Friday, October 18

Preview: Finally, we see Amusing Hobby's full-interior 35th scale T-80U from in the flesh...

We finally get to see the inside & out of Amusing Hobby's new T-80U (coming soon - they promised). Painted plastic & sprue layout are in our preview...

Preview: Finally, we see Amusing Hobby's full-interior 35th scale T-80U from in the flesh...

T-80U Main Battle Tank
From Amusing Hobby
Kit No# 35A060
1/35th scale
Injection moulded kit
Photo-etch included.
Release date "soon" it is said...

The Subject: The Russian T-80U MBT
Development was based on the Soviet Union’s T-64 at the Morozov Design Bureau in Kharkov, the T-80 was putted into service in 1976. In 1985, a modernized version, T-80U developed. Featuring a newly designed turret which equipped with the second generation "Kontakt 5 " explosive reactive armour and a Brod-M deep wading equipment. Arming with a 125mm 2A46-1 smooth bore gun which can fire the 9M119 Refleks (AT-11 Sniper) guided missile and the Long-Rod penetrator (HVAPFSDS) 3BM46.
 With a top speed of 70km/hour, T-80U is one of the fastest tank in service today. gas turbine engine and it was Being the first tank ever fitted with a gas-turbine engine, the GTD-1250 produced 1,250 hp (919 kW). It's mobility also ensured by the planetary power transmission controlled with hydraulic servo-system. Running gear features torsion bar suspension with hydraulic telescopic double-acting shock absorbers, RMSh track and rubber-tyred road wheels.
Other countries that operate the T-80 tanks include Cyprus (27), Belarus (95), Egypt (14), China (50), Azerbaijan (25), Yemen (31), Ukraine (271) and Kazakhstan. More than 1,400 tanks are in active service in Russia, and approximately 3,100 are in storage - although one would think many have been pulled out of storage and pressed into service by now. Some would most probably be "under new management" with the Ukrainian armed forces.

The kit from Amusing Hobby:
Amusing Hobby have new CAD designs and boxart by Ron Volstad that show us a few of the kit's details. A full interior awaits the modeller, something that Amusing Hobby has been keen on recently. 
The engine and radiators are shown in detail here. They will help the modeller who wants to display the tank undergoing maintenance - or even blown apart on the battlefield.
The 125mm 2A46-1 smooth bore gun and the autoloading mechanism and the ammo carousel are shown in these two CAD images.

The kit in plastic at last.
We first saw this kit at about the same time last year in CAD only, but now, we get to see the plastic sprues and also a built up kit inside and out.

First, the sprues laid out, of course multiples like the tracks are only shown once here...
As is the fashion, here are the completed major components laid out and painted up, ready for final assembly.
You can see the autoloader's workings, plus the opened hatches showing the transmission and engine.
Lastly, we have two photos of the tank painted & weathered, all it needs now is a cope cage or turtle shell!

This kit is said to be "Coming Soon" which we tend to believe this time!
For all of their kits check out the Amusing Hobby's Facebook Page as their website does not seem to be working right now...