T-34/76Model 1943 Chelyabinsk

Manufacturer: Al.By (Kit #930)

Many people feel thatAl.By is the undisputed Master at small scale resin tank making.Although I feel that they are now getting competition from othercompanies, they still rank as one of the best. This kitdemonstrates why.

The base for the kit isthe out-of-production ESCI T-34 kit. Al.By made some minormodifications to the ESCI hull, which improves the final productconsiderably. Some of the changes include the addition of sparetrack links to the fenders, some handholds on the engine accesshatches, nicer mufflers, and the removal of the storage boxes andequipment tie-downs from the hull side. The lower hull is alsocopied from ESCI, but the wheel axles have been greatly improved,and better detail added to the sides of the lower hull. As far asI can tell, the only other copied ESCI parts are the towshackles, the gun, the tracks, and the storage boxes (but asseparate parts).

The wheels are exquisite.There are four sets of solid disk wheels (two per side) and sixsets of all-metal wheels (three per side). (Only representativeexamples are shown in the above scan). The solid disk wheels withrubber tires may have originally been based on the ESCI kitwheels, but they have been altered so extensively, that they arepractically new. The addition of the rim bolts helpsconsiderably, but the major improvement is the wheel hubs, whichare now finally molded with the level of relief necessary, andwhich is only possible with cast resin. If Al.By would marketthese wheel sets separately, I would buy half a dozen sets rightnow. The all-metal wheels are likewise magnificent. Neither theESCI nor the AER kit wheels even come close to these in quality.Again, Al.By should seriously consider marketing them separately.

The turret is alsofantastic. It is hollow-cast, which is unusual for resin kits,and the hatches are open (with latch detail on both the insidesand outsides of the hatches). The lift rings, and hand-holdbrackets are provided as etched-brass parts. The gun and mantletare molded as one piece. Also included, but not shown in theparts scan is a length of fine fishing line, which I assume ismeant to be used to replicate the hand holds on the turret.

This is one of the bestresin tank kits I have ever seen, and I highly recommend it toothers.