BT-7 Soviet Light Tank Tamiya 1/35

It was BT-7 completed in October 2015. It was effortless to make.

This is the BT-7 of Tamiya. I built the BT-5 of ZVEZDA long ago and had hard work. BT-5 and BT-7 are something like brothers. The body became the welding from a rivet as a change from BT-5 and became the slant gun turret as a characteristic of the model 1937.

Even Tamiya does the work of the box composing type at the beginning of the process; it’s surprising. I don’t worry about the TAMIYA product, just in case I did a trial assembly.

The chassis box was completed without problems.

Building around the complicated front wheel ends and side armors. I wrote a weld at the top, but I wonder if some rivets may also be used.

I got big wheels fixed. It’s one of the characteristics of the BT series.
(14-October-2015)

The mold of a BT-7 caterpillar, both sides are good quality. There are injection pin marks whether I leave the marks except where it stands out.

This caterpillar is splendid. It was assembled on a tracker roller right away. It cannot happen with the belt.

They are the etched parts and the decals to be used now.

The delicately curved surface processing of photo-etched parts uses this jig, and anyone can easily make it.
(25-October-2015)

I clean the surface before painting. It is assembling completion for the moment.

As usual, these headlights will be installed just before the completion. This thick chain is one of the significant outward features of the BT tank.

There were a few wheels, so assembly was early. Because the caterpillar tracks are high-quality injection parts, they look like rigid plates one by one.

The photo-etched parts are too beautiful and stand out. The shape of the shovel is somewhat strange and different from a Japanese one. When I checked it, there was also such a shape shovel in the WWII Russian Army. Will this reproduce the shovel of the Russian military exactly?

I fitted the photo-etched parts of the radiator inlet port on the body side.
(27-October-2015)

Painting with black lacquer paint.

I painted with dark green water-based paint and tore off my favorite places. Sometimes it’s overdone.

Two figures are attached to this Tamiya kit. After having painted the tank, I begin this painting now. A complete report will be up after I finish painting the figure. Please wait for a moment.

The back shot.

This position is just right to put a hand on the edge of the gun turret.

A mold is illegible in green-colored parts.

The expression on the face becomes easy to understand that I paint surfacer.

The back shot.

Is blue workwear slightly too bright? I painted it generally. Maybe I will tone down the color a little.
(29-October-2015)

T-26 and BT-5 were lacking in defensive powers in the Spanish civil war. BT-7 adopted inclination armor and improved its defensive powers.

The T-34, called a masterpiece tank, inclined arming, and high mobility. These were inherited from BT-7.

BT-7 played an active part in the Battles of Khalkhin Gol, fought with the Japanese Army and the invasion of Poland, the winter war that invaded and attacked Finland, the Eastern Front of the early stage. It played an active part in various fights. I had an impression that the BT tank was weak and was always overthrown.

Because this tank was in Leningrad in 1943, it is very experienced. It was painted like the tank used for a long time. I think that the damage to the paint surface became considerably intense.

This headlight is well-made. I wound a metal chain around the front; it is an essential item of the BT series. It’s fascinating.

I see the photo-etched parts of the radiator inlet port when from this height.

The painting of the exhaust pipe increased rust. The recent Tamiya kits have a mold of the knob on the scoop stop tab.

I took a dry brush with the iron metallic on the caterpillar. There is a sense of weight because it is a little sparkle.

The gun turret turned, but a gun barrel hardened on the way, and the top and bottom movement had been fixed.

After painting it black, I painted with the basics-colored dark green, and some areas were peeled off. It is a so-called hair spray technique.

I cut a margin off as much as possible, cut the number one by one, and stuck them.

I think a pose and an expression are natural and cool. The painting of a map case belt has stuck up a little. I think I have to apply more correctly. I’m exhausted by face painting.

The soldier was painted with blond hair and added light and shade.

I am ashamed that I showed it by zooming up. The eyeballs were enduringly drawn on the hollow at the very back of the mold. I’m glad because it comes with the rank insignia of the decal in the Soviet Army. I want Tamiya to release the decal of the rank insignia of the U.S. Army, British troops, the Soviet Army, and the Imperial Japanese Army. I painted the tank crew of blue working clothes faded looking. They should be adjusted the height for using something inside of the tank. It seems to fit other tanks.

From behind. I refrained from the oil dirt this time; maybe it was too shabby…

It is a layout similar to a box picture.

A face is an oil painting. Both two people have serious expressions.

Judging from a badge of rank, the right soldier is a captain. I can choose the rank of a captain, a first lieutenant, and a second lieutenant with the kit decals of Tamiya.

Because it was easy to assemble, I could spend time on the painting. The best part of the tank model is drawing various expressions after finishing the basic color.

Recently, I liked the method of tearing off a paint film afterward. I want to use it for the Modern AFVs, but I wonder weathering it overdoes.
(30-October-2015)