KV-7 Double Your Pleasure - Double Your Guns

[maschinenkrueger]

The KV-7 U-14 Heavy Assault Tank was another unusual attempt to mount more firepower to the KV chassis to increase bunker-busting capabilities. The original iteration - the KV-7 U-13 had two 45mm and one 76mm gun mounted on the same gun mount. The 45mm was ineffective in trials so the prototype was modified to fit twin ZiS-5 76mm guns. The plan called for 1/5 of KV production to be a KV-7. These never made it past prototype stage. Can't imagine why?

I will be using Trumpeters KV-7 09504 kit for this


Right off the bat I noticed two things that need to be addressed. The kit has continuous fenders but there is a gap in the fenders under the casemate. This will need to be trimmed and the gap under the casemate filled.







And the applique armor welded to the front of the casemate isn't very pronounced on the kit. It's more obvious on this photo of the U-13.



Additional information can be found here: Tank Archives

[maschinenkrueger]

Like most recent Trumpeter KV kits, it has some accuracy issues and detail shortcuts.

The main guns, gun shield and mantle do not match the photos and need further work. Aber is releasing a set of turned aluminum barrels that fit both the two and three barrel versions of the KV-7. Unfortunately Aber made the same mistakes Trumpeter did on the twin ZiS-5 L/42 guns. The guns do not have the armored collar at the base and should be a smooth taper.

The gun shield is missing the armored access plates for the guns. I corrected the mantle to be a one piece cast part with a cut to clear the gun optics. The casemate welds and cut edges are vague or missing and are in progress. Plus Trumpeter screws the modeler over yet again with those dreadful delicate seams that need to be filled around the acorn periscopes.

It looks pretty cool in the low angle shots so I plan to stick with it. :lol:

I took the tracks from the KV-19 for the photos. I havn't purchased any aftermarket for this yet. Yet.

[panzerjager2]

Pretty DARN COOL.... I kinda like the 3 barrel job...
NICE WORK 
PJ2

[dierk]

Excellent work! Well done fixing the kit's shortfalls.
It is a shame Trumpy couldn't maintain the fairly high standard they set with their early KV kits. Having said that, some of them had minor problems too.

[maschinenkrueger]

Thanks! Spent last night adding more welds.

I think on this and many of the KV prototypes, Trumpeter are just getting lazy in their rush to get kits to market. The new unique parts for the KV-7, the KV-220 have had pretty soft and simplified details. The upcoming KV-3 is going to have the same problems plus a wrong turret shape.

They released a fine KV-1 in 2005, but the molds and part design are starting to show their age. Extra flash, pitting, excessive ejector pin marks, some questionable part assembly/alignment. This may have been OK 13 years ago but now... Would be nice if Miniart tackled the KV series with a full interior!

[dierk]

Always a shame when companies start resting on their laurels.
Personally I still rate the early KV Trumpy kits, especially considering their low cost.

[tobias5555]

Very cool build

[thechaos]

Gread work, it looks so good with the Metal tracks.

[deafpanzer]

Way too cool!!! Double or none... great bet you are making!

[maschinenkrueger]

I think I'm going to set this one aside. After some further discussion and research, there are just toooooooo many errors on this kit.

Wrong...
Roof layout
Acorn periscopes
Gun Mantle
Gun Shield
Main Guns
Hull top armor plates
Nose corner plate
Periscope guards
Transmission deck
Road Wheels
Return rollers
Casemate location

The main guy at PanzerArt is working on a correction/conversion set but it could be a while.

Life is too short for crappy kits.

[maschinenkrueger]

Trying to avoid all the detail painting needed on the Pershing, I dusted this one off the shelf-o-shame.

I decided it was not worth correcting the kit errors - I would need to start over - so I decided to plow ahead and added my own errors to the kit.







I'm not sure on the symmetrical stowage after looking at the photos. Will work on that next.

