1:35 SU-85

The real subject

The SU-85 is a Soviet tank destroyer of the Second World War, built on the chassis of the T-34 tank. Instead of a rotating turret it has a fixed superstructure with an 85 mm gun, which gave it a low silhouette and, against the German types of the time, substantially more effective fire than the older self-propelled guns. It was produced from 1943 and in its day it was a transitional type that opened the way to the later self-propelled guns on the same chassis.

What a photo-etched set solves

Photo-etched parts come about by etching an outline into thin metal sheet, so they have a thickness that cannot be reached with injected plastic. They therefore replace features that in a kit necessarily come out too heavy, and they add the fine detail that will not fit into a mold. On armored equipment the difference is visible above all on thin surfaces and on small fittings, that is where plastic gives the scale away at first glance.

How to work with photo-etched parts

The parts are held on the carrier sheet by thin tabs. Separate them with a sharp blade on a hard surface, not by twisting. Make the bends along the marked score line, best in a bending tool or between two blades. They are glued with super glue applied with a pin, because cement for polystyrene will not join metal. Degrease the parts before painting and apply a base coat, or the paint will rub off. The purpose of the parts and the order of assembly are given in the manufacturer's instructions.

Who the set is for

For builders who want to take a model of the SU-85 beyond the level of an out-of-the-box build and do not mind fine work with tweezers. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.