T34 or T34-85?

[I_Tank]

I noticed the T34 that is coming soon looks a lot like a T34-85 is the picture wrong or the description. Either would be great I am looking for the T34 though 😊👍

[Rubicon99]

I noticed the T34 that is coming soon looks a lot like a T34-85 is the picture wrong or the description. Either would be great I am looking for the T34 though 😊👍

It is a T34-85. The use of T34 is generic for the tank just like the name Abrams or Sherman of which there are numerous variations as well.

There are aftermarket conversion kits that can backdate the HL T34 to older versions so you have options.

[SoCalBobS]

Here's one option I'll be working on, a T-34/76 1940-1942 turret conversion. I got this one off eBay from a seller it St Petersburg, RU. It'll be my first servo elevation and hopefully cannon recoil project. I'm using a 6.1S board for it.

If anyone wants to know, this turret will require MAJOR work. The exterior looks okay, but the interior has nothing; no place to attach a turret ring, surface is just a blob. But, if I can get it to work, it'll be an IR battle force to be reckoned with. I won't have to take anything from my /85 turret, so I can always go back.

(This post is a thread bump from a year ago!)

[Rob1970]

Oh great... there's options!? And just when I thought the T34-85 I have incoming would just need a little weathering...

[DavidN]

Such a coincidence! I am current working on the Russian tanks as well. One of them is the SU-100. The other one is the T34/76 1943 with the hexagonal turret. I took the turret out of old Trumpeter kit.

[DavidN]

Somewhere east of the Ural mountain, a Russian factory is building more tanks to face the German's panzers :-) These are what I am working on. I will put the HL 6.0S inside both of them.

[Vaseline]

David where is you come up with the Su 100 Nice tanks Thanks I have been looking for one

[DavidN]

David where is you come up with the Su 100 Nice tanks Thanks I have been looking for one

It's a Trumpeter model kit. It was a tough decision to buy it since I only used all the parts of the upper hull.

[DavidN]

More $ but less work than those resin conversion kits :-)

[Vaseline]

Thank you for the time I have always like the Su 100 over the 122 or 152 Thanks again for showing and sharing

[DavidN]

Thank you for the time I have always like the Su 100 over the 122 or 152 Thanks again for showing and sharing

Yes! I like the SU-100 a lot too. It looks better than the bulky SU-122. I have ordered the RC parts. Hopefully I get to finish the paint job and the weathering before the RC parts arrive.

[Vaseline]

I haven't found a resin conversion yet. So if I want one I will just pony up and get a Trumpeter kit.

[DavidN]

I have been looking to have the RC 1/16 SU-100 for a long time. My final approach was the Trumpeter kit. It was easy to work with. No warped piece, no drilling, sanding, or dremeling. There are plenty of room for future gun elevation and IR system set up.

[DavidN]

I also did the same with my T34/76 1943.

[Vaseline]

Good deal

[SoCalBobS]

Interesting thread here, especially about the Trumpeter kits. I bought a T-34/76 turret from an eBay seller in St Petersburg. The exterior is ok, but the interior is a mass of lumps, hard to work with. The mantlet, trunnions and pintles are not symmetrical. Looking at it, and now at pictures of the Trumpeter, I'm guessing someone just made a mold of their turret.

So, not a good value, I wouldn't recommend it, but when it's done it will undoubtedly look cool! I couldn't remember what color I used for the original T-34/85, but I think I guessed right. When I dirty it up, it should match.



Oh by the way, since I had the turret off, I decided to alter the gear ring to make it 360 degree capable. Very easy. The gears are rough enough that as long as the teeth look similar, you won't even detect a difference in operation.

[DavidN]

Bob! Thank you sharing Bob. I had just finished painting my T34/76 1943 today. Not much of a work. Just repainting, weathering, putting on decals and coated it. I will work on the mechanical interior when all my parts that I had order arrive.

[DavidN]

And here is the SU-100:

[DavidN]

Group picture before they are sent off to their units

[SoCalBobS]

Finished the conversion, mostly. The turret rotates 360 degrees, the barrel has servo elevation. An IR bulb is mounted in the barrel. No airsoft. The hatch is hinged. Still needed is servo recoil. If anyone has photos of their homemade recoil setup, please post them! The decals are Archer Fine Transfer dry decals, great since there is no film around the images. I weathered the turret to match the body, but it needs to be run in the dirt since much of the texture of the tank is real dust from battles.

I didn't have to scrounge anything from the 85 turret, so I can always "update" the tank!