Trumpeter 1/35 scale Russian KV-2 tank

Kit: No. 00312
Scale: 1/35
Manufacturer:: Trumpeter, from Stevens International, 856-435-1555, www.stevenshobby.com
Price: $24.95
Comments: Injection-molded, 279 parts (2 vinyl, 1 wire), decals
Pros: Good external detail, overall good fit, choice of vinyl or injectionmolded tracks
Cons: Ejector-pin marks in track links, no interior details

Trumpeter's new line of Soviet KV tanks includes the KV-II reviewed here and a KV-1 that uses many of the same basic parts. Trumpeter's parts show excellent surface detail, especially the execution of the welded seams. The inclusion of injection-molded link-and-length tracks with the sag molded into the upper run is a first for Trumpeter. For those who prefer, a set of one-piece vinyl tracks is provided. Sadly, the injection-molded tracks have ejector-pin marks on the inside faces.

You can pose all of the hatches open or closed, but no interior parts are provided. Trumpeter provides soft, twisted, copper wire for the tow cable. A small decal sheet provides simple white slogans ("For Stalin") for the sides of the turret. No figures are included.

The lower hull box has separate side panels that attach to it, allowing Trumpeter to use the same basic hull for different variants. Most of the main hull parts fit well, but I had to apply a clamp to the rear when installing part C4. A small sink mark on the rear of each side panel was filled with a couple of applications of Mr. Surfacer 1000. The kit provides early style steel-rimmed road wheels. I left off the wheels and drive gear until painting was done. The fenders are supplied as separate pieces with thin fender brackets. It was possible to dry-fit the fenders for painting but then remove them for installing the tracks.

Assembly of the turret is made easy by the large one-piece main casting. The rear hatch can be assembled so it operates. The kit provides a segmented gun barrel, of which I cannot find in any pictures.

I airbrushed my KV first with Polly Scale Pullman green then shaded all the major panels with lightened Tamiya olive green. I applied the decals over a coat of Future and then blended them into the overall finish with Polly Scale clear flat.

Pictures of KV-II's with hand-painted slogans on the turret are rare (they were a big enough target as is), but it helps to break up the large expanse of olive green.

Though I used the injection-molded tracks, I test fitted the vinyl ones and found that both fit well. The plastic tracks were easy to install.

The finished model matched exactly the dimensions from the website, "The Russian Battlefield" (www.battlefield.ru/ index.html). It took me about 12 hours to finish my model. The KV-II kit is easy to build and looks great.

- John Plzak