1:48 T-34/85 SMOKE CANS (HOBBY BOSS)

Smoke cans for the T-34/85 in 1:48 scale from Hauler

A small aftermarket set from the Czech maker Hauler meant for completing the model of the Soviet T-34/85 medium tank in 1:48 scale. It is not a model or a kit but a set of parts depicting the smoke cans that later machines carried at the rear of the hull. The set is cut for the Hobby Boss kit. It is an undemanding accessory that nevertheless has a marked effect on the silhouette of the rear.

What it changes on a model

The rear of the T-34/85 is among the most photographed places on a model, and the pair of cans on its sides is typical of later machines. The parts from a kit tend to be simplified here, with thick brackets and suggested straps. A separate set can render the shape and the mounting more accurately, and the cans can moreover be fitted slightly turned or one of them left out altogether, because not every machine carried them in the field. The model thus gains individuality without your having to make major changes.

Building and painting tips

Wash and degrease the small parts and handle them with tweezers over a surface. Make any bends in the brackets in the scored lines. It is bonded with super glue applied in a minimal amount, ideally with a pin, so that the glue does not run across the surfaces. Glue the cans on only after the base shade of the hull has been sprayed; you will reach underneath them more easily. The securing straps tend to be worn through to bare metal, and the cans themselves tend to have a different shade and a different degree of dirt from the hull, which can be used to break up a uniform area.

Who the set is for

• builders of Soviet vehicles in 1:48 scale
• modelers who want more accurate detail at the rear
• anyone interested in small improvements without major work
• patient modelers; the parts are small

The accessory is supplied unassembled and unpainted. The model, glue and paints are not included in the package.