1:72 T-26 with A-43 turret

T-26 with the A-43 turret, a tank kit in 1:72 scale from UM

A plastic kit of the Soviet T-26 light tank in the form with the A-43 turret in 1:72 scale from the Ukrainian manufacturer UM. The small scale takes up little room in a display case and the finished model will round out a collection of armored equipment of the interwar period and of the Second World War nicely.

The real subject

In the 1930s the T-26 was among the most widespread tanks in the world. It was based on the British Vickers 6-Ton type, which the Soviet Union took over under license and developed further in a whole range of versions, from twin-turret machine gun forms to gun variants with a single turret. T-26 machines went through the Spanish Civil War, the fighting in the Far East, the Winter War with Finland and the opening phase of the fighting on the Eastern Front. The form with the A-43 turret represents one of the less known development forms of this tank, and that is exactly why it is an interesting subject for collectors who want something other than the ordinary production versions in their collection.

Building and painting tips

Use thin cement for plastic models for the build and seat the smaller parts with tweezers; in 1:72 scale they are small. Before painting, spray the model with primer; Soviet protective green suits as a base. The look is markedly lifted by a dark wash in the recesses of the running gear and fine pigments imitating dust and mud on the tracks and the fenders.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of Soviet armored equipment in 1:72 scale
• Modelers drawn to less usual variants of well known machines
• Builders of dioramas from the interwar period and the Second World War
• Modelers with basic experience of building plastic models

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.