RPM 1/35 T-60 Light Tank with Applique Armor Kit First Look
By Cookie Sewell
| Date of Review | April 2005 | Manufacturer | RPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | T-60 Light Tank with Applique Armor | Scale | 1/35 |
| Kit Number | 35044 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | Best T-60 kit on the market | Cons | Brass is very thing |
| Skill Level | Intermediate | MSRP (USD) | $22.95 |
First Look
I noted in a previous review that I have trouble sorting out the relationships among eastern European companies as to who produces and who reboxes their kits. This one is no different, as the Polish RPM company has taken a Polish Techmod T-60 kit and boxed it with a large and complete set of etched brass as their own kit.
The Techmod T-60 is one of their better kits; while not as detailed as their T-50 with applique armor kit that came with etched brass, it is far better than the T-70 kits as it is at least accurate and offers a choice of early (spoke) or late (disk) wheels. I built the basic kit and recall it being a (relative) snap to assemble, and even the link-and-length tracks fit without much hassle.
This kit comes with a large (125 x 150 mm) brass sheet to replace most of the lighter details, such as the engine air intake, radiator exhaust, fenders and braces, and also provide a relatively scale 10mm appliqué armor package for the turret. The directions are unfortunately only in Polish, but most of the items can be discerned and attached correctly. At least the entire Techmod kit is provided, so the modeler can use all the pieces he wants to without having to use fiddly brass bits where he may not want to use them.
The sample I had came with damaged intake and radiator exhaust screens (brass parts 4 and 20) but someone must have done quality control, as there were replacement parts included with my sample. (Of course, as it was purchased at a "sale" table the original owner may have ordered them to fix the problems with the kit in the first place.)
A total of five finishing options were provided: a plain T-60 with aerial marking, an all white one from Manchuria in winter 1944, and three plain green ones – Stalingrad 1943, and two from different companies of the same unit in 1943 with variations on the same markings.
Overall this is a nice kit made even better by the brass sheet, and the price is reasonable to begin with before you check around. (I picked this one up for $10 as it is an older kit, but one still offered from Squadron and other dealers for around $20.)