Experimental Command KBT-7 Tank

[David Lovell]

Afternoon all thanks for your encouragement, very easy build the fit of parts was up there with the rest etch for the engine grill was a bit heavy but showed it the gas cooker , only real gripe would be that most of the spru gates are on the heavy side and very close to the actual spru, I think probably more to do with their plastic and injection technology compared to the big boys still a whole lot of fun for under a tenner ,so here are the pics certain amount of trepidation having to fire up the compressor and airbrush after all this time hope it's not like getting back on a bike because I fell off
Keeping them crossed Dave

[Si Benson]

Looking good Dave:thumb2:

Any idea what the plates where on the sides?

[minitnkr]

Prolly for upper to stand on while overseeing operations or recon teams to observe enemy. Just a guess w/pm cuppa. PaulE

[David Lovell]

I think air recognition or to do with aerials of some sort as it's a command tank instructions say their painted silver I'll look at the pegion English plots history and let you know I'm sure I read only two were built coz they were useless?

[adt70hk]

Interesting Dave, very interesting! Well done.

Andrew

[Mini Me]

Nice progress so far David, Can't wait to see it in the wet stuff. Cheers, Rick H.

[David Lovell]

Looked all round wikipedia mentions type but that's all. So here is what came with the kit. Command tank KBT-7 was designed and manufactured in the USSR in 1937. The machine aimed for commanders of tank units to control the division in fight. KTB-7 was made on the basis of serial BT-7 tank, which differed by armoured superstructure at the top of hull (instead of a turret with arms). In a superstructure the necessary equipment was placed. The tank was armed with 2-3DT machine guns and a DT anti-aircraft machine gun in the P-40 turret on the superstructures roof. For observation there were PTK and viewing devices-triplexes. For external communication over long distances these radio station RTU (with rotary pin antenna),for short distances - radio station 71TK-1. To control tank divisions there were STS signal light-semaphores (located on the roof of the superstructure). To communicate with the reconnaissance aircraft, the tank was equipped with the TASP avia-signal device(TASP panels were placed on the over truck flanges (fenders)). The machine did not go in to series because of the unmasking signs, distinguishing it from the linear tanks, as well as for a number of other serious reasons.
Copied word for word . Dave.

[Steve Jones]

Nice build Dave. Looking forward to seeing the wet stuff