of the set, she generally began her activity from this

01 Russian Fast Tank BT-5 Mod.33

> TVA 01 Russian Fast Tank BT-5 Mod. 33

And she did it more exquisitely: in addition to frames from Zvezda , there was a resin tower in the box for the implementation of the tank with the Mariupol tower
25940745_m

A man on a Panzer35 started to assemble this model, but in the end to make the tower completely on my own, because everything is wrong and everything is not right.

Another repacker of this model is also the German Tom Modellbrau . I will start my acquaintance with its products in this segment in the reverse order. It will become clear why later. So an experienced artillery tank

17 Soviet Artilery Tabk D-38
Soviet Artillery Tank D-38

There is not much information on it, but it’s clear: the turret is made of resin, the rest is from the Zvezda .

The next set is based on a rare prototype: models of bridgelayers are generally quite rare, according to Soviet technology - this is the second or third, and in general the only one in the BT family.

15 Russian Bridge Layer SBT
Soviet bridges Léger SBT, TOM,

There is very little information on the Internet and about it, but here you and I are lucky - I have this product. Accordingly, in haste, I made a review and placed it on another of my site fromSalekhard .

Well, the last in the presentation, but the first set in the chronology of release.

04 BT-2 Russian Fast Tank
04 BT-2 Box

The year of its release is uniquely determined by the photo-etched board (lower right corner), i.e. much earlier than Scalemates thought!

Still and manufacturers to decipher!

In this box, as well as in the others from this company, there are sprues from Zvezda with additions.

If you believe the instructions, then you can assemble one of three options: cannon, machine gun-cannon, machine gun tank.

And finally, let me draw your attention to the phrase on the box: " Moulded in Russia ".

And the last in this line of conversion repackers is the domestic Maquette .

35301 BT-2 Tank

> 35031 bOX

and his 1998 reincarnation

MQ-3565 BT-2 Light Tank
3565 Box 01

What is interesting is that in these sets, in addition to the sprues of the Zvezda , there are two identical frames each.

Each frames has a complete turret kit. Maybe this is for the construction of the mythical double-turret BT-4?

No, this is to provide a complete set of rollers.

If you pay attention to: frames are identical to Tom Modellbrau and Maquette; coincidence of modifications possible for assembly; information that the Germans poured their model in Russia, then you come to the conclusion that these sets are closely related. If the Maquette would have had the same extra frames as the Germans, one could assume a good relationship. But clearly this is not the case.

This is such a detective story in the world of models.

If anyone has information that reveals the essence, please share.

To be continued …

3 Likes

Thanks for sharing, really like the SBT, reminds me of the ST-26 but different.

I built the BT-5, boxed by Italeri, 22 years ago.
The fit wasn’t perfect but after some work I got all the gaps closed.
The tracks were very difficult.

That SBT looks interesting.

Edit: Thanks for the review of the SBT. Very informative.
The white metal frame should probably be replaced with soldered brass rods,
especially if building the bridge in a raised position. White metal and plastic will bend …

A set for ST-26 is coming to me. I will definitely do a review.

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Many years ago, I was unable to properly assemble the case. For 15 years it lay half-assembled, and only when I changed residence did I find the strength to throw it away.

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I can understand the feeling. It was a challenge and I looked at the trash bin many times …

Doubts gnawed at me. I went and rummaged through my pantry.

And, oh horror: I found this box! Without body parts, but everything else is in place. I have to say, it’s a strange feeling when you throw the same thing away twice. But the man said, the man did (it sounds better in Russian).
Interestingly, I had a set from the first issue - even with the crew. Skalemates did not have a native manual. So I made a scan of the instructions, and then threw it away.

BT line from Eastern Express

The next production line of models is longer and more uniform than the previous one, namely, sets of the BT-7 model and its modifications from Eastern Express .

