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PeterPig have released Katyusha crew to go with Zvesda's 15mm Katyusha.



Hopefully this is the start of a long and fruitful relationship as there's loads of scope for producing additional bits to go with Zvedsa's kits.

Got few packs of those allready - must say they are guaranteed PPs work, excellent in quality and match well with Zvezdas orgels.

I'm not sure if there is any official relationship beyond Peter Pig selling Zvesda kits. It would be a great thing though, the industry is littered with companies arguing about who can make what in relation to other kits.

As far as I can see both companies can only prosper from such an arrangement as despite them both making 15mm WWII there's little direct overlap in their ranges.

If Peter Pig made some SU 85/100 casements that would fit onto the Zvesda T34 or some variant KV turrets for Zvesda's KV1 (along with some nice stowage and additional crew) he could really make a killing.

nice pack and will be getting some shall I ever want to reintroduce my full katiusha battery on the table. As it is now they are slightly underperforming in the new rules. Nevertheless would be great to have full kits with the crew

George Spiggott wrote:
If Peter Pig made some SU 85/100 casements that would fit onto the Zvesda T34 or some variant KV turrets for Zvesda's KV1 (along with some nice stowage and additional crew) he could really make a killing.

Nothing to do with the orginal subject, but Im working to produce some limited run kits for turret & armourplatings for Zvezdas KV-1, to upgrade the KV-1m39 to the standard of KV-1C/B - also working with T-34 turret to bring zvezdas, again, ridiculously rare T-34m39 to the T-34m41 standard.

And for the SU-85 - it would propably be wiser to use PSCs T-34 as a basis for aftermarket SU-85/100. If I got it right, no -85 or -100 was produced on the early hull of T-34. But the SU-122 was, as far as I know, at least in small numbers.

But yeah, it would be great to see more "purpose-built" aftermarket kits for zvezdas 1:100 vehicles. Even thou I dont really believe that PPs would draw Zvezdas attention above other companies, and I think the co-operation would be "one-way only"..

MaahisKuningas wrote:]Nothing to do with the orginal subject, but Im working to produce some limited run kits for turret & armourplatings for Zvezdas KV-1, to upgrade the KV-1m39 to the standard of KV-1C/B - also working with T-34 turret to bring zvezdas, again, ridiculously rare T-34m39 to the T-34m41 standard.

And for the SU-85 - it would propably be wiser to use PSCs T-34 as a basis for aftermarket SU-85/100. If I got it right, no -85 or -100 was produced on the early hull of T-34. But the SU-122 was, as far as I know, at least in small numbers.

What are the externally noticeable differences between the hulls?

Those conversion kits you're working on sound interesting, keep us all updated. I think there's the great potential for add on kits, especially for obscure vehicles and add ons.

George Spiggott wrote:What are the externally noticeable differences between the hulls?
.

If you "remove" the frontal part of the hull covered by SU-85 special equipment (& "removed" turret), most notable differences are gone - but:

- In m39 the engine acces hatch at the back of the hull is square-shaped - in models later than 1941, its round.
- The enginecover/main "hatch" was different, cant call excatly how. Might be a small thing.
- Shape&size of the engine comparement. Havent seen model1940 live (due to the quite obvious reason!) son cant be sure about this. But in pictures, seems much higher than in later models. This might be due to the engine changes.
- Roadwheels - the earlier "full metal" wheel did serve well thrue the war, but in SU-85(especially M) and SU-100 should be noted that most of these were equipped with new, lighter, wheel.

@ MaahisKuningas: Interesting stuff. I managed to find a side shot comparison with the Plastic Soldier and Zvesda kits.



And some shots of a real SU-100.



More pics here: http://www.asphm.com/vehicules/su_100/su-100.html

Anyhow, to me the SU-100 wheels look more like the Zvesda kit than the PSC one. The Zvesda kit has the square hatch rather than the round one though.

Ah, I forgot to compare the actuall models - so if there is difference in height of the engine comparement, the Zvezda hasnt notified that.

George Spiggott wrote:

Anyhow, to me the SU-100 wheels look more like the Zvesda kit than the PSC one. The Zvesda kit has the square hatch rather than the round one though.

Yes, they are (pretty much) the same.

Im not sure whats with the full metal wheels on the late war - I must admit that the AGs/TDs arent my specialty.
The "spider web"-style (aka light wheel) wheels were issued thrue the last 3 years of war, but seems like they were still produced in the lines assembling SU-100 even thou in T-34 they were "removed" from production due to the material costs.
But again, cant be sure - after the war where no constant material lack (rubber fex.) appeared the full metal variant was pressed back to production on new vehicles, and the SU-100 continued in service, so its possible that those were in some point equipped with more durable full metal wheels.

For my T-34, I use combination of PSC/zvezda. Tracks from zvezda, hull from PSC, turret from PSC/zvezda with gun&scratch buil mantlet from PSC kit.

I'm not saying they are the same specific type of wheel, I'm just saying they look similar, especially on a 1/100 model. I think the solid wheels on later models also has something to do with the increased weight of the hull.

Even if SUs are less than ideal there are plenty of other conversion kits that could be done such as benches, passengers and stowage for the trucks or 221/223 machinegun turrets for the upcoming Zvesda 222 kit.

Both of the roadwheel types are largely correct.

Zvevda's T-34 is a very early type, which had solid wheels and rubber tyres. The tyres should have a tread pattern and perforations around the side. The perforations were, I understand, to reduce reduce the risk of tyres overheating.

PSC's T-34 is a later model built from late 1942 onwards (but known as the 'Model 1943'); these had a hexagonal turret. This version has the spoked wheels with tyres introduced in 1942 after a period when (due to a shortage of rubber) many T-34s were fitted with all-steel wheels of a similar design. PSC may have intended the wheels to be painted as having rubber rims or steel rims, but the rims are too thick to be the all-steel version. Again, the tyres should have a tread pattern and perforations around the side. I think the wheels are a bit too widely spaced on the PSC model; the wider gap between the 2nd and 3rd wheel on both versions is correct.

The SU-100 in the photo has the solid wheels and (I think) plain tyres which began to appear in 1944. Apparently, by then the Soviets were producing better quality rubber or getting it from the US, so the perforations weren't necessary. This type of roadwheel was less common than the other types.