"T-72 Condundrum Update" Topic

Okay, since the forums are currently bugged, and otherwise no-one will likely know I made anothe rpost to the T-72 Condundrum, I will re-iterate what I said there.

The T-72 turret (A/M1) is PHENOMINALLY difficult to model, it turns out. I can see why the accuracy of some of the model kits is debated. It is nearly impossible to get a good idea of what the turret shape is even supposed to be (let alone how you can model it), since all the bits on it are more or less the exact spot to block the geometry and/or no-one seems to take photos for the actual turret shape, as opposed to close-ups of the the bits on the turret.

(Even among the model kits, the disparity is staggering.)

I have spent four hours trying to get something even remotely close…

Obviously, there are still a couple of details to be added (the smoke dischargers mots obviously). but by the time I'd got to that stage, I'd done all I could for the day. (About four hours of solid CAD work is about all I can manage per day, since beyond that you start to get tired and make mistakes.)

My Maneouvre Group oppes actually recongised it for what it was without being told, so at least that's a start… And the smoke dischargers will hide a fair bit too.

By-the-by, both myself and Maneouvre Group will be attending Derby World Wargames over the weekend, in the remote chance anyone is in the neighbourhood (as the KB Club.)

Cool!

And I'm willing to bet that all the external bits and bobs are intentionally placed to make determining the underlying shape of the turret difficult.

Can you get to Bovington or Duxford, both have T-72, and would probably let you get on and take photos,

Tally Ho!

it is hard enough with wood and filler to get the shape right

Yea, that's probably why the Russians went with plywood for their new T-14 Armata hulls. Much easier material to work with, and less expensive too. ;-)

AND, before someone chastises me for the above, you do know they trotted out hollow tubes with nicely shaped "nosecones", and fancy paintjobs, for all those May Day Parades, back in the day, right?

@nickinsomerset

I'm based Derby, so both of those are well out of reach (and budget…!)

After a conflab, and a squiz at my mate's 72nd T-72 (and hopefully a look or two at a couple or models of another mate of mine's tomorrow), we reckon that it needs to be just a little bit fatter and flatter at front end (which was my own impression). I'll probably have another go sometime next week, when I've recovered from the show!

Hilariously – or not – the T-72 turret could turn out to be the single longest individual shape/piece I ever modelled – even with the IMR-2, I was at least making steady progress through the 20-odd hours it took…!) And turn out to have taken more time overall than any of the variants…!

Shrivenham will let you climb all over theirs (and it's a bit closer to Derby). You just have to contact them and arrange a visit.

That reminds me, if you want I can ask a wargaming friend, who is one of the senior staff at Shrivenham, to get some phots for you. Will be a few days though as I am travelling!

Tally Ho!

nickinsomerset, sorry, Derby Worlds convention over the weekend, tired me out.

If its not too much trouble, I certainly wouldn't say no if you could ask your mate to get a few pictures, especially of thefront of the turret looking down if he could.

In any case, however, having no ha da look at a few 1:72nd T-72 models, I'm confident I'm am at the very least not going to be any worse than anyone else…!

You can get a T-72M1 in 1/144th scale for about $4 USD – $5 USD, or so, prebuild and painted, from Pegasus.

I have now had chance to make a second pass, which I think is a fair bit closer (and to be honest, prbbaly as close as I'm likely to get). In the end, then, it was basically by eye as much as anything, and I can seriously see why there's so much debate on the turret shape.

I'm happier with this, if not completely satisfied; but I think this is about as good as it is going to get.

The T-72A/M1 is thus about done, which means next week I can do the ERA version. (And also means I can eventually go through almost as much trouble again when I eventually do the T-72B, since I had to do this one first to do the latter…)

I shudder to think about what the T-80's gonna be like…!

Maybe a screengrab from this video would help?

YouTube link