Conversely, the T-64 sort of does it for me! Probably because I was around when it was introduced into the Group of Soviet Forces Germany, and the concomitant shock-waves throughout NATO as its capabilities emerged piecemeal.
Fast, special armour, large gun, and so on. Ultimately duplicated in the T-72 I know, but at the time T-64 was the bogeyman.
I’ve only ever built the Skif models but that still worked for me(!)
Further to my earlier joy at receipt of the Chrysler TV-8, I’ve now assembled a few more pics; the kit comes in two stout boxes, all components well protected by bubble-wrap, and in zip-loc bags. I’ve not much to add beyond Darren’s report within the Kit News section so these pics really augment his:
But I am looking very forward to tackling this one.
I thought the T64 was a disaster and quickly withdrawn from service. Wasn’t this the one with the automatic shell case ejection system that was so dangerous, crews disabled it?
Now I want a petulant almond for myself.
They were used until the Soviet Union fell apart and beyond, and are still in use today in Ukraine.
It certainly had a protracted development and introduction into service; I believe that in the Western MD (of the Soviet Union) where it was first introduced, factory personnel worked with the crews to get things right. The training bill was quite high as it was so sophisticated. There were several reported accidents whereby the automatic loader would try and stuff body parts into the breech, but it became the principal MBT of GSFG, replacing T-62. T-72 was a parallel development (I think in case T-64 didn’t/wouldn’t work), but that became the replacement for T-55. Unlike just about every other Sov MBT, T-64 was only ever used by Soviet forces.
The whole Sov procurement saga of the 70s/80s is a bit strange as they ended up with 3 tanks in service all of which had similar, almost identical, characteristics - T-64, T-72 and T-80.
There is an interesting story whereby a BRIXMIS team broke into some tank sheds in East Germany and used a key that had been made from overhead pics of a hatch taken on a railway flat, manufactured by some arcane department in MOD to spring open the turret. They then set to photographing everything they could inside, but dropped a Brit Army-issue torch into the depths as they did so. Realising that this would be a bit of a giveaway that the Sov’s prize equipment had been violated they had no option but to retrieve it, which, they eventually did, but it gave them a nasty moment.
The key is on display in the Intelligence Corps museum:
I’m assuming you’re referring to the TV-8 Doug? If so, what a brilliant name! It sounds like it could be the cover name for such a beast coming into service - you know the sort of thing:
“Operation Petulant Almond saw the introduction this unique vehicle into US forces in Germany in 1959”.
Priceless!
Haha! Yeah. 
I was being silly but it does look like an almond…or an armored shuttlecraft parked on a tracked maintenance carrier.
I first encountered the TV-8 in the mid 2000s. For 1950’s technology, the ballistic shape is excellent. The problem is that the design puts all the vital bits of the vehicle high up. In essence, a TV-8 cannot fight hull down.
I may purchase one. It looks like an easy build.
Of course, everyone in the turret (although this design put everything in the turret) makes sense when considering NBC protection; this was also the rationale for the later MBT-70 I understand.
It does look weird, but he more I look at it the more interesting it looks. My plans - sketchy at the moment - are to try and make the abnormal look normal, as though say, it was in service/on trials as a prototype. That way I can have fun adding bits and pieces as I please, yet hopefully make it still plausible, though I’m not too sure how plausible one can make such an astonishing design anyway!
The fit and details are superb I feel, and it almost clicks together as perhaps some of my images show.
I would estimate it’s not much higher than say, Soviet tanks of the period, but as you highlight, fighting it - ie fighting with it - might identify new problems.
As it’s firmly within the What-If category, I cannot help but envisage further developments: a 105mm perhaps? later colour schemes - Bundeswehr Brown even? The trouble with this hobby!
Some kind of low profile machine gun turret on the “roof” to defend against infantry?
There are 2 x apertures forward of the hatches which I think are for machine guns, though they are fixed so are a sort of coax I believe. I plan to fit .30 Brownings there though whether or not they would have protruded I don’t quite know:
The kit instructions would indicate that the barrels didn’t but I sort of feel that if I don’t have them as such then no-one will appreciate what those apertures are!
There is a .50 MG further back to be fitted on the circular mount aft of the hatches; this is a remote sponson-mounted version of the M85 - I think. The kit comes with 2 x MG barrels which appear to be M85s but if that’s what they are, then they are a fair bit over-scale; this is the only slight downside I can find with this unique model.
You can see the gun barrels and the sponson here:
The instructions show how the sponson is assembled here:
I’ve ordered 2 x brass .30 barrels and an M85 one.
Ironically, since they were manufactured in Ukraine according to Wikipedia.
According to wikipedia, there were two .30 cal. MG in the turret top, coaxial:
I would also build and paint it as a test vehicle. It would look good parked next to a T29.
My only concern is the material. I have never built or painted a 3D printed model.
Me neither - yet. I have the excellent (looking) Hobby Link M59 and a Mercedes G Wagen conversion in the stash along with the TV-8 - but I haven’t constructed any. The M59 has some striation marks and there’s some very faintly visible ones on the TV-8 turret, but I’m not too bothered about them.
I’m not contemplating any great issues, or certainly not on the TV-8. The M59 is more complex - which is why I haven’t tackled it yet(!) Modelling cowardice? Yes(!)
Thanks Peter, I think that’s where I must have picked up on it from.
The M88 is a good build. If you don’t want to deal with the light guards on the headlights I suggest hitting up @Petition2God for some really good 3D printed replacements as the kit ones are a pain to work with.
Arrived yesterday. Donor for the HEMTT EPP planned for this Spring. Boy, this is quite a kit, in probably the biggest box I’ve received. Pity alot of it will be left in the box.
The EPP set is priced at $150 US, so with shipping it’ll be about $260 Canadian. With a/m wheels and some PE this is going to be quite an expensive project.
My first to hit the $400 C point I believe.