[dierk]

Maybe you should change the title of this thread to 'Double your Pain'?
Such a shame that this kit seems to be held together by its numerous faults - I know how you feel: I was so delighted when HobbyBoss released the T-35, that I ordered one before it got reviewed. Spent serious money on metal barrels lots more on resin figures...got as far as the early stages of weathering when I found out HB got the measurements off the internet, which, of course, were wrong

[John Everett]

They're not errors. They're "historical speculation".

And it's not like they made a zillion copies of these. Perhaps your version is a perfect duplicate of one of the prototypes.

[maschinenkrueger]

Dierk - Bummer on the T-35. Which version has the errors? Or do all of them? I keep thinking of building the T-35. Is the Zvezda one better?

John - Trumpeter is historically accurate to a thumbnail sketch.

[panzerjager2]

Really nice work on this build 
PJ2

[maschinenkrueger]

Thanks PJ2

A little update while I wait on screens.

[dierk]

Mar 28, 2018 13:50:36 GMT -5 maschinenkrueger said:

Dierk - Bummer on the T-35. Which version has the errors? Or do all of them? I keep thinking of building the T-35. Is the Zvezda one better?

John - Trumpeter is historically accurate to a thumbnail sketch.

All the Trumpy kits are based on the same, wrong, measurements. The Zvezda kit is correct - they used the one in Kubinka to base their kit on...and it's cheaper.

[Leon]

Looking good,despite all the errors!

[maschinenkrueger]

Thanks Leon.

Thanks for the info Dierk. This guy spruced up the ICM kit.

[dierk]

Apr 3, 2018 9:10:02 GMT -5 maschinenkrueger said:

Thanks Leon.

Thanks for the info Dierk. This guy spruced up the ICM kit.

The link just connects to this thread - I'd be interested to see it.

[maschinenkrueger]

Let's try that again... >Link<

[pt109]

Interesting.....did the main guns fire together? What a strange idea......

[maschinenkrueger]

Jun 9, 2018 23:41:00 GMT -5 pt109 said:

Interesting.....did the main guns fire together? What a strange idea......

Simultaneous or independently. Test showed either approach wrecked the alignment of the sights.

[maschinenkrueger]

ARISE Necropost! :lol:

After a few setbacks I am resurrecting this build. A prior botched HS attempt forced me to soak the whole thing in Windex. This soak took the finish back the the bare plastic so I had to spend some time again filling and sanding surface imperfections so that was fun... But this allowed me to address one of the minor details that bothered me. The MG turret periscope guards. Previously I used some spare SU-152 guards from an old Bronco kit but these would put a production/modification date to mid 43 and I wanted to represent something a little earlier.

I created small periscopes and guards in 3D CAD and sent the files to be printed at Shapeways using the ultra high resolution material. The part printed is 1"x1" square with enough extras in case I busted some up cutting them from the plate. Only one was lost in the process so that's good.

Here is the raw plate. It's difficult to make out the surface finish but there are fine build lines present. The lenses for the periscopes have a fine rough finish. The parts sit on a 0.015" tall boss so I was able to cleanly slice them off with a razor saw.



Here I attached them to the MG turret. I brushed a coat of Mr Surfacer 1000 and lightly sanded them smooth. The base kit has been preshaded with Nato Black. I think i will clean it up with some brush painted pre-highlights. I hope to paint this weekend.





I know it's a minor detail on kit ripe with errors but the old guards were bugging me the moment I glued them one.

Never give up! Never surrender!

[wbill76]

Why not go for it since it's v2 on the paint anyhow! Looking good.

[maschinenkrueger]

Thanks Bill. I'm thinking a green with brown camo.

[maschinenkrueger]

OK, back to where I was months ago. Base coat of paint.

[maschinenkrueger]

Camo bands and first filters. I've got a lot of work ahead. Markings next.

[wbill76]

Looks like the pattern went down nice and smooth, making good progress on v2!

[maschinenkrueger]

Thanks Bill. It feels good to make the effort to finish this. I don't like abandoning projects.

A couple of washes followed by oil paint highlights. Markings are airbrushed using Montex masks. Parts are still not glued so mind the gaps.