sharkmouth
01-25-2008, 12:01 PM
MiniArm is well known for producing very high quality resin items of Russian subjects. After visiting their web site, I was intrigued by the plastic wheel sets they offer for the T-34 series. I placed my order with Historica Books and found them at my door a week later.
Inside each box was a plastic bag tied with twenty road wheels within. They were not attached to a sprue and the burr left behind was not difficult to remove.
This set is the first of the three I bought and comes in a edge opening which measures 3.625 x 4.875 x 1 inches. On the cover was a representative drawing of the content with a simple title. This one was Realistic 1:35 Plastic Road Wheels T-34 Update Set. MiniArm was not listed anywhere on the box but the brand PMX Team was. The side of the box does mention that this road wheel type was produced in 1943.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3501-001.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3501-002.jpg
Using Tank Power Volume XLIII from Wydawnictwo Militaria, T-34 col. III, I was able to determine that this wheel set corresponds to an early cast road wheel with six holes in the center and rubber tires with 42 vent holes. From the included photo found on page 26, light furrows were visible running radially. Neither of these, nor the casting number, is present.
The downside for me is to add the 42 holes but I can use the Dragon wheels from their Model 1941 kit to make a template by rubbing a pencil of the tires covered in masking tape.
This set is the second of the three I bought and comes in a edge opening which measures 3.625 x 4.875 x 1 inches. On the cover was a representative drawing of the content with a simple title. This one was Realistic 1:35 Plastic Road Wheels T-34, T-44, T-54 Update Set. MiniArm was not listed anywhere on the box but the brand PMX Team was. The side of the box does mention that this road wheel type was produced in 1944.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3502-001.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3502-002.jpg
Using Tank Power Volume XLIII from Wydawnictwo Militaria, T-34 col. III, I was able to determine that this wheel set corresponds to one of several types of cast road wheels with twelve partitions holding either ten, eleven, or twelve holes in the center and rubber tires. From the included photo found on page 27, this is the heavier type with reinforced lightening holes and ribs. Drilling out the lightening holes will give the appearance of the earlier type.
This set is the third of the three I bought and comes in a edge opening which measures 3.625 x 4.875 x 1 inches. On the cover was a representative drawing of the content with a simple title. This one was Realistic 1:35 Plastic T-34/85, Self-Prop. guns Su-85, Su-100 Road Wheels Update Set. MiniArm was not listed anywhere on the box but the brand PMX Team was. The side of the box does mention that this road wheel type was produced in 1944.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3503-001.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3503-002.jpg
Using Tank Power Volume XLIII from Wydawnictwo Militaria, T-34 col. III, I was able to determine that this wheel set corresponds to a late presses road wheel made from heavy metal sheet without the stiffening rings found on earlier solid disk wheels. From the included photo found on page 23, light furrows were visible running radially on the rubber tire.
The size of the actual road wheels is 830x150x660mm. In 1/35th scale, this is 23.7x4.3x18.9mm. The wheels measure 23.7x4.4x19.8mm and the details that are present are correct.
Assembly requires the modeler to drill out the mounting holes using a drill bit sized to the axles of the kit they are using as a base. The hub cap from the base kit must also be used. There are no alignment pins or guides so care must be taken when assembling the halves.
In the end, I do find the price I paid of $12.95 each in line with resin wheel sets and the accuracy is there. So, I am happy to have the choice. They will be used on as Su-100. The set can be ordered from Historica (http://www.historicabooks.com) Books.
Regards,
Inside each box was a plastic bag tied with twenty road wheels within. They were not attached to a sprue and the burr left behind was not difficult to remove.
This set is the first of the three I bought and comes in a edge opening which measures 3.625 x 4.875 x 1 inches. On the cover was a representative drawing of the content with a simple title. This one was Realistic 1:35 Plastic Road Wheels T-34 Update Set. MiniArm was not listed anywhere on the box but the brand PMX Team was. The side of the box does mention that this road wheel type was produced in 1943.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3501-001.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3501-002.jpg
Using Tank Power Volume XLIII from Wydawnictwo Militaria, T-34 col. III, I was able to determine that this wheel set corresponds to an early cast road wheel with six holes in the center and rubber tires with 42 vent holes. From the included photo found on page 26, light furrows were visible running radially. Neither of these, nor the casting number, is present.
The downside for me is to add the 42 holes but I can use the Dragon wheels from their Model 1941 kit to make a template by rubbing a pencil of the tires covered in masking tape.
This set is the second of the three I bought and comes in a edge opening which measures 3.625 x 4.875 x 1 inches. On the cover was a representative drawing of the content with a simple title. This one was Realistic 1:35 Plastic Road Wheels T-34, T-44, T-54 Update Set. MiniArm was not listed anywhere on the box but the brand PMX Team was. The side of the box does mention that this road wheel type was produced in 1944.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3502-001.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3502-002.jpg
Using Tank Power Volume XLIII from Wydawnictwo Militaria, T-34 col. III, I was able to determine that this wheel set corresponds to one of several types of cast road wheels with twelve partitions holding either ten, eleven, or twelve holes in the center and rubber tires. From the included photo found on page 27, this is the heavier type with reinforced lightening holes and ribs. Drilling out the lightening holes will give the appearance of the earlier type.
This set is the third of the three I bought and comes in a edge opening which measures 3.625 x 4.875 x 1 inches. On the cover was a representative drawing of the content with a simple title. This one was Realistic 1:35 Plastic T-34/85, Self-Prop. guns Su-85, Su-100 Road Wheels Update Set. MiniArm was not listed anywhere on the box but the brand PMX Team was. The side of the box does mention that this road wheel type was produced in 1944.
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3503-001.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k247/sharkmouth/MiniArm/3503-002.jpg
Using Tank Power Volume XLIII from Wydawnictwo Militaria, T-34 col. III, I was able to determine that this wheel set corresponds to a late presses road wheel made from heavy metal sheet without the stiffening rings found on earlier solid disk wheels. From the included photo found on page 23, light furrows were visible running radially on the rubber tire.
The size of the actual road wheels is 830x150x660mm. In 1/35th scale, this is 23.7x4.3x18.9mm. The wheels measure 23.7x4.4x19.8mm and the details that are present are correct.
Assembly requires the modeler to drill out the mounting holes using a drill bit sized to the axles of the kit they are using as a base. The hub cap from the base kit must also be used. There are no alignment pins or guides so care must be taken when assembling the halves.
In the end, I do find the price I paid of $12.95 each in line with resin wheel sets and the accuracy is there. So, I am happy to have the choice. They will be used on as Su-100. The set can be ordered from Historica (http://www.historicabooks.com) Books.
Regards,