T34/85 25th Guards Brigade No 234a

[Nick Farrugia]

hi phil
looks like a great model ,real fast build very enjoyable to see it coming along
will be waching with interest .
best wishes
nick

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi Nick
Yes the T34/85 is a great kit to build and plenty of things to do
add to the basic kit.
cheers
phil

[Kent Wiik]

Hi Phil,

Nice work and speedy, the kit seems to get together quiet well.

One question:
Will you change the tow brackets as that are a 1940-41 T34/76 item?
And are you going to change that rounded/bolted front plate lower edge were it meet the front belly plate.
That outfit was only seen on very very early prototype T34/85, the production T34/85 had a sharp and welded edge there.

Understand in full that due to keeping the kit prize down a compromise in layout of the 76/85 hulls had to be done and I am just curious if you had any plans regarding those 2 matters above.

Kind regards
Kent

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi Kent
The Tow Hooks I am waiting to see if some one produces a cast one,or failing that
I might have a go at shaping them out of Milliput,its amasing how hard that stuff sets.

The front front supplied with the kit is a "D" shape like you said.
I have been studying the 4 Osprey books that I have and there are a few photo's of
the T34/85 with a slight rounded front but welded and not bolted.
The pic's that John Clarke took at the Swiss museum Thun show Tank no 36 and this has
what I would describe as a "D" shape but with tops and bottom of the "D" being flat and
welded not bolted,so it looks a bit more like a "V" with a very blunt end.
The pic's that Dennis took at Bovington show a T34/85 no 412 with a flater plate in between
the glacis plate and lower front plate and welded.
So I think there might be some scope to alter the front,especialy like the T34/85 no 36 shown
at the Swiss museum.
I will have to have a good look tomorrow.
Cheers
Phil

[phil fitzpatrick]

Front suspension assemblies
Much too long though they wont go under the glacis plate
Will have to ring Gill and Mark tomorrow.
I think for deffinate there are 2 shorter central bolts missing.

Front suspension arms


Bush for front suspension arms

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hid the csk screws

[Brown Hawkins]

Phil, Kent, All,

I am planning on making that funky T34 85 tow hook and keeper along with the two man hull mounted saw. These tow hooks were also used on later T34 76s. My plan is to make 25 sets of 4 tow hooks depending on costs and interest. I still need to find a caster nearby for the tow hook metal casting. We might try aluminum but that may mean it won't take the weight of the finished tank on a pull. The plans are coming together after I recently got a new T34 reference from Russia. I just need to finish and mail my Tiger parts orders before I can work on these tow hooks and saw.

Brown

[phil fitzpatrick]

Hi Brown
Thanks for letting us know,I will be interested.
Cheers
Phil

[Bill Riedel]

Hello, Brown.

I would be interested in the cast tow hooks providing they are reasonable in price. Make me one of the 25.

Thanks,
Bill

[Armortek]

Hi Phil

Ref: front suspension and a couple of other minor fastener issues, a new update fastener pack is already on its way as per my email.

thanks
Gill

[phil fitzpatrick]

6 Pic's showing the assembly of the main suspension arms and fitting to Hull
Sorry about the reverse order,I still cant get the hang of it.

[phil fitzpatrick]

The springs flew in after the first one.


Cleaning out the holes ready for the trunion

I found that it was easier to clean out the holes ready for the trunion to push in first time

outside viev of the first spring I fitted

Spring fitted and adjusted
When the spring is under load as it would be on the ground the spring will not touch the edge of
the bearing bar,and will run straighter.

I found that with the spring adjuster in this position I didnot have to compress the spring much to
get the trunion into the hole in the hull side plate

Trunion and spring adjuster

[phil fitzpatrick]

Spring housings finnished
perfectly possible to seal these,but they would need to come off to adjust the springs

Spring housings on

Changed the screws to csk

Screws clash on the rear housing,if you cant push the housing screw through,check the rear screw
for the panier floor,mine overlapped the hole a fraction

Changed the cap heads for csk so that the spring housings would sit flush.

[phil fitzpatrick]

Had to work under the glacis plate to fit the idler shaft section,because I didnt read the manual all
the way through,and duscovered that it is recomended to take the glacis plate off to do this bit,
I had allready done some welds and filled my screws
Still I used the "D.I.N." method(Dexterity,Improvisation and None comformity) to do the job,and
fitted the Idler shaft first after checking I would still also be able to fit the front suspensions and
I can
Tension cups fitted

Sorting the parts out

Idler Shafts fitted


Idler shaft parts from inside

Idler Bush fitted

Front suspension parts assembled with new screws supplied in extra fastener bag.

[phil fitzpatrick]

Finaly finished my front suspension and got a full rate of movement now.