A Great Long Weekend with an Old Comrade.

By David Browne, Hornet Hobbies Toronto. (Photos by Tony Bell)

When asked to build the pre-release of Tamiya’s latest tank I was surprised not only by the subject (one long forgotten by other companies) but also by how Tamiya can continue to raise their standard and still offer a competitive price. Never a company to rest on past successes, Tamiya has boldly stepped into a market-share long neglected by others with an outstanding BT-7 Model 1935 fast deployment AFV. It is a subject that exemplifies the transitional development of tank warfare by encapsulating cutting edge pre-war design and modern tactics.

BT-7, A Historical Blueprint in AFV Development 35309 1/35 Russian Tank BT-7 Model 1935

When you look at the model, you are looking into two important developments in American design, oddly, rejected by the U.S. but incorporated into designs worldwide. First and foremost was the Christie suspension and its radical dual mode running gear. Defying the common thinking, Walter Christie offered a vehicle that could run equally well tracked, or shaft-to-wheel driven. Not only was this ingenious for its day and simple to build on the factory floor, but you can see Tamiya’s careful reproduction of the suspension, bogies/wheels and tracks offer the modeler what must be one of the most accurate examples of this oft-cited design curiosity.

A note to the modeler here; the tracks are individual link, and require some patience and attention to Tamiya’s instructions. If you do this, you will be rewarded with a perfect representation showing the awkward nature of the track fit to the bogies. It is purely a Christie design and Tamiya have obviously spent their time with the few running models of this tank to offer the nuances found in the droop and fit of the suspension and track. The capacity to set suspension height and angle are also included for accurate representation of bogie travel across any surface. Once again, Tamiya takes the guesswork out of that job by giving you a suspension jig to keep everything in proper alignment.

The other important, but often forgotten development rising from this design was the Russian contract demanded a high level of both speed and distance. Capable of 70 km/h with a 500 km. range, the BT-7 could theoretically outrun and overtake any armoured column of the day and remain in close battle longer unless damaged through its thin armour. If conventional tactics were employed by the enemy and attempts were made to disable the tracks and bogies, the Christie system often allowed it to motor on with even greater speed and maneuverability on steel and solid rubber wheels.

The Kit Fit and Finish

This is a great kit for a long rainy weekend. Fit and finish are Tamiya’s trademark and the BT-7 only enforces their reputation for excellence. If you build it straight out of the box you will get a remarkable example of this pre-war design, but also take note; Tamiya has accommodated the after-market by making the hatches separate and positional, so the rudiments of further aftermarket are all there without making the kit frustrating for the average modeler wanting a fast build and great model for the mantle place.

Moldings are crisp, and delicate parts are well supported on the sprues. With careful use of side-cutters and razor saw, you will have little, if any clean up to do before the build. As we have seen in recent years, photo etch is now the norm with most advanced kits, and once again Tamiya gives the average modeler the ability to create screens and grills using supplied molds and all but eliminating the frustration most of us encounter when faced with PE.

Tamiya’s attention to detail gives us a perfect representation of the frame antenna seen on so many pre-war Russian AFVs. Although it is considered an option during the build, I would recommend using the antenna as it gives it that typical Soviet ‘land battleship’ look.

Any Colour You Want As Long As It’s Green

Where the challenge might arise the modeler wanting to add an extra touch is in the colour of the BT-7. Russian ‘green’ is a notoriously non-standard colour. Every heavy equipment plant had their own variation. In my build I went for a yellow/grey mixture of Tamiya paint (⅔ XF-73, ⅓ XF-4) that gave me a unique pre-war shading which added to its unique silhouette. Once built, the BT-7 can become a weathering canvas unlike any other, because the angles on the hull and turret are so different and its theaters of operation were surprisingly wide seeing action from 1938 on all over the European continent.

Conclusion

In a short 5 days, Tamiya’s BT-7 was built, painted and weathered. It was a kit that was hard to put down once started because every step brings you closer to a finished masterpiece. At no point was there the head scratching that dogs most of Tamiya’s competitors’ kits because Tamiya marries design, subject and instruction into a truly enjoyable build.

So when that next long weekend looks to be rained out, try not to be too disappointed. Open your cupboard and introduce yourself to an old Comrade, who might have been forgotten by some, but brought to life by Tamiya and ultimately your enthusiasm to get to another unique subject!

Comments on his build and review

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