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In Box Kit Reviews of the Soviet T-28 Medium Tank in 1/72 scale by Trumpeter and Modelkrak
Trumpeter Models kit 07150
Modelkrak Models kit MKT 030 (Model 1934 with KT-28 gun) & MKT 044 (Model 1938 late with L-10 gun)
The model box art painting from Trumpeter depicts a welded version of this Soviet multi-turreted tank, this artwork can also represent the Modelkrak kit model
of this tank. From the top we see the large main turret with the short 76-mm low velocity gun, and AA machine gun on the commander's hatch. A large frame
antenna rings the turret. At the bow is one of the two small machine gun turrets. Below is the suspension system with 12 paired road wheels on six spring
bogies per side, partially covered by an armor skirt. At the rear we see the drive sprocket. This medium tank can be portrayed serving in the Soviet
invasions of Finland, Poland and Baltic states and in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR, or in Finnish markings. The T-28 bears a resemblance to the
German Neubau-Fahrzeug tank (see preview here).
Kit Parts
Trumpeter Models kit 07150 has about 111 injection-molded styrene plastic parts. The track and suspension are the one-piece quick-build
type which significantly reduces the number of parts. The crew's hatches are molded shut. There are no etched brass nor resin parts and no
crew figures included. The parts are sharp and well detailed, typical of Trumpeter model kits.
Modelkrak Models kits MKT 7230 and MKT 7244 each contain about 56 amber color cast-resin parts. The major difference between kit MKT 30 and
MKT 44 is the longer 76.2-mm gun on the latter tank. No etched metal parts and no crew figures are included. The resin casting on my kit is very
good, well detailed, and with no significant defects such as bubbles, miscast parts and broken parts. Modelkrak designed their kit with bogies with
wheels mounted on them and with resin track lengths. No decal markings are included.
The above photo shows that the 1/72 Trumpeter plastic T-28 hull is pretty close in size to the Modelkrak hull. For comparison at far right is the
smaller 1/76-scale cast resin T-28 hull from Red Star company. The below photo shows a comparison between the armor skirts that mount over the suspension.
At lower left are the gun parts for the trumpeter model (parts-C2, C6, C8 & C10) with the one-piece Modelkrak gun part. A wonderful addition to the
Trumpeter model is the delicate horseshoe shaped frame aerial (part C4) for the antenna (thank you Trumpeter!); this antenna is often produced with flat etched
brass or just left off.
We notice that the Modelkrak turret has one large hatch on the turret roof while the Trumpeter T-28 turret has two
hatches, both molded closed. At this time, I presume both turrets are correct and reflect different variants in the 500 built. I am impressed by how
nice the Trumpeter DT machine guns (parts B6) are done. Clean-up of Modelkrak's resin suspension bogies does not look difficult. Modelkrak gives us
some of the finest resin casting.
If a maker is going to give us quick build suspension & track I like how Trumpeter did it, by having separate inner wheels. The OKB Grigorov cast resin
track set S72366 is superb and considerably better than the Modelkrak and the Trumpeter track. Both the Trumpeter and the Modelkrak track lack inside
surface link detail. It will be a challenge to replace the plastic track on the Trumpeter quick-build suspension, but little effort replacing the
Modelkrak resin T-28 track.
Assembly Instructions
Trumpeter gives us their standard, competent, multi-step, black & white exploded-view instructions that appear complete. Painting and markings instructions
are provided for three T-28, but no tank units nor time periods are listed. Since the Modelkrak T-28 has no markings one set of decals can be borrowed from
the Trumpeter kit. I think this model would be appropriate for beginner to advanced modelers.
The Modelkrak T-28 models comes with a simple exploded view diagram showing assembly of most of the resin parts. The two-view plan drawings portray a frame
antenna around the turret which is not included in the Modelkrak model, and shows the short 76-mm gun of kit MKT 7230. The exploded-view drawing appears to
portray the longer 76-mm gun of kit MKT-7244. There is no parts diagram and the Modelkrak parts are not numbered. Installation of the return rollers and a
few small parts are not shown, but still these are better instructions than what come with many cast resin model kits. Modelkrak resin kits like this one I
believe are more appropriate for intermediate and advanced modelers.
References
[1] The Chieftain's Hatch episode on Soviet Medium tanks
[2] On the Way! Trumpeter T-28 preview
I purchased my Modelkrak and Trumpeter model kits at
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