Hobby Boss 1/35 Soviet OT-130 Flame Thrower Tank First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | June 2014 | Manufacturer | Hobby Boss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Soviet OT-130 Flame Thrower Tank | Scale | 1/35 |
| Kit Number | 82498 | Primary Media | Styrene, Photo-Etch |
| Pros | Unique subject | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Experienced | MSRP (USD) | $47.99 |
First Look
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The KhT-130 chemical tank was developed in the early 1930s before Stalin's great purge of tank engineers in the mid-1930s. The designation KhT-130 was changed to OT-130 (flame-thrower tank) after the Great Patriotic War. Built upon the T-26 light infantry tank, The KhT-130 used the larger 45mm gun turret replacing the main gun with the flame-thrower nozzle.
The Hobby Boss kit consists of over 900 parts with 13 trees molded in green styrene, one tree of clear parts, and 144 small trees molded in brown styrene (duplicate trees not shown). Two frets of photo-etched details round out this kit.
Among the features and options in this kit:
- Positionable turret
- Detailed hull
- Detailed suspension
- Individual track links with four pins per link to construct
This is certainly a model for experienced builders given the really tiny track pins and links used to build up the track runs. The kit has some really nice detailing and while the subject is mostly painted in 4B0 green, the details will lend themselves to a nice application of weathering materials to depict a KhT-130 out on a hard day of operations.
If you're looking for a fun project to experiment with your painting and weathering techniques or simply want a nice project that isn't another Tiger tank, give this kit a try!
My sincere thanks to Squadron Mail Order for this review sample!