The fearsome Russian BMPT-72 Fire Support Combat Vehicle in 35th scale with lots of detail pointed out for us to pore over before its release…Check out the feature set of this latest release in CAD & the new pictures from Tiger model in our test built up image preview
Tiger Models New Kit:
Russian BMPT-72 “Terminator II” Fire Support Combat Vehicle
1/35th scale
Kit No #4611
Looks like Tiger Model are expanding their 35th scale range. They are not too keen we think on going the established route of models that everyone else has made. They seem to want to cover new stuff. Although this kit is not unique to modellers and other companies seem to be jointing in with this one. Trumpeter already announcing their kit of this and MENG already making their own Terminator, (the BMPT w/KMT-8 mine cleaning system & EMT electromagnetic countermine system) this one is based on the T-72 chassis that not many people would own. Let’s take a look at the Terminator first before we look at the kit in CAD form and its feature set -this time with the built up kits to pore over....
BMPT-72 Terminator 2 Tank support armoured fighting vehicle fact sheet:
At Russian Arms Expo 2013 defence exhibition in Nizhny Tagil, the Russian Defense Company Uralvagonzavod has unveiled a new version of its Terminator, fire support armoured fighting vehicle BMPT-72. The idea to build new heavily armed tank support vehicles emerged on the basis of experience acquired by the Russian military during the First Chechen War in North Caucasus, especially during the urban fighting in Grozny in 1995 when Russian troops lost a large number of combat vehicles to “guerrilla warfare” tactics used by Chechen separatists.
BMPT-72 SPECIFICATIONS
Height: 3.33 m
Width: 3.6 m
Length (Hull): 7.2 m (includes over front mud flaps & rear BAR armour)
Combat Weight: 44 tonnes
Top Road Speed: 60 km/h
Operational Range: 500 km (with added rear fuel drums)
As the first production of BMP-T, the BMPT-72 is based on the chassis of the Russian-made main battle tank T-72. The vehicle offers new protection and firepower, especially in urban operations. The BMPT-72 is able to fight a full range of modern targets as a main battle tank, armoured infantry fighting vehicles and other combat vehicles, dismounted infantry, and guided missile combat teams. The BMPT-72 is an extensive modernization of the world-famous T-72 main battle tank, also produced by Uralvagonzavod. Compared with the BMPT predecessor, the BMPT-72 has an improved fire control system and better turret weapon station protection. According to manufacturer Uralvgonzavod, the key advantage that the BMPT-72 gives to all the counties that operate T-72 tanks is that they can promptly and at minimal cost upgrade their armies to an ultra-modern level, and enhance capacity, mobility, protection and armament without purchasing new high-cost machines.
Kit details we know about so far...
Movable tracks.
Track parts are an easy click together assembly (phew)...
Hull has movable torsion bars.
Photo-etched parts contain the safety guard and air inlet & outlet for the whole vehicle.& Metal mesh protection for the rear deck and towing cable included. The rear deck is very detailed.
Machine guns and missile launcher can be posed.
Kits come with 8 anti-tank missile rounds.
Hatches are posable both open and closed.
Periscope and optical equipment are equipped with transparent parts.
Tracks can be shown with the rubber road or steel tracks.
The kit comes with two kinds of bogie wheels that can assemble each version of the BMPT-72 from 2012 to 2015.
In Plastic:
It is all well and good to see the computerised images of this kit, but to see it built up in the flesh is something quite different - just look at the rear anti-rocket grates and the detail on the rear of the turret...
...Loook at the twin barrel main armament with the schmick metal barrels - the imaging devices, the rivets on the deck and texture on the hull along with the anti-tank missile system on the turret also is "impressionate"!
The rear of the deck is jut as impressive with thin PE grills and an opening hatch and towing cable arrangement...
It's coming right for us! we have heard whispers about this tank due out in a month's time, we will let you know ASAP when it hits....
More on this kit when we get it to review and build in the near future…Check out Tiger Models Website for more on their kits…