Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I have decided to put together a small list of 1/35th scale tanks that could fit the profile of a Leman Russ Battle Tank for others to find potential conversions.
The 1/35th scale makes the hatches just large enough to make sense for crew (as much sense as 40k allows).

Strangely mostly Light Tanks of ww2 era (mostly early ww2) work best.

So far I have 3.

The M3 Stuart. (and other variant like the version with the open top turret and short barreled 75mm. )



the T-70 or T-80 Soviet Light tank.



and German experimental VK1602 Leopard light tank.



My Vk1602 made into a Leman Russ. Ill get a side by side soon.



For the T-80 and Stuart the hulls are just about long enough if slightly longer but not wide enough. I recommend widening the hull with sponsons or other bits like doubleing the track base.

The VK1602 on the other hand almost fits the Leman Russ Perfectly. It is only about a quarter of an inch longer in the hull and about 2mm wider. the Leopard is only about 2 or 3mm shorter then the Russ.

using its dimensions I have been searching for other tanks of similar proportions to a Leman Russ. approx. 15 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 9 feet tall (give or take). These are of course not the proportions of the Russ if it was real (im sure that is elsewhere) But I use it as a measuring stick for finding other tanks in 1/35th scale for Russes.


If you find other tanks roughly the same size as the Russ go ahead and post them as well as ways to fix them to fit the footprint/shape of a Russ.

Check 1/48 scale, for several reasons.
.
1) 28mm heroic scale which according to http://us-store.warlordgames.com/collections/bolt-action/tanks is 1/56 scale.
2) GW Infantry models are on a very tall base, which at that scale is equal to almost a foot in height, so 1/56 can look a little small next to Infantry.
3) 1/48 are less expensive http://www.megahobby.com/plastic-model-kits-1/48-armor.aspx
4) 1/48 planes are abundant
5) 1/35 is to big, even though GW hatches are at least 1/35, the tanks themselves are closer to 1/48. here; http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/632120.page scroll down to see the 1/48 Merkava and Bradley, those kits are about $15 US. the M1 is way to big at 1/35 scale...
.
there are tons of articles on this subject, just search "size comparison" and the particular scale in google image.

I'd also recommend 1/48. The hatches aren't quite 40k, but they're close and hatches can always be swapped. Any IG or space marine player you know probably has some extras they can trade you. There are a few tanks in 1/35 that work in 28mm, but not many. Most of what you need is in 1/48.

My top choice is the 1/48 KV2 by (Academy or Kitech???) is cheap (less than $20bucks) and already looks pretty darn 40k. IIRC, it's a longer and a smidge bit narrower, but very close and the overall height is also close. It's so blocky in shape that it wouldn't take much to shorten the length of the hull if you wanted to. If I didn't already have 4 Russ's that I'd found at great prices, I'll buy a few of these.

Here's a guy who's done a few mods to one (barrel, hull weapon and hatch)

http://commissar.proboards.com/thread/15974

Personally I would stay away from using historical vehicles of any type or scale for use in 40K as it's just too obviously recognisable.

But if you had to, I'd recommend the French Char B1 tank.
I've heard that this is what the Leman Russ was originally designed on and it's possibly less recognisable (depending on how much or how little your opponents know about military history).

Check out the Fiat-Ansaldo M11/39. It should be about the right size in 1:35, it's got a hull weapon mount and a turret and it's covered in rivets. I think Italeri do a reasonably priced kit of it.

T-34-76 is almost same wide as Leman Russ, but much longer. How about shortening that tank (removing some engine part and one of the wheel pair)?

 Son_Of_Serica wrote:
Personally I would stay away from using historical vehicles of any type or scale for use in 40K as it's just too obviously recognisable.

But if you had to, I'd recommend the French Char B1 tank.
I've heard that this is what the Leman Russ was originally designed on and it's possibly less recognisable (depending on how much or how little your opponents know about military history).

I would argue that the design Vickers Infantry Tank No. 1/2 from 1921 is the tank that the Lemann Russ is based on. The high track configuration is very similar and there is a nice spot for a side sponson. Also note the earlier round predator turret.

Its also quite obscure (only prototypes actually built), so its not quite as obvious where GW got the design.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205191029

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/paul1/VickersNo2tank.jpg&imgrefurl=http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t%3D188965%26start%3D60&h=722&w=1024&tbnid=eq7QbwfdZf3J4M:&zoom=1&docid=8fqwqsq9dCj-xM&ei=3Dr7VOm5LMzkoASm2YHIDw&tbm=isch&ved=0CCAQMygEMAQ

timd wrote:

I would argue that the design Vickers Infantry Tank No. 1/2 from 1921 is the tank that the Lemann Russ is based on. The high track configuration is very similar and there is a nice spot for a side sponson. Also note the earlier round predator turret.

Its also quite obscure (only prototypes actually built), so its not quite as obvious where GW got the design.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205191029

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/paul1/VickersNo2tank.jpg&imgrefurl=http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t%3D188965%26start%3D60&h=722&w=1024&tbnid=eq7QbwfdZf3J4M:&zoom=1&docid=8fqwqsq9dCj-xM&ei=3Dr7VOm5LMzkoASm2YHIDw&tbm=isch&ved=0CCAQMygEMAQ

That's Brilliant! I've never seen this before and it's certainly the closest thing to a russ I've ever seen. GW was largely started by historical gamers so it could very well haver been the basis for it.


BRITISH ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES: TANKS© IWM (MH 8756)

 rexscarlet wrote:
Check 1/48 scale, for several reasons.....

Yeah, I have a 1:48 Sherman (which I might even get around to building one day) that is an almost perfect match to the Russ in length and height, and just needs some spaced armour or somesuch to bulk it out a little width-wise.

I made picture of shortened T-34 1/35 in 3d



Front part became much longer than back part, but T-34 is still clearly recognizable.
Early T-34 turret is big compared to Leman Russ turret (and T-34/85 is VERY huge) but wil be good looking equipped with big cannons like Vanquisher

Also, think of shortened StuG-III as a Thunderer

 insaniak wrote:

 rexscarlet wrote:
Check 1/48 scale, for several reasons.....

Yeah, I have a 1:48 Sherman (which I might even get around to building one day) that is an almost perfect match to the Russ in length and height, and just needs some spaced armour or somesuch to bulk it out a little width-wise.

.
And many have interiors and engines, like the old Bandai line, which seem to not be that expensive by GW comparison, lol;.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xbandai+1%2F48.TRS0&_nkw=bandai+1%2F48&ghostText=&_sacat=0

T-40/T-60 in 1/35 scale is also variant