1:35 T – 72

The real subject

The T-72 is a Soviet main battle tank of the 1970s and belongs among the most widespread tanks of its day. It was built in a whole series of versions and was also produced under license outside the Soviet Union, so modelers come across it in the colors of dozens of armies. It has six large road wheels on each side, and those are visible from the side along the whole length of the hull. Their shape differs between versions, so anyone who knows the subject will notice them on a finished model.

Fitting to the model

Fit the wheels to finished suspension, once the spacing of the suspension arms can no longer change. Make sure they all stand in one plane, otherwise the track will not seat evenly on them and the model will rock on its base. Cut the excess material off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the remainder so that the mating surfaces meet. The material of the parts and a suitable glue are given in the manufacturer's instructions, so follow them. Wash and degrease the wheels before painting, because paint does not hold on a greasy surface.

• 1:35 scale
• A wheel set for a model of the T-72 tank
• An add-on to a kit, not a model in its own right
• Fitted to finished suspension
• Material and gluing as given in the manufacturer's instructions

Painting

Wheels are easiest to paint away from the model, pushed onto a stick or held on double-sided tape. Apply the base shade of the vehicle, then work the rubber tire bands separately and finally add dust and mud to match the setting you place the model in. Fit them to the model only once the paint has dried, so that no fingerprints are left in it.

Who it is for

The set suits modelers who build the T-72 and want to replace the wheels with separate parts. Compare the shape of the wheels with your particular kit, as it differs between versions. Paints, glue and other building materials are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.