Kit Reviews AFV Club 1/35 Soviet T34/76 (1942-43 Factory 183) with interior and Eduard detailing

[NSP]

I'd want my tank bombed and fuelled up before going to battle, so where did they keep those items in the factory. But I digress.

Presumably delivered to the factory, loaded by the crew, start up and off they go - certainly as far as Stalingrad was concerned, given the proximity of the front in the later stages of the German advance.

Then again, the Soviets had some desperate ideas at the time and were not averse to throwing men away so it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't send them out as little more than an APC with a big gun; big armoured box with the crew firing their personal weapons from it whilst giving mobile cover to the infantry and relying on psychological effect and flattening anyone/collapsing foxholes that got in the way.

Who knows, really...? You hear of all sorts of weird stuff going on under the "fog of war," some of which turns out to be absolutely gospel, some of which has been "sexed up" and some of which is complete mash. However, one would hope that any decent historian would not single-source any of their research material.

 

[Rodney2q]

View attachment 620757

That driver looks like he's skiing...

 

[Rodney2q]

In the authoritative tomes on the eastern front by the historian Sven Hassel, Obergerfreiter Josef Porta notes that when the German tankies lose a wagon they end up as infantry. Whereas their Russian counterpart is put in a new tank having learned a bit more about staying alive and dangerous.

Due to the urgent need to make best use of trained tankers, Stalin issued specific orders to ensure that trained tank crew were NOT to be sent to any units except tank units. Injured tankers were returned to their units where possible or else sent to a holding pool until units were availble.

Not sure about the reports of T-34s being sent into action without paint/primer - I have not seen one proven example. I suspect they are urban myths from the GPW.

However, this is an excellent book about what it was like to actually crew the T-34 (accounts from Soviet army veteran T-34 crew):

I picked up my copy a few years ago but yu can probably find it on the web...

 

[Chef]

Then again, the Soviets had some desperate ideas at the time and were not averse to throwing men away so it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't send them out as little more than an APC with a big gun; big armoured box with the crew firing their personal weapons from it whilst giving mobile cover to the infantry and relying on psychological effect and flattening anyone/collapsing foxholes that got in the way. Edited for brevity.

That is certainly a thought.

I believe the Russians couldn't believe we'd scrapped Conqueror when they were replaced. Surely you dig them in somewhere strategically useful remove the engine and hey presto a well protected, well armed infantry pillbox. A bit like the Panther turret pillboxes in Italy.

 

[Smeggers]

The trouble with having more than one build on the go is one of time-management. Obviously, work and the Leader of the Opposition, aka Mrs Smeg, take a bit of a chunk out of any 24 your period; there are also the odd moments when sustenance and calls of nature are required. This usually leaves me with about 2 - 3 hours for track bashing and glue sniffing. The T34 is ready for it's final spray, decals to be fixed and mounting base to be completed. So much to do, so little time!

 

[NSP]

Not sure about the reports of T-34s being sent into action without paint/primer - I have not seen one proven example. I suspect they are urban myths from the GPW.

It occurs to me that if they were rolling them out of the Stalingrad plant straight into action unpainted or in primer then they were probably smashed and burned quite quickly - before anyone had time or presence of mind to take pics (what would you tell from a B&W of a burned-out tank?) or even register the oddity, and survive long enough to document/disseminate it or consider that it might become historically noteworthy or important. As I opined in my previous post: who knows what goes on under the "fog of war" and in such desperate times...?

 

[Smeggers]

Hot on the heels of the Panzer IV build, comes my second offering and arguably the best tank of WW2, the
T-34/76. I've included a couple of build pictures as not all interior detailing is visible. I have to say, both builds have given me a completely different insight into the world of the "Tankie" One thing for sure, there is no way I would want to go into battle in one of them! I do, however, have a lot of respect for the guys who used them.

I know I said earlier that I was going to finish the T-34 in Winter Camouflage, that didn't happen because I didn't have enough White, Off-White or Ivory. Well that's my excuse and as it's my model, I'll do it my way. Rather than show tank crew, I thought a mechanic would be a good explanation as to why the engine hatches were open. Anyway, that's it, I'm calling it done.

 

[Helm]

Looks great mate