35108 Tank BT-7 mod 1935 early version
Eastern-Express-35108-11

And then in order of numbers

35109 Tank BT-7 mod 1935 late version
EASTERN-EXPRESS-351091

35110 Command Tank BT-7 mod 1935
COMMAND-TANK-BT-7-M1935-LATE-VERSION-WW2-EASTERN-EXPRESS1

35111 Tank BT-7 mod 1937 early version
EASTERN-EXPRESS-EE-35111-KIT-RUSSIAN-Tank-BT-7-mod.1937-early-version1

35112 Tank BT-7 mod 1937 early version
35112Box-scaled1

35114 Tank BT-7A w/ 76 mm KT-28 gun
EASTERN-EXPRESS-351141

35115 Command Tank BT-7A
EASTERN-EXPRESS-351151

35116 Finnish SPG BT-42
5116-BT-421

On Scalemates all these sets are dated 2001. But the company’s catalog for the corresponding year gives the following picture

Indices 35108 - 35111 and 35114 - are given as already existing at the time of 2001, 35113, 35116 and 35118 - in plans for the year of catalog release. There are no indexes 35112 and 35115 at all. Absolute sadness that the company did not release a modification of the command and control vehicle and the modification of 1939 - the undoubted ancestor of another series of models.

Based on this, the following chronography seems to me: what has already been done - we attribute it to 2000, plans - to 2001, blank spots - to 2002.

Unfortunately, I did not find a catalog for 2022 and immediately after it. If anyone has catalogs or information, please share.

A mini intrigue is that only 35116 has two editions with different box art


And, according to Scalemates - this is their chronological order.

In my opinion, the opposite is true. The second box art is more in the style of all the previous ones and fits well into the overall line. And in from the other - luridly-debility falls out of this logic. It seems to me that the new artist, having released one such “masterpiece”, said goodbye to his place of work and did not have time to spoil the rest of the boxes.

Some of these sets were also repackaged by the Russian company ARC models . In her catalog of 2010-2011 there are already models

35026 Russian artillery tank BT-7A
35026Box1

35027 Russian light tank BT-7M
35027Box11

It’s very unclear why do two box art designs that differ only in the length of the title block.

Buyers could not read the title?

And almost completely redo the box art in 2013

In 2009, i.e. even before the release of models from Tamiya and HobbyBoss, which we will discuss later, a person asked: “BT-7 - which one to choose?

In a discussion, ilya from Chelyabinsk gave capacious characteristics of models from both manufacturers:

Zvezda is easier to assemble (if out of the box), there are practically no tie-downs. You don’t need to cut down the mesh to replace it. But it floats a lot in terms of accuracy. You can only assemble an early car (tracks from BT-5). The EE has more modifications, more precisely in geometry (however, many may begin to argue), but for each of the modifications it is necessary to modify the case. A large number of tightenings on large parts. As a rule, next to the rivets (that is, in the most inconvenient places). "

And AEL from Samara summed up: " from EE and Zvezda you can make a good BT-7 model of 1937

trucks and tower from EE

body and wheels from Zvezda ".

At the same time, the user VITAL_SB on the WORLDofTANK forum said that his model from the Orient Express won first place in a modeling competition in Vilnius in 2014.

This is me to the fact that decent models are obtained as a result of the commonwealth of hands, head and the original set with possible additions.

To be continued …

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BT lines from Tamiya

The next production line of BT models is short, well known to everyone and does not need a special review, because its manufacturer is the Japanese company Tamiya , which released a set in 2010

35309 Russian Tank BT-7 Model 1935

A year later, a Finnish alteration was added

35318 Finnish Army Assault Gun BT-42

Well, this trio completes

35327 Russian Tank BT-7 Model 1937

I think there is no need to describe the workmanship of Japanese kits - it is well known. But I would like to add that the good manners of Russian modeling require, at a minimum, the replacement of all bolts and rivets. Vladimir Chugunov demonstrated a vivid and qualitative example of such an approach.

BT lines from HobbyBoss

The most recent line, launched in 2018. Thank God, the manufacturer did not repeat the existing modifications, but decided to fill in the “white spots” in the range of existing models.

84514 Soviet BT-2 Tank (early)

84515 Soviet BT-2 Tank (mid)

84517 Soviet D-38 Tank

And finally, the release announced for this year

84516 Soviet BT-2 Tank (late)

Yes, the end of the review is boring and sluggish: all models are fresh and well studied. As in a detective novel, after the killer is caught, you can finish reading, but there is no intrigue.

So the complete sets of models have ended: resin, plastic and combined. As always, based on the collected material, I correct the chronological line on Scalemates. This is how it looked before my intervention.

This is how it is now

Next, we will talk about conversion kits, add-ons, decals, masks, etc. I will no longer add this to Scalemates - there are a lot of them, but I’m too lazy.

