MiniArt 1/35 T-80 Soviet Light Tank

The T-70 light tank was used by the Army of the Soviet Union during World War II, replacing both the T-60 scout tank for reconnaissance and the T-50 light infantry tank for infantry support. The T-80 light tank was a more advanced version of the T-70 with a two-man turret—it was only produced in very small numbers when light tank production was abandoned. The T-90 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun was a prototype vehicle with twin machine guns, based on the T-70 chassis.

The T-70 was armed with a 45-mm L/46 gun Model 38 with forty-five rounds carried, and a coaxial 7.62-mm DT machine gun. The tank was operated by a driver and a commander who loaded and fired the gun. Armour thickness on the turret front was 60 mm, hull front and sides: 45 mm, rear and turret sides: 35 mm, roof and bottom: 10 mm.

Soviet light tanks were obsolescent throughout the war because they were lacking in all three characteristics of a tank: in firepower, mobility and protection. Additionally, the one-man turret of the Soviet light tanks made co-ordinating a tank platoon nearly impossible, because the commanders were kept busy acquiring targets, loading and firing the main gun and machine gun, and commanding their drivers.

The infantry tank role was already considered obsolete. The SU-76 self-propelled gun was better suited for infantry support, its 76.2-mm gun capable of firing a larger high explosive shell. Industrial resources could be redirected from light tanks to building the simpler SU-76s.

In an attempt to compensate, the T-80 light tank was designed, a more robust version of the T-70 with a two-man turret. But there was enough lend-lease equipment available to fulfill the reconnaissance role of the light tanks, and armoured cars were better suited for light scouting and liaison. All light tank production was cancelled in October 1943, after only about 120 T-80s were built. No further light tanks would be built during the war.

Until informed otherwise, I'm going to assume that this is a new mold kit. It certainly looks very nice and I was unable to find any molding problems aside from a bit of flash on some parts. The general detail is really very nicely done with the hull and turret having a slightly rough texture as one would expect.

There are a few parts not used, and I suspect that those would be from the T-70 kit. The suspension bits are nicely done and the kit does include separate link tracks, which come on four sprues. I imagine that a goodly percentage of the build time will be in assembling these tracks. Aside from the gun breech, there is no interior detail, though the inside of the hatches includes some additional detail.

The kit also comes with MiniArt set 35027, which is a Soviet tank crew figure set. Though none of them are really posed to be inside the tank, the modeler with the will should be able to have some of these fit.

Instructions are quite well done with additional diagrams to help in assembling some of the less obvious parts. As so few tanks were built, there are no optional bits included. Some of the pieces need to be modified somewhat and that information is supplied. Color charts with a wide variety of paints are included and all the figures have a color painting diagram. The tank is overall Soviet Armor Green and apparently none of them ever had any markings as there are no decals included.

Overall, this is a neat little tank kit. Though not what one would call colorful, the tank was exported after the war and perhaps some  interesting alternate schemes can be found .

http://en.wikipedia.org

September 2007

My thanks to www.dragonmodelusa.com for the review kit. Check your local retailer for this kit and if they don't have it, ask for it.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly, please contact the editor or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

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