1:72 Cro-Army # 1. Croatian T-34/85 tanks 1991-95.

Star Decals 1:72 - the markings of Croatian T-34/85 tanks of 1991 to 1995

This sheet of decals in 1:72 scale from the Cro-Army series is devoted to the T-34/85 tanks that the Croatian armed forces used in the years 1991 to 1995. It serves as historical reference for modelers who document the hardware of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.

The T-34/85 half a century later

The T-34/85 came into being during the Second World War as a Soviet medium tank with an 85mm gun and a three-man turret. Thanks to the enormous numbers built and its simple design it stayed in service with a range of armies long after 1945. In the Balkans it was kept in the stores of the Yugoslav army and from there it reached the units of the newly arisen states. Machines of the 1990s therefore differ from period shots of 1945 in their finishes as well as in improvised modifications of the hull and the turret.

A practical note on the build

Hardware of this period tends to be dusty and marked by service, but markings are laid onto a clean surface before weathering comes in turn. Apply a glossy coat under a decal only at the place in question, therefore, seat the design and only after that even the whole vehicle out with a matte coat of varnish. Apply the dust shades over the drawing, not around it, otherwise it will stay unnaturally fresh.

Who the set suits

• for modelers interested in the postwar fortunes of the T-34/85 tank
• for builders of hardware from the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s
• for collectors of armored vehicles in 1:72 scale
• for makers of dioramas from modern European battlefields