To be continued …

PS . And then again! - upon completion of all reviews and intrigues: a sequel! Comrade Echiniscus on Panzer35 complements the already finished kitography with another exhibit from the Russian Navigator .

BT-5 mod 1933 w/small aft niche of the tower and spoked wheels

As the comment says: " The kit included a Mariupol tower made of resin and a chassis with spoked rollers from Maquette . ", and if so, then this is not earlier than 1998.

It is in anticipation of such pleasant surprises that I am publishing the tedious process of forming kitography.

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Thanks for update. I have a few Tamiya 7 and Italeri 5kits. As I recall readying someplace that the Bronco track was better for the Tamiya kit and was going to use the Tamiya track on the Italeri. I think it was the pitch and run dimensions of the track that made this correct. Haven’t gotten around to it yet to reresearch the issue. Vlad’s build is very good.

Undoubtedly, considering the family of Soviet BT tanks, one cannot fail to mention its forerunner - the American Christie tank. Especially in the crosshairs of occasions: I collect kitography, and John Walter Christie was born on May 6, 1865, i.e. today, in what is now New York City. Let’s honor the memory of a brilliant, albeit a little extravagant inventor.

Of course, with all due respect to the inventor, I will only consider the M1931 modification. Well, you must admit that the Christie M1919 Medium Tank is structurally different and does not evoke good feelings in Russia.

In my opinion, it was precisely as a whole tank that we did not receive it, it would be more correct to say that we were sold a tank chassis.

I have not been able to find a resin or plastic full kit of this tank. Only the appearance of a set from Zvezda , or rather a repackaging of Italery available abroad, contributed to the appearance of resin conversions. Of course on American soil, namely a set from Commander Series Models

2-067 American T3 Christie

Another American company, MB Models , produced a kit that was surprisingly similar to the previous one.

1104 American T3 Christie

It may very well be that this is an heiress or rebranding.

This company has been gone for a long time, but its countrywoman Commander Models exists, has a website and sells its own sets, incl. and

2-002 US T-3 Christie Light Tank

But this conversion is already based on Tamiya 's BT-7. (If anyone has, send me a photo of the box. And everything else).

And maybe someone knows the relationship between these firms?

I found only one complete set of this tank from the American company again Vargas Scale Models in 3D

R3D-260 M 1931 Christie Medium Tank

She has many interesting models, incl. few other Christies.

Happy birthday John Walter Christie - descendants remember you!

PS The reduced volume has one more explanation - I’m going to Yekaterinburg in the hope of getting to the rehearsal and the parade itself, and to the retro parade in Verkhnyaya Pyshma.

2 Likes

Thanks, very interesting list.

Note that there were broken links to the site instead of the photos. I have replaced them for easier viewing.

1 Like

A great post and history of the tanks and kits. I moved it to the Reference By Subject Forum so it is easier to find.

Thank you. I was in a hurry before leaving.

Thank you. I am proud of the trust and glad that the material turned out to be interesting.

BT turrets

Turrets are a significant and important part of the tank. For BT tanks, in general, they can (with a few reservations) be a conversion kit on their own. Let’s take the BT-7 kit, replace only the turret and get, for example, the Finnish BT-42 self-propelled guns. A kit from the Finnish company JS Models will help us with this

JS10 BT-42 Turret

Things are a little more complicated with another artillery modification – BT-7A.

Here, for example, is a product of the German MR modellbau

MR-35375 BT-7A turret artillery support tank on BT-7

What’s this? Conversion (after all, there was a BT-7, but it will become a BT-7A) or an upgrade (there will still be a BT-7, it’s not in vain that they didn’t change the index on the original, just added a letter)? And by the way, which of the BT-7 from Tamiya : 1935 or 1937?

Exactly the same situation with the kit from Komplekt ZiP

35045 BT-7A Turret for Tamiya kit

With the next set, the situation is more complicated,

35046 BT-7A Turret for Zvezda, East Express kit

because with it, all previous troubles are preserved, but new ones are added. The Eastern Express has its own model BT-7A and it is in this case that the resin turret definitely turns into an upgrade.

Approximately the same situation with the BT-2 turret . If this turret is for a model of another index, then this is definitely a conversion. This fact is not explicitly stated, but is implied for the set from Ural Sokol

301 Башня БТ-2

Well, simply because when the Ural Sokol was engaged in armored vehicles on a scale of 1/35, there were no BT-2 models yet.

