1:35 T-55 "Enigma" Special Set

Aber 1:35 – a special detail set for the T-55 Enigma

A multi-part detail set from the Polish maker Aber in 1:35 scale for a model of the Iraqi T-55 tank in the form known as the Enigma. In one package it brings together photo-etched brass parts with a turned metal armament part and covers a substantial share of the superdetailing of a single model. It is not a kit; the package holds no plastic parts.

The real subject

The T-55 is a Soviet medium tank of the postwar generation, which became one of the most widespread tanks in the world and served in dozens of armies. The name Enigma belongs to an Iraqi modernization in which massive blocks of add-on armor were hung on the turret and the hull in an effort to raise resistance to anti-tank missiles. Vehicles in this form were recorded during the fighting in the Persian Gulf at the start of the 1990s. It is those angular hung-on blocks that give the tank an unmistakable silhouette and at the same time offer large flat surfaces where fine metal detail stands out.

Building tips

The flat surfaces of the add-on armor tempt you into a dull finish – shade modulation, a pronounced wash into the gaps between the blocks and dust pigments on the lower areas all help. Cut the photo-etched parts on a hard mat, bend them in a bending tool or between two metal rulers and glue them with a minimum of cyanoacrylate glue. Degrease the metal parts and give them a base coat, otherwise the finish flakes off while the model is handled. Plan the sequence in advance, as some of the photo-etched parts are fitted before assemblies are closed up.

Who the set is for

• Builders of modern vehicles and T-55 variants in 1:35 scale
• Modelers who want thin sheet parts and an accurate barrel
• More experienced modelers with experience of photo-etched parts
• Collectors of out-of-the-ordinary modifications of production vehicles

This is a detail set, not a kit. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package.