T80 BV KIT BASH

[macmcconnell.]

Gents this has been on the go for a while i love the T80 with the ERA however the Dragon ofering is very poor. After reading a article in AFV modeller i had hope even more so when i discovered Noel had the other donner kit i needed there is so much wrong with the Dragon kit to main parts turret wrong shape hull to thin and thats for starters the list is endless.
Anyways i have cracked on and heres 2 pics with the main improvements in place.

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DSC05676 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
As you can see a big jigsaw but getting there not for the faint harted this one ,but on the back of the Esci T55 builds i have some more confidence.

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DSC05675 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.

Every area needs work i have built up the engine deck and sanded to the right shape i have changed the turret shape. i have new track etch ERA and new roadwheels. Its a great project for me.
Hope you guys like it.

Rgs Mac

[jackh.]

Very interesting project Mac, count me in .

[macmcconnell.]

Jack its a beast of a kit bash and something i have enjoyed thus far.

Rgs Mac

[TRM]

I'm in!!! Have at it!! ;D

[macmcconnell.]

Thanks agian guys this is abig step for me as its a major rebuild The lower hull white plastic is Skif the gray is Dragon the green is Zvezda but its the old Dragon kit reboxed Dicky got the engine grills onto day.

Rgs Mac

[robbo]

Intersting build Mac, so many corrections

[macmcconnell.]

So so many Robbo take the angle of the hull front Dragon kit all wrong skif better and thats a first for me had to use skif side bins and sand them down just about every area will need something.
Rgs Mac

[eastrock]

that would be the imperial dragon kit? also read the reviews almost building the kit from scratch

[Mence]

Nice start Mac, looks good from here.

[macmcconnell.]

Eastrock Prof it is a major overhaul no doubt.
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DSC05719 by macmcconnell, on Flickr
Heres the basic hull i have used skif lower hull pretty much complete
i have used the outer edges of the Dragon cat walks andthe Turret ring.
I used the Fuel cells and bins from Skif these need some work in re shapeing and detail.
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DSC05718 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
Engine mesh from Eduard and reshaped back deck.

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DSC05715 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
The rear drive housings have also been altered weld seems added.

DSC05717 by macmcconnell, on Flickr
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Rgs Mac

[eastrock]

looking great so far, Mac!!! you can make this one happen!!!

[wouter]

cool work Mac, so you're great at scratchin' and bashin' as well ey ;D

Looks very nice!

Cheers

[paulh.]

More like a scratch build with all of that white-stuff Mac,
I'm in.
P

[macmcconnell.]

Thanks guys i hope to tackle road wheels and tracks next bit of clean up all resin items.

Rgs Mac

[Deleted]

Hi Mac,

Theres some work going into that ain't there, I don’t envy you the clean up of the resin.

[macmcconnell.]

Mack resin cleaning has to be done and worth the effort when you you see how wrong the wheels and tracks are.
Dicky i have looked at the other builds on the net the biggest mistake most make is to use the Dragon hull which is to thin and not the right shape some miss the fuel cell and bin reconstruction i have spent over a year looking at T80s.
The best build yet i have found was in AFV Modeller issue 54 by Alexey Sergeyev. This i am using as the bench mark.
My next big step will be those fuel cells and stowage bins inner sides are ok outters are needing reshaping glad your about for this might need some help.

Rgs Mac

[macmcconnell.]

Thanks Chris
After the weekend at Telford i was reeved up. I got 2 xact T80U,S. I THEN REMEMBERED THIS PROJECT SO with one standard build on the go I have re visited this, Now due to some other projects this has got a new life due to more spares in the ERA department cant wait for one to come out but silly to let this work go .
Pics will follow soon.

Rgs Mac

[robbo]

Glad to hear this one is making an appearance again Mac

[bullardino]

Woohoo, bring on the pics

[bbd468]

Hiya Mac, Great start fella! Gonna be a sweet build in your hands Mac....ill be following!

[macmcconnell.]

Well guys mucho thanks for lookin in.
The bash thus far

Trumpeter T62 (1972)

Skif T80 U

Dragon T80BV

XACT T80U

Tumpeter T64

Tamiya T72

NEVER REALISED IT WAS 17 MONTHS DICKY BUT SHES BACK ON THE BOIL

RGS Mac

[macmcconnell.]

Well as Dicky pointed out I do have options on this project a xact T80U hull. What I need to do is see how I get on with the turret.
So at the moment I have a spare stowage box ,MANTLET and 125mm from a T64. Spare reactive from aTrumpeter T62 ERA some tie downs from a Tamiya T72.
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DSC08827 by macmcconnell, on Flickrurl]
DSC08817 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
I am working on the reactive at the turret front so this might change a little.
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DSC08818 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
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DSC08819 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
So this is not too bad, but as normal I just make things hard for myself.
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DSC08823 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
Well the spares have to come from somewhere .
Interesting is how the xact engine deck fits perfectly on my kit bash the two hulls measure up pretty close.

How tempting is this..mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

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Nose to nose .
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DSC08825 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
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DSC08827 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.

That would save a load of work that's why I shall do the turret and see what happens.


Mac

[bullardino]

Very nice. The evolution is really interesting, this one will be great

[macmcconnell.]

Thanks Luigi
I spent most of the morning on the turret reactive armour almost done one side so much trial and error but its working at last.
I have looked around the sites only found one type of build which has been a great help.

Rgs Mac

[bullardino]

It's likely that there can be more than one in russian forums, although the language barrier can be hard to pass...

Russians have a real passion for their tanks

[macmcconnell.]

I know of 2 full on builds its so much work most shy away cant say I blame them took me 17 months to try again. Just the hull is a mare on its own ,but I am hoping to use the xact hull.
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DSC08815 by macmcconnell, on Flickr.
This hull wont be wasted I have plans

Mac

[wbill76]

Nice to see this one surface again Mac. I can see why you'd be tempted by the Xact hull, go with whatever allows you to actually finish it I say!

[bbd468]

Man this is too cool! Great work Mac.

[Leon]

This is a huge under taking Mac,and your doing an awesome job.

[macmcconnell.]

Thanks Will as said took a while but back in on it just got the turret ERA under control and smoke grenade dischargers.

Mac