But the BT-2 turret from the German MR modellbau is definitely not a conversion, because it is intended for the BT-2 model from HobbyBoss

MR-35620 Soviet Fast Tank BT-2 early prod. with gun turret (HOBBY BOSS)

And the product from the American Hellcat Scale Models is not quite a turret, but its (turret) update.

Models BT-2 update set

One of the most mysterious phenomena in the T-26 and BT lines is the Mariupol turrets. Modern events show that everything is not always simple with Mariupol. Mariupol Tturret – is it a conversion or an upgrade? On the one hand, the index of the model does not change, and on the other hand, the appearance is subject to a radical change.

The pioneer in this field was the domestic one, and there were no others, Ural Sokol

306 Turret BT-5 and T-26 with a small niche

I must say that this turret does not let Russian aftermarket producers sleep straight. Domestic Orugeinik in 2012 released as many as two sets with different masks

OR35as3508 Turret BT-5 (Mariupol plant, with a weld mask)

OR35as3509 Turret BT-5 (Mariupol plant, with a stamped mask)

In 2020, Russian L-Model released

3507 Mariupol Turret for BT tank (for HobbyBoss 84515)

And another Ukrainian trace in the BT turret from the Polish PanzerArt

RE35-645 BT-7 Up armored turret (Odessa dockyard)

There are kits to replace and normal turrets. And they are not released one at a time.

Here is the German MR modellbau released a set

MR-35377 turret BT-7 Mod.1937 & BT-7M update (TAMIYA)

Then thought a little more, added a turret and released a different set

MR-35378 BT-7 Mod. 1937 turret with anti-aircraft machine gun mount

The Canadian Hussar did the same.

HSR 35023 BT-7 Conical Turret (for Tamiya)

There is not even a mention of this set on the official website at the moment.

Then they added a stern machine gun to it, their own shells and their own etched turret, received the following set

HSR 35024 BT-7 1937 Turret roof with MG and Ammo

But the Russian Komplekt ZiP has advanced further and more than anyone else in this direction, thinking hard and releasing as many as 8 kits.

35026 BT-7 Conical turret with machine gun in the aft niche for Tamiya kit

35027 BT-7 Conical turret with machine gun in the aft niche for Zvezda, East Express kit

35028 BT-7 Conical turret for Tamiya kit

35029 BT-7 Conical turret for Zvezda, East Express kit

35030 BT-7 Conical turret with rear machine gun and turret for Tamiya kit

35031 BT-7 Conical turret with rear machine gun and turret for Zvezda, East Express kit

35032 BT-7 Conical turret with turret for Tamiya kit

35033 BT-7 Conical turret with turret for Zvezda, East Express kit

A terrible thing, I thought, and decided to bring everything into one table

And it all became much easier. There is one turret, just in two versions for a specific manufacturer. They added a rear machine gun – two more sets, added a separate anti-aircraft gun – two more sets. They made both machine guns at the same time – two more sets. And you were afraid!

This riddle has been sorted out, but there are still a few left:

In 2011, HobbyPlanet ‘s plans to make a BT-2 resin full kit were discussed on the pages of the Panzer35 website. Apparently it didn’t work out.

Last year, the L-model posted a photo of the finished prototype of the correction turreton the D-38 from HobbyBoss

The finished commercial product did not come across to me.

The German MR modellbau has another set with two turrets at once

MR-35034 Turrets for BT-5 Model 1933/BT-5A C.S. Tank (2 turrets) [ZVEZDA]

Moreover, on the official website and in general on the network there is nothing but this picture. Freaks! The name indicates that the kit is for the Zvezda , in the annotation on the site – for the Zvezda and Tamiya .

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BT wheels

The next noticeable part of the tank is its chassis. It is clearly divided into two components - rollers and tracks. Thank God, there is no conversion / upgrade dualism here - everything here is a replacement for the factory one.

Let’s start with the rollers, because, as we know, it is this tank that can do without tracks.

One of the fairly recent products is a set from the Russian A-Resin

35025 BT-2 Chassis

But the kits from the Japanese Modeling Artisan Mori , on the contrary, are quite old.

