SOVIET HEAVY TANK KV-1 EHKRANAMI SPACED ARMOR TRUMPETER 1/35

The KV-1 heavy tanks additional armor type. I made it from March to July 2013. Transfer of 50 articles from old homepage has been completed. It is harder than I thought.

Although I had not much time for modelling cause the Saturday and Sunday working this weekend too, but I’m starting to assemble KV-1 Ehkranami spaced armor. I didn’t feel to paint Matilda in these days sudden returning cold weather, refrain from wide opening window and spraying paint.
(31-Mar-2013)

It is the same contents as other KV series fundamentally, the spaced armor parts looks characteristic. In order to attach these parts, required many small holes on the body in advance.

Photo of the constructed chassis and steel wheels under assembly. There are a lot of burr on these wheel parts, it seems the metallic mold was getting older.

If the fenders on either side remains as they are, fenders will fall and not good. Adjusting these fenders by hand and made to become parallel with a caterpillar. The caterpillar which is full of this weightiness is also one of the features of KV series.

I assembled the partial connected caterpillar parts. It fixed concretely, using adhesives fully. You can see extra armoring plates everywhere.
(31-Mar-2013)

The assembly of KV-1 was completed. Real vehicle, I surmise it became a quite heavy body that thick armoring plates were joined to the front, right and left of the body, and gun turret right and left.

In a battle, many KV heavy tanks were lost in battle, and as same as many vehicles must be abandoned by elementary operation mistakes — fall to the road shoulder and action became impossible. Probably, it is related to the degree of training of the Soviet Union army in early stages of the Great Patriotic War.

The gaps is filled up with putty. There are many parts which are real vehicle welding points, I suppose we don’t think so delicate finishing.

Last time I made KV-1, without a figure. I displayed one figure side of this KV-1. He is the Soviet Union Army of a tank crew of Alpine. Although it seems the gap between the arms and body, they are buried with the quick-drying glue with high viscosity.
(06-Apr-2013)

Three under making kits are put in order. It’s bigger size from the left. It says stronger firepower from the left.

Dark color paint preventing coating remnants. Weightiness came out very well. I suppose I can say it’s final and completed, a kind of ornament, good looking!!

Although the Russian tank in early stages of World War II seemed to be bright green, since it does not meet my image, I made a base color mixed some extent.
Mr. Color’s Russian green 1 and 2 40% each, khaki 10% and olive drab 10% and last adjustment German Gray a few drops.

This kit attached same decal sheet as I made KV-1 in March, 2007. Then it is boring, in consideration, I decided the paint slogan “Moscow air science member of the association (academy?) in red handwriting. Seemingly it is a private pilot training organization and this organ donated money and this tank was made.
It is referred to my source material book “Grand Power additional volume, Camouflage and marking of the Soviet Union Army Tanks” (written in Japanese).
(23-July-2013)

KV-1 Ehkranami was completed at last. This kit is one of the variations of Trumpeter’s KV series, which is added increase armor plates. I made KV-1 several years ago and finishing was changed this time, former completion work was muddy.

Additional armor plate was attached everywhere as gun turret and lower body. Total weight is 50 tons and mobility fell remarkably. Compared to this, Pzkpfw III is about 23 tons, Pzkpfw IV is 25 tons, Panter is 45 tons. KV-1 is heavier than those tanks.

This photo is a little dark. The bolt of additional armor is large and forcible. It was difficult to defeat KV-1 with 50mm anti-tank gun amounted in Pzkpfw III and Pzkpfw IV in 1941. Since KV-1 is too heavy, it has also ruined it because the road shoulder collapsing and sideslipping.

The shot from the back. Caterpillar is glaring, I directed atrocious image.

As I indicated in the making report, this kit is KV-1 series variation and the attached decal is same as an original KV-1 kit. Shot from the rear. I choose out from the reference book, and wrote in the handwritten slogan, “Moscow air science member of the association (academy).

Basic paint is green, while being exposed out in the fields, rust came out. The monotony of one color paint is compensated. Does it do too much?

I wonder the saw color green tank color or gray. Only the handle which made of wood is brown and the other part is green, I choose.

I thought the chipping is not indispensable. It has become unnatural. But only washing and dry brushing is unsatisfactory, it’s difficult. Since weathering work is suitably done with the feeling when making, it is different each time.

In carefully watching, there’s only one hatch on the gun turret and another one is near the driver’s seat. But KV-1’s crew total is five. We can see two hatches on the engine room, but we can’t rely on the situation of emergency evacuation. I’m worried about it’s difficult for especially enemy’s cartridge hit.

I am sorry for Alpine! It is painted of this level. My target is a maker’s package sample work, I suppose the work is really excellent.
This paint is all Tamiya’s enamel colors. I think whether oil painting will be good for delicate color gradation near future. But oil painting is very slow drying…

This blue uniform is sometimes seen by example of an early Russian tank crew. Zvezda kit box art color of blue work uniform is brilliant blue. I suppose more faded blue is matched to this tank.

Well, It’s difficult to take a photo in the white back, to adjust white balance and color tone expression, gray back is easier handling.
The helmet and big glove mold of this figure is excellent.

I painted good touch of the holster and belt part of the leather. I think that the color tone of a figure also suits the weathering condition of vehicles very well.

The wheels are made of steel, part of worn with the caterpillar is painted bright metal color. After painting black, I did try brush in gun metal.

KV-1’s under part has many portions of shining metal.

There are many kinds of rust and dirt on the tank upper surface. I presume it’s hardly done car washing during the war. Rather than it, we put the more human power into engine and tank gun maintenance.

The transparent part of a headlight is the kindest. Even if it makes on my own, not much satisfying result sometimes. This time finishing is the image of dried Russian field, not the muddy season. In terms of results, the figure and tank both finished in satisfactory.
(28-July-2013)