Tamiya 1/48 T-34 57

I built Tamiya's nice 1/48 T-34 last year.  I modified the kit a bit and made a new barrel to represent the T-34/57. The T-34/57 was an attempt by the Soviets to give the T-34 a better antitank capability with the addition of the high velocity 57mm gun.  In the end I think the standard 76mm gun was more useful with a better HE shell and with improved ammunition the AP capabilities were almost as good so the 57 was a sort lived experiment.

I built the kit OOB and just replace the kit gun barrel with one I made by machining a piece of brass.

Here is the finished Model..

The replacement barrel was turned out of a piece of stock brass bar. Here it is fitted to the mostly completed build...

I made a base for the model from a piece of driftwood I had found and used one of those scenic mats sold by AMMO or Mig I forget which...

The kit is painted in Ammo Acrylic colours there is a set for Soviet Armour colours and I used this. Painting a tricolour 'forest' scheme which with weathering has nicely faded. To weather the tank I misted on very thin coats of Tamiya Buff enamel and then used enamel thinners to streak this and add rain marks to the dust layer.  It also has mud made from crushed pastels and some oily deposits around the fuel tanks...

Thanks for Looking...