Dragon 1/34 T-34/76 Mod.1942 "Formochka"

Most experts rate the T-34 as the best tank in the world at the time the Soviet Union entered WWII in 1941. Blessed with wide tracks, well-sloped armor and an effective 76mm gun, its mobility, armor protection and antitank capabilities were unsurpassed at the time. In fact the T-34 was the second most widely produced tank of all time, with a range of different variants being produced throughout WWII. Dragon has already created quite a number of excellent 1/35 scale plastic model kits of the T-34 family, and it is now pleased to offer another interesting variant.

The newest kit is a T-34/76 Mod.1942 “Formochka”. This tank boasted a stamped turret produced by the giant 5000-ton forge press at the Uralmash production plant in Sverdlovsk. Such expediencies in construction resulted from the various manufacturing facilities the Soviets relied on, especially as many factories had to be relocated further east as they come under threat from the German advance.

The Dragon T-34 was one of Dragon's earlier kits, but over the years, the kit has grown in both quality and molding. Many of the parts have been retooled in the intervening years, thanks to Dragon's use of slide molds that provide that extra bit of detail over standard kit molding. As is expected, this new variant has a number of new and upgraded parts. It is also not very parts intensive as is shown by it only having 450 parts; many of these being part of the Smart Tracks individual track link system. Once again, I'll turn it over to the Dragon PR folks to give you all the details on this kit.

- Newly tooled "Stamped" turret in accurate detail
- Turret bottom w/cutting mark
- Turret hatch w/fine detail can be positioned open/closed
- Both fake and real periscopes provided as option
- Bolted connecting plate for mantlet
- Trunnions w/weld detail
- Mantlet has cutting-seam detail
- Turret interior detail - gun w/breech assembly
- Upper-hull glacis plate w/weld detail
- Engine-deck rear plate and engine-cover plate have full detail
- Finely detailed fenders
- Realistically represented road wheels - two outer road wheels w/rubber tires, and three inner all-steel road wheels
- Multi-combination running gear w/two road-wheel patterns
- Sprocket is finely reproduced
- One-piece lower hull offers easy assembly
- Slide-molded gun barrel included
- Two types of storage box provided
- Detailed suspension system
- Suspension arms realistically recreated
- Optional photo-etched parts for engine-cover grills available
- Engine-deck louvers finely represented by photo-etched parts
- 550mm variant of T-34 Magic Tracks w/refined detail

As is the norm, Dragon's instructions are very well done showing those optional bits and any modifications needed to accurately portray this version of the T-34. There are only 8 construction steps, showing how quickly this one will go together. There are markings for three tanks. Two are Soviet from unknown units in 1944 and 1943 respectively, while the third is a captured version used by Panzer Regiment 2 'Das Reich' in 1943.  

Now you have yet another important variant of the T-34 to build. Thanks to Dragon's usual attention to detail, this one should make a superb addition to your collection.

DragonUSA web site

October 2009

Thanks to www.dragonmodelsusa.com for the preview kit. Get yours today from your favorite hobby shop or on-line retailer.

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