1:35 Red Army OT Flame Tanks. T-34 flame thrower version. Mixed turret types.

Red Army OT Flame Tanks decals in 1:35 scale

A decal set for modelers who build the Soviet T-34 medium tank in its flame-thrower form. It is not a kit and not a plastic accessory, but a sheet of markings with which you round a finished and painted model out with the tactical numbers and lettering used in the Red Army. The 1:35 scale is the most widespread size for models of ground hardware, so the set follows on from the ordinary range of T-34 kits. According to the name the sheet allows for various types of turret, which widens the range of forms it can be used on.

The real subject and the markings

The flame-thrower version of the T-34 came about by modifying a production tank: instead of the machine gun in the front of the hull the vehicle received a flame-thrower, while the gun in the turret was kept. Outwardly it therefore barely differed from an ordinary T-34 and the enemy usually recognized it only at the moment it was used. The Red Army deployed these vehicles in separate units for fighting in built-up terrain and against field fortifications. The markings of Soviet hardware tended to be sparing and were often painted by hand right at the unit, with tactical numbers on the turret.

Application tips

Markings stand out on a smooth, glossy area, so first give the places they are going onto a coat of gloss varnish. For the application itself, follow the manufacturer's instructions. Once it has dried, give the model a matte or semi-matte varnish, so that the difference in sheen disappears, and only then go on with dust and mud effects. Compare the placement of the markings with period photographs in advance.

Who the set is for

• modelers focused on Soviet hardware of the Second World War
• builders of the T-34 tank in its flame-thrower form
• anyone after uniform markings for a whole group of vehicles
• collectors of decal sheets for the Eastern Front