T54 Odd Things

For a very long time essentially all Roco military vehicles were the same black green color.

This Roco T44 tank has a black green hatch.

But the rest of the vehicle is the olive green that Roco changed to at some point, perhaps in the 1980s.  I like it a lot better, it's easier to paint over, not so glossy, and looks better for American tanks at least.

At about the same time, they started making other vehicles in other colors.  Yellow or gray for WWII German tanks for example.  This is a camouflaged T54 hull that was originally the standard black green.  Note the configuration of the large hull box on the fender.

Here is another one, note the serious mold error on the hull box.

As some of the molds got older more and more flaws began to show up.

This is the only one I have seen with this flaw, but the hole in the turret horn is common as is a mis-molded right side track.  Judging by my collection of about 190 T54 tanks this is the only one of this problem but the mis-molded right side track is about 3% of the models and the turret hole about the same.

Some of the T54 tanks have enough flash on the gun barrel, turret end, that the gun no longer fits properly.  A quick move with the X-Acto knife fixes this problem.
 

The Work Yard

As I prepare the tanks for rehabilitation, they each get their turrets removed.

Any markings, or decals get scraped off.

An inspection is done to see if any parts are missing, damaged, or deformed.

Missing hatches are replaced, and other parts are either sourced immediately, fabricated or the tank is pulled from the yard and sent to the spares pile.

My intention is to have all my T54 tanks, variants and spares back into full operation before the project is considered complete.  Right now I am waiting for a few new T54 tanks to come in the mail, and I also need some rubber and resin to cast a few missing parts.
 

Mass T54 Work

Common mold flaw in the Roco T54 tank.  The little hole in the horn on the starboard side.  Also the flash at the bottom edge of the turret.  Quick scrape with the X-Acto knife and the flash goes away.

This one has the forward hole that is too small for the turret pin.

It got broken off as I was turning it.

The pin is long enough that I can drill out the hole again and not have to put a new pin on the turret.

More turrets are ready for work.

Note the T44 hatch on the T54 turret!  Scraped off the number from the back of the turret.

More little plastic bits for the inside of the turret horns to hold up the gun.

Only a few more to go, actually there are many more to go besides these.
 

T-54 Tank Upgrade

Roco T-54 tanks getting their upgrade.  These tanks were spray painted but with the turrets on, and so when the turret is turned, the unpainted space is revealed.  So I am touching up these tanks upper hulls.

Here is a green T-54 that had the same problem.

The junk pile.  Many of these tanks have mold flaws, missing or broken parts and other problems.  So some of them get tossed into a stack to get fixed later.  I am trying to get as many into service as possible in the shortest period of time.  However, my plan is to get as many fixed as possible.

My tank collection had solid green, camouflage green, tan, camouflage tan, and chocolate brown, and unpainted.

Here is a camouflage green tank.  It has what I have been told are Syrian markings on them.  I am painting these out.

Note the tan tank with the sheet plastic glued on the upper hull, with two of the boxes cut off.
 

More Painting of Soviet Vehicles

Often I paint on cardboard so that I can toss it in the trash after they have been painted on, to get rid of the flammable material.

This is may base color for most of my Cold War Soviet Union vehicles.

This can has a circle on the top of the cap, indicating is has been open.

My paper towel for wiping the nozzle after every few sprays.

My spray can spinning shaking device, to make sure the paint cans are fully mixed.

Here are a few armed vehicles ready for paint.

Hole in the top of the chassis.

Pin on the bottom of the turret, and a hole in the cardboard to insert the pin and hold the turret upright while it is painted.

 

Painting Soviet Vehicles

I am going through my Cold War Soviet Union collection, sorting, repairing, upgrading, and painting.

Many of my vehicles are die cast from China and from the former Warsaw Pact nations.

We have days here that have great weather, warm, but not hot, and low humidity, and reasonable wind speed.  So I am painting about 75 of these little truck and vehicles all at once.

For weeks now I have been repairing vehicles.  Then taping the windshields with masking tape.

So a few here and a few there that are getting primer paint.

Waiting for the perfect day to paint them the base color.

I lay down a mat in case I have to kneel down, kneeling on gravel is not comfy.

Here the gray primer vehicles are waiting for their new paint.
 

Tank and Rocket Launcher

Soviet Union IT-1 rocket launcher by SDV Models and Petner Panzer T62 tank.

The Soviet Union only made about 30 of these, but they are pretty neat looking.

Big rocket and only a few fit in the turret.  Discontinued in service after only a few years.

Russian truck shadows.

Working on spray painting the trucks.

Way over 100 of them to do, did primer work on over 70 of them in one day, did the flip side a couple days later.
 

T54 On Parade

Tan tank at Lenin's Tomb.

Brown tank at Lenin's Tomb.

Olive tank at Lenin's Tomb.

Tan and green tank at Lenin's Tomb.

Camouflage green tank at Lenin's Tomb.

Unpainted tank at Lenin's Tomb.

The line up.

As i wait for a few more tanks to arrive in the mail, and cobble together bits from the spares box, the unpainted ones will not be painted until the final paint run.  Probably be a few weeks before that happens.  But all the tanks in the inventory are repaired, had touch up paint done, and are ready to go to miniature war.  Only about 20 or so unpainted tanks are waiting for completion.