Revell/Zvezda 1/35 T-14 Armata - Russian New Generation Tank

[Dave Ward]

After a difficult week, or so, I decided to clear my bench, and start on something new - a model that hasn't been blogged on this forum (yet!)
This is a reboxing of the Zvezda model,

This was produced in cooperation with UAZ, the manufacturers of the Armata, so, supposedly it's the most accurate model available. However, given that only about 100 T-14s have been produced so far, it's probably a fair reproduction of prototype/early production models.
The Revell model comes in their normal flimsy end opening box, and there is a lot of plastic in there.............
Where the Revell scores over the Zvezda, is in the instructions - Zvezda has 8 busy pages crammed with sub-assemblies and final assemblies in b&w. The Revell instructions are on 25 pages, with colour.
Now, as far as I have been able to find, the Armata has only appeared in Russian green, apart from one camo static version at a show. Any camouflaged version is speculative....................
I haven't had much success with these, but I've got a J's Work mask set for the Aramata, to see if I can do any better


I'm not to going put up sprue shots, just some detail close ups....................
Dave

[Dave Ward]

No PE with this model, metal grilles would have been nice, but plastic mesh will do - 2 sizes, packed along with the clear parts
The unmanned turret has some fine detail, as has the upper hull
The lower hull also looks good, but most of this will be hidden behind wheels, tracks & skirt

The wheels, idlers and sprockets look pretty good
The tracks are link & length, with separate hollow guide horns to add to the inner face of the track

Some of the smaller details are very fine

Instead of supplying a bit of string for a towing cable, they're moulded solid, which looks good enough, these cables don't flex like rope!


One thing that doesn't look good is a few of the thin, straight bits
That's going to be tricky to cut loose.............................
The barrel is split horizontally, but since it's covered in a thermal sleeve, then that's not too bad.
Overall the mouldings are pretty clean, any flash is on the runners, than the parts themselves ejector pins in non-visible places. Some of the sprue attachments are a bit chunky, but nothing that sharp side cutters can't cope with............
Dave

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
Glad you feel up to being back at the bench. Good idea to start something fresh. Never heard of this so it will be interesting. Looks a nice kit. Hope the fit is good as well. That mask set looks fun.
Jim

[Guest]

There’s a build report of this kit in De Tank issue 257 of last April (the issue on that site is only a preview, with the first page of the article, BTW). The main thing I get from a quick browse is that you’ll probably struggle to put on the bar armour at the rear. To quote:

attaching the first [set of bar armour] cost me about two hours. After that it thankfully went more quickly.

The builder says to attach the stalks that hold the armour first, letting the glue dry a little so it’s tacky but not fully dry, then aligning the stalks, and only then attaching the bar armour panels. Also pay attention that you don’t confuse the left and right tracks, as their construction isn’t identical.

[Dave Ward]

Jakko,
I did think that the bar armour would be a bit fragile...........
The tracks are different - as noted in the instructions - because the road wheels are slightly offset left/right side, due to the torsion bar suspension not allowing the road wheels to be directly opposite to each other. This means that the road wheel to sprocket and idler track length is slightly different on each side.
Dave

[Steve Jones]

Great to see you back at the bench Dave. Looks a nice kit. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. Good luck

[Guest]

I did think that the bar armour would be a bit fragile...........

Judging by the photos in the article, I think you’ll need to be careful that you don’t pick the model up by it

The tracks are different - as noted in the instructions - because the road wheels are slightly offset left/right side, due to the torsion bar suspension

I figured that would be the reason, but the article didn’t explicitly mention it, I think. I didn’t know the instructions also point it out, but good to hear they do — the article and your sprue shots give me the impression this is a very well-engineered and -made kit.

[JR]

Count me in please, as you said it looks to have some nice moulding.

[Dave Ward]

Off and running - I'm not following the instruction sequence, I want to complete the running gear before moving upwards.
Suspension arms & dampers etc added
The upper hull remarkably, for such a large moulding, shows no warping ( 2 sprue runners left on to protect small pins )

I was surprised to compare it with the T-90 ( Zvezda )

I thought that automating the turret would make the whole tank smaller, but it is quite a bit larger than the T-90.................
Dave

[Guest]

It’s got seven roadwheels rather than six as on the T-72 and T-90. I suppose the extra length is needed to accommodate the crew’s equipment in the hull — you could sit three side by side at the driver’s position, but all the crew-operated gear that’s normally in the turret (like the fire control system) also needs to go somewhere.

[Dave Ward]

The lower hull is completed & ready for priming - the upper hull part is masked with tape, & I've put masking fluid on the axles etc, to aid glueing later.....................
Whilst I'm waiting for the priming to dry, I'm working on the tracks.
The hollow guide horns come in strips, with offset pins, so you can't get them the wrong way round.................

For the links around the sprockets/idlers, there are smaller curved lengths of guide horns

Some nasty ejector pin marks, but they'll be hidden by the sprockets, or idlers

There are individual links & separate guide horns for transitions between lengths, all well detailed in the instructions.
I've seen criticism of link & length tracks, in that it makes it very difficult to show the road wheels & suspension deflected. I'd say for the majority of modellers they're going to be happier with this system than individual links, and it keeps the cost down! ( I've seen the Revell Armata at <£20, + p& p )
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Basecoated the lower hull & running gear. Wheels, inner sprockets/idlers etc all readied for clean up & painting the rubber bits

Thoroughly miserable November day, wet, cold, dark - looks like the lights will be on all day.
Leaves falling...............end of the year approaching fast!
Dave

[Guest]

Dave,
Welcome back to the bench, and the kit looks to be more of an inspiration to you to get on and build something. Looking forward to more of your build.
Mike.

[Dave Ward]

I've painted all the road wheels, and my next task is the tracks - although the instructions look to work glueing the track to the wheels, I decided to try and assemble the tracks loose on the vehicle.....................
All fitting was done easily, and providing you aren't overgenerous with the cement, you can remove the completed track in one piece!
I can now finish paint the tracks, fit them, and secure them with the outer road wheels, sprocket & idler. This was just an experiment, but it seems to have worked quite well!
I suppose it makes things a bit easier, in that I can spray the tracks completely before assembly - only washes & weathering to finish. The tracks are different, side to side, so I'm doing one at a time, so I don't mix the similar parts up!
Dave

[Guest]

You could carve an L or an R into the top or bottom run, where it won’t be obvious

But yeah, good solution that will save a lot of work touching up glue stains later, I suspect.