MRP06 Drive sprokets for BT-5 & BT-7

MRP09 BT-7 late type Drive sprokets

In addition, they are no longer produced (not even listed on the site), but are still being sold.

Polish Panzer Art launches a set of wheels without rubber bands

RE35-16 Burn out Wheels for Soviet BT-7 Tank

Well, another octet from the Russian Komplekt ZiP

35042 Chassis Bt-5 BT-7 for Zvezda kit

35051 Chassis Bt-5 BT-7 for East Express kit

35052 Chassis Bt-2, BT-5 for Zvezda kit

35070 BT-7 Road wheels without rubber band for Tamiya, East Express

35071 Chassis Bt-7 for Tamiya kit

35072 Chassis BT-7 for East Express kit

35073 BT-7 Road wheels without rubber band for Zvezda

35074 Chassis BT-7 for Zvezda

That’s like everything. Not very much.

While we have not gone far from the skating rinks, let’s look at the masks for painting them. The Polish QuickWheel with its reusable products is an undoubted phenomenon in this field.

QW-051 Wheel Mask BT-7 Zvezda

QW-095 Wheel Mask BT-7 Tamiya

QW-257 Wheel Mask BT-2 HobbyBoss

The rest of the companies produce masks in the traditional, paper form. This is Czech Eduard

XT166 BT-7 wheel masks

Russian SX-Art

35027 Paint Mask BT-7 (Tamiya)

Well, of course, we couldn’t do without the Russian Komplekt ZiP here either.

63000 Tank bandages BT-7 (Zvezda 3545)

63006 Tank bandages BT-5 (Zvezda 3507)

Another Russian Microdisign in some of its kits gives an etched stencil, but more on that later

I myself am a rather lazy person, so at least ask my wife, but with such a device

I cover all my needs in this area. Moreover, I have a couple of them - it’s convenient to cut the rings: set it up and know yourself to wind the circles!

Why buy masks - I do not understand. But that’s my personal opinion.

PS Not all riddles I have listed in previous issues. There is still. Does anyone have an idea what might be listed under the designation BT-3 in the product of the American Commander Series Models ?

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Tracks BT

If we talk about tracks, then for sure you need to start with the Hungarian Friulmodel

ATL-074 BT-7

Since the Hungarians do not cover the entire required range, the Hong Kong Spade Ace Models comes to the rescue.

SAT-35069 BT-2/BT-5

SAT-35070 BT-7

and Ukrainian Sector35 with a traditionally double set of tracks

ST 3520 BT-7, 5, 2

ST 3520- SL BT-7, 5, 2

Let me remind you: the suffix “SL” in the commodity index means tracks already assembled into a tape, and if there is no index, then you have to assemble it yourself. But it’s cheaper that way.

Well, the Russian MasterClub closes this metal area

MTL35031 BT-2 BT-5

MTL3503 2 BT-7

For those who are struggling with the choice of metal tracks for BT-7 from Tamiya, there is a little hint on the PMMS website.

In addition to tracks in metal, the company has (or had) resin products

MC135031W BT-5

MC13503 2CL BT-5

Here, the suffixes also carry a deep meaning: “CL” from the word clik, i.e. collected “on click” and what “W” means I have no idea.

The Russian Oruzheynik still has resin tracks

OR35as014 BT-7 Trucks (Late type for Tamiya and Eastern Express)

Of course, here we can not do without the domestic Komplekt ZiP !

35043 BT-7 Tracks late

35044 BT-2 - BT-5 Tracks

35075 BT-2, 5, 7 Additional grouser “Shpora” (20 pcs)

And it remains for us to consider the last hypostasis of the track triad - plastic tracks. The Japanese ModelKasten is a permanent participant in this activity. She has sets from the last century with single-letter indexes.

K-24 BT-7 Soviet Fast Tank

and sets of this century with indexes on SK

SK-62 B.T. (Late type)

When planning to use tracks from this company, you should always go to the set page and look at the compatibility table. For example, this kit is suitable for all kits from Eastern Express and Zvezda , as well as for BT-42 from Tamiya, but for BT-7 from the same Tamiya - only if the metal asterisk is supposedly included in the kit. But I didn’t see her there!

And finally, plastic tracks from the Chinese Bronco

AB3564 Soviet BT-7 Fast Tank Mod.1937 Workable Track Link Set

The track-link forum has a very brief overview of these tracks and a small comparison with competitors.