1/35 Apocalypse tank

[Frank3k]

We installed solar panels a couple of weeks ago - the actual install was pretty quick, but the drywall repair and cleanup (so much dust... despite the plastic covers in the work areas) took a while. The panels are still waiting for one part and the inspection, but that should be minor.

With that out of the way, I finally got some bench time. I drew up a single gun mantlet and decided to do a quick, medium quality print in PLA to see if it would fit (and be worth printing in resin).

Here are the parts:



While the parts were printing, I took the turret from a Tamiya T-62 that I'll be cannibalizing for this build and put it on the tank:



Looks OK.

I think it greatly improves the looks of this tank:





I'm tempted to print the adapter in ABS in higher quality, glue on some Meng bolts and call it a day.

The barrel is slightly smaller in diameter than the T-62 barrel.  I'm not happy with the Apocalypse tank barrel - it's less apocalyptic and more minor inconvenience; the strange tube running along the top doesn't seem to do anything useful and the bore evacuator is tiny (if there is one). I may just chop off the T-62 barrel from the bore evacuator forward and add it to the new barrel, just forward of the green ring/clamp about half way down the tube.

I'm also closing off the embedded grenade launcher holes in the cheek armor and I'm considering either leaving it as is or adding an extension to go towards the rear of the turret, covering up where the missile launcher tubes were.

[Ramba]

The single gun makes a huge difference. It looks great. The T-62 turret also looks good.

[raafif]

The tube along the top of the barrel may be part of the thermal sensing to measure barrel deflection due to heating when prolonged firing.

Looks good but I prefer the T-62 turret on it.
 

[Old Wombat]

The tube along the top of the barrel may be part of the thermal sensing to measure barrel deflection due to heating when prolonged firing.

This is much along my line of thinking; that the tube or armoured cable running along the barrel is a deflection sensor, as a barrel with snow or ice on top can be curved upwards, while a barrel sitting in the desert sun can flex downwards.

Thermal sleeves are a cheap & easy way of minimising this effect, by maintaining a more even heat around the barrel, but it doesn't eliminate it. A sensor along the barrel to tell the firing computer how much & in which direction to adjust for barrel deflection wouldn't be a stupid idea (I'm not sure that there aren't already some systems for this already out there).

[Jeffry Fontaine]

@Frank - Your decsion to go with a single main gun was the obvious path to take.  This could also give you some room for a coaxial weapon such as a machine gun or auto-cannon.  There would also be enough room for an optical sight of some kind to be added to the new space made available. 

[Frank3k]

Thanks, guys. It looks like some T-90s now have the equivalent of a muzzle reference system (MRS) like the M-1 and other western tanks, so that may be what the cable on the barrel is - a deflection check. The M90 looks like it has a similar cable, but it's close to the barrel, not raised.

I ordered some turned metal barrels for the T-90 and T-72 (for another model) so I'll see if they fit this tank -  for comparison.

I printed the side cheeks/mantlet sides in ABS and I'll sand them down smooth. They clip onto the original single barrel attachment and I used a piece of sprue with the right diameter to act as the turret pivots. It'll look good.

@Ramba - the T-62 turret does give it a brutish look. I'll stick with the current turret, though.

@Jeff - there's room for a coax gun on one side and optics on the other. I'll add those.

I'm going to replace the large wooden box and the fuel barrels with parts from the T-62. The brown box definitely has to go.

[GTX_Admin]

The tube along the top of the barrel may be part of the thermal sensing to measure barrel deflection due to heating when prolonged firing.

The tube reminds me of the liquid cooling on the Russian AK-130 automatic naval gun.  I suspect it was just done on this kit for the appearance though as thermal sleeves and barrel deflection systems look different.

[Frank3k]

I added cheek extensions to cover up the area where the AA missiles were located. This is a fast/low rez print in ABS to see if it needs any major changes before I print it in resin:

Top view looks OK:



Closeup with everything just lightly pushed in or held on with poster putty:

[Ramba]

Those cheek parts look really nice! They definitely make a huge difference in the overall look.

[finsrin]

Those cheek parts look really nice! They definitely make a huge difference in the overall look.

Yep - is the right move !

[Jeffry Fontaine]

@Frank.  Definitely looking much better now with the corrections to the turret. 

[Buzzbomb]

Masterwork... great move Frank, that really changes the look and in exactly the right way

[Old Wombat]

 

[apophenia]

... This is a fast/low rez print in ABS to see if it needs any major changes before I print it in resin...

Rapid prototyping in scale! Nice 

[Frank3k]

I printed the side cheeks in resin and also built the Aber T-72/T-90 barrel (with some mods):





I'm going to skip the smoke grenade launchers. The ones in the kit seem too big and most Russian tanks burn oil when they need a smoke screen (as seen in Ukraine, when they're trying to unsuccessfully get away)

I'm printing about 75 Kontakt ERA bricks in resin; I may or may not use them.

[LemonJello]

Frank, I would imagine that your Kontakt ERA are just as effective as the ones produced in Russia.

[Buzzbomb]

... built the Aber T-72/T-90 barrel (with some mods):

 

Yes the Aber T-72 barrel "kits" are interesting (read bending brass and using superglue and all that entails) but once done.. they look terrific

[Old Wombat]

... built the Aber T-72/T-90 barrel (with some mods):

 

Yes the Aber T-72 barrel "kits" are interesting (read bending brass and using superglue and all that entails) but once done.. they look terrific

Franks certainly does!

[Frank3k]

Thanks, guys. Superglue use was limited, since it didn't provide a great bond between the clean aluminum and the brass. I used a cheap contact cement (tube us just above the turret) and scraped off the excess once it was dry. I didn't use all the PE parts for the Aber barrel (I didn't cut 10+ pieces of 0.3mm x 0.7mm wire, for instance...) but it's close enough.

Primer is on the turret and barrel and some issues on the turret are being fixed now.

[Old Wombat]

 

[Frank3k]

Major assemblies in primer and Tamiya NATO green. I added a PE grill to the air intakes on the hull (right under the turret) but they're all but invisible:



The shading variations are a combination of the flat paint, light source and the black primer.

I tried the ERA bricks and they just don't look right on this tank; it does not look very Russian, especially with the modified turret.

Playing studying the turret and hull I noticed the many, many shot traps. I'm not going to add chains, though.

While thinking of a backstory, Ukraine would be the obvious choice. Instead, I think I'll make it Georgian, since they are closely NATO aligned, hate the Russians, have Russian equipment but also have a native armor industry.  Plus they have a very retro camo pattern:



I'm also thinking of adding side skirts, to somewhat hide the dual track system.

[Frank3k]

I decided not to use the brown camo color on the tank. This is the first pass - I have to correct a few things, then decals:



The tank looks huge, but it's really not much larger than a T-72.

The camo pattern helps hide/break up some construction issues. The barrel is falling out - I didn't use enough glue and it's a heavy piece of metal:

[Old Wombat]

Spring/Early-Summer camouflage!


And the barrel's wilting in the heat!

[Story]

Summer camouflage.

Is nice.*

 

* Wendy's commercial - remember that?

[Frank3k]

Yeah, there is no such thing as one Russian green. It's like WWII olive drab.