More T34 AVLB

The bridge launching gear is from an old T54 AVLB made somewhere behind the Iron Curtain.

Now it is going onto a Mir T34 tank upper hull.  Mir was made in the old Soviet Union.

Like this.  I like the structure on the bridge.

Gluing more side hull plates to fill the gaps.  I am using a nicer looking track on this model than the original which was destroyed decades ago.

Looks pretty patchwork, because it is.  Mostly it will be hidden inside the hull or behind the tracks so it should be fine.  Mostly.
 

T34 Bridge Launching.

The Mir T34 has a very big engine hump on the rear upper hull.  This means the bridge launching gear mount has to be raised up a bit to clear the hump.  I used some sheet styrene to fix the problem.

This is the bridge I am using.  It's upside down it looks odd.

This is the bridge launching gear, note the white sheet styrene on it to help get the gear over the T34 engine hump.  One plastic bit on the hull and one on the launching gear should be enough.

The top of the launching gear.

This shows the launching gear receiving the bridge, again, it's upside down.

Just waiting for all the glue to dry.  My intention is to use these for late WWII and early Cold War for my Soviet forces.
 

T34 Bridge Launcher

A company from the old Soviet Union, called Mir, made a nice T34 tank.  I have a bunch of them but this one had the tracks destroyed and so I am using it to make a bridge launcher.

The tracks on the original had tabs on the tracks to fill these gaps, but since the original tracks are no longer usable I am having to fill in the holes.  Sheet plastic bits are doing that job.

These clamps are holding these bits together while the glue dries.

These are dollar store clamps, and they work fine for light duty work.

I have  a Permit SU-100 that is in the junk pile and so it is donating their tracks.  You can see those tracks in the upper right corner.  The holes have been filled in well enough for my purposes.

This Eastern European T54 bridge launcher will donate it's bridge and launcher stuff to make my T34 bridge launcher.  The T54 may become a mine clearance vehicle.
 

Volcano Monster

Schleich makes a nice variety of toys and models from history, real animals, and fantasy, and myth and legend. 

The Volcano Monster on the volcano.

Nice arm movements.

Jaw opens and closes.

Painted details are excellent.

Big hands for grasping things.

Waist pivots.

Face is scary.

He stands up well.