"Hull accuracy of 1/76 T34s" Topic

Airfix, Matchbox and Fujimi all did a 1/76 T-34. I've not seen the Fujimi, but the Airfix and Matchbox T-34s have hulls of different length, the former being shorter. Matchbox's hull looks more convincing but apparently the fuel tank attachment is all wring.

The Airfix also has what looks like a very early 76mm turret, unless it's just wrong. The 85mm turret looks pretty good to me, though. The Airfix wheels also look better than the flat discs of the Matchbox.

I am wondering whether the best use of an Airfix and a Matchbox T34 is to cross-kit them to make one good one. If so, which bits should one use? Airfix wheels on Matchbox hull? Or are they both just junk?

Most of the T-34's I have are Fujimi models. That said the biggest problem I ran into was with gun barrel diameter (to small). I believe it's the Airfix kit that comes with two turrets (76 and 85).

I scrapped both barrels and replaced them. The 76 with thick piano wire and the 85 with plastic tubing reinforced with piano wire.

It depends on how "accurate" and detailed you want your model to be.
And whether you feel the airfix offers extra value with both turrets outweighs it's downsides.

Have you already bought the models?
How attached are you to 1/76?

I have a bunch of Pegasus t34 which I bought as cheap quick build kits.
Sorry about photobucket.
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I also have a few UM, but I haven't got around to building them yet.

The UM t34/76 is good – but it's 1/72 and you might not want to bother with the details offered.
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I'm quite attached to 1/76 Andy. They take up less space than 1/32, although rather oddly they increasingly cost the same.

Thing is, I don't see how one can have Airfix and Matchbox T34s in the same game. The turrets can be different but there was AFAIK only ever one hull. It is very obvious that the Airfix is shorter.

Is it not true that some kits advertised as 1/76 were actually 1/72 and vice versa.

Yes, there's often a lot less difference between 1/76 and 1/72 kits than there ought to be.

I quite a scale bigot, however, the difference in the three models does not seem all that great to me.

But, most importantly, is how you perceive it. I know when something like that bothers me, it will not appear on the table (or remain in the collection).

Most of my stuff is 1/76 but it is getting harder to cling to. A lot of 1/76 plastic is OOP and the Airfix 1/76 range is under a constant cloud of possibly being discontinued. And there are quite a few 1/76 resin casters (eg MMS) calling it a day…

The Airfix kit is some 15 years older than the Matchbox/Revell and it shows. It is also based on a T-34/85 so it's mostly wrong for the T-34/76 version.

The hulls were the same, though, surely? They didn't shorten the hull for the 85mm turret?

Now try and find a good one in 1/72 – there are some shocking examples out there. Which is odd as the tank is widely available "in the flesh" at museums to inspect and measure from.

I when back to my collection last night (have all three models). I got to say your eye is far more discerning than mine.

BTW – I left off the extra fuel tanks for all but my Fujimi T-34/85s.

I will say the Airfix 76mm turret does look a little narrow.