Turret-top MG
Next up is the turret top mounted remote control machine gun. Quite a few parts build into a convincing replica of the real thing also, the acutely angled mantlet cover is cleaned up ready to go over the back of the barrel. At this point, I found I had mounted the gun barrel in upside down, it is slightly offset to one side which is not that obvious until you fit the mantlet but I was able to pop the swivel out and correct it…
Then the multi part smoke dischargers and various sensors including the larger pole mounted slightly rear centre which carries the multiple view TV camera array. And that just about completes the turret other than the rear basket and bar armour. Small parts but the fit is perfect.
The hull
Moving onto the hull, the first part is to attach the glacis plate reactive armour and the driver’s hatch. No point leaving any hatches open as there is no internal detail.
It may appear odd to have the front ‘mudguards’ moulded onto the hull front but not the glacis plate detail. I believe this is, as we will see later, because ModelCollect make so many variations on a type that by using detachable parts like this, they can re-use as much of the base T-90 as possible and just re-make parts to convert it to a different type. Much like the real thing I suppose.
Take care
Once again, the fit is superb but you need to be careful to clean up any ejector pin marks even if they cannot be seen on the completed model, they can be just thick enough to stop parts fitting perfectly. This is a good example of this as the hull front section appears to fit OK but there are tabs on the end of each fender that locates under the back of the mudguards. These appear to fit but a couple of ejector pin marks underneath that just raise the front of the panel enough to make it not fit flush to the hull bottom later.
I spotted this when I read a review in which the reviewer said that he had to insert a plastic card packing between the lower hull front and the upper. I thought this out of character to the kit so far and found I had exactly the same problem until I sanded down these thin ejector pin marks after which it fits perfectly. And here it is.
