Tamiya 35049 - 1:35 T34/76 1942

1:35 plastic model kit of the Soviet T-34/76 Model 1942 tank

Tamiya 35049 depicts the T-34 in its Model 1942 form – a tank whose combination of sloped armour, wide tracks and a powerful diesel engine proved one of the most influential design packages of the Second World War. The model is produced from 1975 tooling.

The kit emphasises the characteristic, workmanlike look of the Soviet tank: the box contains unditching logs, stowage boxes, spare track links and external fuel tanks. Two figures – a full commander figure and a driver bust – bring the finished model to life, while decals with tactical numbers and slogans allow you to reproduce typical Eastern Front markings.

What's in the box:

• Plastic parts for the hull, turret and fittings
• Vinyl band tracks
• Accessories: unditching logs, stowage boxes, spare track links, fuel tanks
• Two figures: full commander figure and driver bust
• Waterslide decal sheet with tactical numbers and slogans
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:35
• Product number: 35049
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled length: approx. 191 mm
• Skill level: beginner

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

A classic, approachable kit – the vinyl band tracks and simple hull shape mean the model can be completed quickly, even without much experience. The external stowage deserves the most attention: logs, boxes and fuel tanks are best painted separately and added after the hull is painted, which makes it easier to achieve convincing wood and metal textures.

Soviet protective green is the recommended base colour (e.g. Tamiya XF-58 Olive Green). Heavy weathering pays off here: a dark brown wash, streaking around the hatches and pigments suggesting mud on the running gear and tracks. Military vehicle models are usually finished with a matt varnish, and applying decals over a gloss coat helps to avoid silvering.

Tools you will need:

• Sprue cutters
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up sprue gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to accentuate detail and recesses
• Optional: pigments for mud and dust effects

About the vehicle – T-34 Model 1942:

When German crews first encountered the T-34 in the summer of 1941, their anti-tank rounds bounced off its sloped armour plates. The Soviet tank combined three qualities that had never before been brought together in one production design: steeply angled armour, wide tracks giving low ground pressure, and a 500 hp V-2-34 diesel engine that was less prone to fire than petrol units.

The Model 1942 was the product of frantic wartime production in factories evacuated beyond the Urals. Manufacturing was simplified, parts of the structure were strengthened, and the tank retained the 76.2 mm F-34 gun – a weapon capable of dealing with most German vehicles of the period.

It was precisely this simplicity, and the ability to build the tank in enormous numbers, that determined the T-34's significance. The vehicles left the factories in their thousands, often loaded with unditching logs, stowage boxes and additional fuel tanks – and it is in this working guise that they were captured in Eastern Front photographs.

Original vehicle specifications (T-34 Model 1942):

• Length: approx. 6.7 m
• Width: approx. 3.0 m
• Height: approx. 2.45 m
• Combat weight: approx. 30 t
• Crew: 4
• Main armament: 76.2 mm F-34 gun
• Powerplant: V-2-34 diesel engine, 500 hp
• Suspension: Christie type
• Top speed: approx. 50 km/h

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, a city regarded as the centre of the Japanese model industry. The company started out in the timber trade, but by the late 1940s it was producing wooden models, and in 1960 it released its first plastic model kit. Two years later came a 1:35 tank kit that established the worldwide standard scale for military modelling. The brand is known for precise injection moulds and excellent parts fit, which is why its kits are chosen by beginners and experienced modellers alike. The Military Miniature Series, to which this T-34 belongs, runs to hundreds of items and is one of the most comprehensive catalogues of 1:35 military vehicles in the world. Alongside plastic kits, Tamiya offers a full range of accessories: paints, glues, tools and brushes. The company is present in dozens of countries today and remains one of the most recognisable names in the hobby.