Hi all

Since I would like to build a reasonably accurate BT-5 tank, I was looking for the Rhino Models conversion kit for the Tamiya BT-7 kit. Now Greg Harker told me that this conversion was more or less a copy of the Italeri BT-5 upper hull.

- Can anyone let me know what would be the best way to build a BT-5?
- What are the main inaccuracies of the existing kit(s)?
- Would the Tamiya BT-7 kit be of any help?

Turret, wheels and tracks do not bother me, for the time being, since I ordered a Komplek Zip BT-5 Mariopol turret, as well as aftermarket BT-2/BT-5 wheels and BT-2/BT-5 tracks. So my main concern is the hull.

Thanks for you help, cheers,

Peter


(PS: Visit my Soviet tank photo galleries - for the moment containing only BT tank and T-26 photos - at: rathgeb.smugmug.com)

According to the plans in Mil.Mod from 1994, the hull is too long, causing a weird wheel spacing. The Rhino is an upgraded copy of Zvezda and sitll have the incorrect wheel spacing. I'ii try to put some photos of my project... Oh, the bt-7 from Tamiya is only good for the turret; the rest is quite different.

regards!!

... that's a pity. So I think I will have to wait until Tamiya makes a BT-5. Or maybe someone will make one in Resin.

Cheers,
Peter

Is from Oruzhejnik (sorry) or from Komplekt Zil? I,ve searched in Soga Miniatures web site and found one un the former brand, but not in Komplekt Zil... How is it? I have the Komplekt Zil bt-5 wheels and are wonderful, and also the tracks from Masterclub, fully workable and true to scale but a nightmare to build... but i did not know that there was a turret! I have one from a german brand that I can not remember now and is chunk of resin and I am a little scared of the quality of MR Modellbau...

regards!

You are right, Antonio - the turret is from Oruzhejnik. I bought a couple of Komplekt Zip items from Soga, so I got it wrong.

I have not yet received the turret, but from the photos on the Soga website it looks wonderful.

Cheers,
Peter

Hi Peter,

Tamiya BT-7 kit would get you started rather well. The hull nose would be the most demanding task to build (Zvezda B-5 does not help for an accurate BT-5). And you do get easy/good tracks and driving wheels...



Cheers,
Pekka

Hi Peter,

I built a BT-5 using Rhino hull & Tamiya turret, scratch-built & aftermarket stuff in 2011 (WIP pics were posted on Contructive comments subforum). In my opinion Rhino is NOT a copy of old Zvezda's kit. However it suffers from several issues, such as wheel distance, rear mudguards, poor air-intake grill and minor stuff.

I used one of ZiP's wheel set, but had to replace the bolt heads with smaller ones.