BT-7 Model 1937 Early

1
February 28, 2014
Time for something Soviet...
2
February 28, 2014
Step one has you install the most beautiful plastic springs ever done for a styrene model.
3
February 28, 2014
Then you cover them up so no one can ever see them!
4
February 28, 2014
Either I'm doing something wrong, or this model has major "fit" issues.
5
February 28, 2014
Lots of filling, filing and sanding. Also used some plastic strip to fill a gap.
6
February 28, 2014
It took 5.5 hours to get thru Step 3 (the finished body), but it was fun, and I like this model (so far).
7
March 1, 2014
Moving to the front suspension, the instructions show Part B6 installed 180 degrees from what's proper. A hand written note and arrow on the instructions (errata?) tries to explain this, but I didn't understand at first.
8
March 1, 2014
Finished front suspension. It's tricky, and I suggest clean all the parts and dry-fitting everything between steps 4 and 6 (inclusive) before gluing any front suspension parts!
9
March 2, 2014
Lots of little reworking.
10
March 2, 2014
Phot-etch screen versus the kit part.
11
March 3, 2014
Engine vent louvers done.
12
March 3, 2014
This is what it will look like once the screen cover is on.
13
March 3, 2014
Starting to work through some of the extensive photo-etch I purchased separately.
14
March 3, 2014
This model may become more metal than plastic!
15
March 4, 2014
16
March 4, 2014
17
March 4, 2014
18
March 5, 2014
More metal added, and shovels.
19
March 5, 2014
Ready to paint!
20
March 5, 2014
Tamiya white primer, via airbrush.
21
March 5, 2014
I found that by thinning with hardware-store, regular lacquer thinner (not Tamiya's), I can get a gritty textured effect that's great for pitted armor plate.
22
March 6, 2014
Base coat for the three-color scheme is applied via airbrush.
23
March 7, 2014
Other base colors applied by hand.
24
March 8, 2014
Gloss coated and decals applied.
25
March 8, 2014
Pin washed with black artist's oil paint mixed with mineral spirits, and dry-brushed with Model Master enamel.
26
March 10, 2014
Finished!

Comments

28 February 2014, 21:13

william wise
ill be following this one George i have seen this kit and have contemplated getting it as the Tamiya kit is really expensive

28 February 2014, 21:51

George Bacon
Welcome aboard William! This kit seems to have good detail, but I have a large photo-etch set to go with it. I hope I won't have to use much of it, and mainly got it for the screens. We'll see😉

28 February 2014, 22:10

H K
NOOOOOOOOOO. For a long time I am tempted by the Tamiya BTs. If you do your magic with this kit, I am doomed 😄

1 March 2014, 09:51

George Bacon
H K 🙂. The deeper I get into this kit, the better the Tamiya sounds. The Eastern Express instructions are vague and unclear to me. I am actually following an internet "build log" on the Tamiya kit to see how parts are suppose to look and go together. 🤔

1 March 2014, 17:09

H K
Multimedia kit building 🙂

1 March 2014, 21:58

George Bacon
Making progress 🙂

2 March 2014, 16:15

Frank Krause
Nice George! I take this as a reference for my BT-7s.

2 March 2014, 16:19

Brian Geiger
George, you seem to be completely undaunted by crappy kits. I would lecture you about not loosing time doing all these home-made corrections but your pace is also undaunted. What's your secret?... Deal with the devil?

3 March 2014, 00:33

George Bacon
Better than a deal with the devil.... Wife's out of town 🙂

3 March 2014, 01:15

George Bacon
This is slowly becoming an Eduard photo-etch kit held together with a few Eastern Express parts 😄

4 March 2014, 18:50

MICHAEL WOODHOUSE
Very nice George - I like the Irwin persuader - I am with Brian on crappy kits but then its better than scratch build I guess! Yours will probably be better than real thing as they were 'rough as old guts' in reality I think.

4 March 2014, 19:15

Hunter Cummins
Im in

5 March 2014, 00:41

George Bacon
Thanks Michael. I've found lots of reference photos on the internet. That helps🙂.
Hunter, welcome aboard😉. Hope you're settled-in and building!

5 March 2014, 05:42

Brian Geiger
Yes, there is a lot of metal showing on the hull. I'll be curious to hear how the workable tracks work.

5 March 2014, 05:44

Hunter Cummins
I am very comfy and got my kit ready to rock and roll😄

5 March 2014, 11:36

George Bacon
Brian, the Hobbyboss workable tracks are a little like Dragon "Magic Tracks". They come on a sprue and need minimal cleanup 🙂. They do snap together and "work", but the connection pins are pretty small and the connection is weak. I only tried five to see how they fit around the sprockets. Some will have to be glued to stay together 🙁.

5 March 2014, 13:58

George Bacon
Started painting, using Tamiya's white primer via airbrush to both prime and texture😉.

5 March 2014, 23:40

Brian Geiger
Thanks for the update & info the tracks George. Sounds like it's moving along. I started a car model last weekend and have yet to start painting. It's close though.

6 March 2014, 05:12

H K
👍

6 March 2014, 12:49

George Bacon
Decals are on. I have to say, Eastern Express has wonderful decals! 😉

8 March 2014, 02:25

Vlad Shatilov
Like it very much!

8 March 2014, 05:50

Lionel Marco
So do I!

8 March 2014, 06:56

Frank Krause
Nice progress, George! The decals are really that good? They must be pretty old already or have you got a reissue of the kit?

8 March 2014, 07:08

H K
Looking good 👍

8 March 2014, 08:53

Fabian D.
Seems you like the old 'n crappy kits..😉 great work on this one

8 March 2014, 09:29

George Bacon
Thanks Mates! 🙂.

Frank, I bought this kit maybe 5 to 10 years ago "used" on eBay. I've had it in my stash since then. I was very leery of the the ancient decals, so I tested one on the bottom of the tank. They are super-thin, strong and disappear with a gloss coat (undercoat and overcoat) 🙂. They may be the best decals I ever used! For a manufacturer, they don't say anything except "Eastern Express" on them. Enough for 4 or more vehicles 🙂

8 March 2014, 14:23

william wise
Nice job George, your making this kit look pretty good maybe a nice substitute for the overly priced Tamiya kit

8 March 2014, 16:47

George Bacon
For all those interested in the Hobby Boss track links, they came up one inch (6 links) short on both sides 🙁. Fortunately, I was able to use links from the kit to fill the gaps. Had to modify and create guide teeth to match the Hobby Boss.

10 March 2014, 22:14

Hunter Cummins
I will not buy hobby boss kits tracks lol

10 March 2014, 22:16

william wise
thats not very cool at all at least you were able to complete it with the kits tracks, thanks for the heads up

10 March 2014, 22:22

Razzie43 Rascarcapaco
nice camo u have there,and that light on that left well done!!

22 May 2014, 15:40

Alan Rush
Hi George. I have followed the step by step and the finished model looks great. The PE adds a lot to the kit and the finish and weathering look great.

22 May 2014, 20:00

Album info

Eastern Express 1/35 Scale

BT-7 Model 1937 Early

43 images

1:35

Completed

1:35 45mm - 20-K m.1942 (RB Model 35B73)

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