East European Tanks in 1945
Set # 72030 Review by Rob Haelterman - heman_148(at)hotmail.com

This set contains a wealth of decals for (mostly) German supplied tanks and other vehicles used by Eastern European Armies at the end of WW2.
A three-and-a-half page black-and-white A4 instruction leaflet with detailed information is also included (multiple views are offered for some vehicles). The same instructions can be found in color on the Bison website.
Decals are printed by Begemot. They are sharp, with the occasional ragged edge, which actually enhances realism (e.g. on the large "730"). Unfortunately, on my sheet the red and white where slightly misaligned, which shows in the thin white outline of the Soviet stars and the 3-color Russian flag decal.

In all, the sheet(s) offer(s) markings for 19 complete vehicles: 6 from the R.O.A., 5 from Rumania, one Hungarian and 7 Bulgarian. The latter represent a chronological follow-up to the markings offered in sets 72013, 72028 and 72029 that covered vehicles Hungarian and Bulgarian vehicles from an earlier period.

 

The following markings are offered:

R.O.A.
A) T-34 Model 1941. Germany, 1945. Overall dark green.
B) T-34 Model 1941. Prague, 1945. Overall dark green. You have the choice between 3 types of R.O.A. markings for this vehicle.
C, D, E) Hetzer. Prague, 1945. BMM camouflage scheme. references can be found in [1].
F) BA-10M. South of Prague, 1945. Dark Green.

Romania
G) StuG III Ausf. G. Czechoslovakia/Austria, 1945. Overall khaki or dark green. Choice between three types of national markings.
H) StuG III Ausf. G. Czechoslovakia/Austria, 1945. Overall khaki or dark green. Choice between original markings and markings added after capture by the Germans.
K) PzKpfw IV Ausf. J. Czechoslovakia, 1945. 3-color camo. Choice between three types of national markings.
L) Renault R-35. Czechoslovakia, 1945. Green and sand.
M) Upgunned Renault R-35. Czechoslovakia, 1945. Green and sand.

Hungary
J) Stug III Ausf. G. 1944-1945. Dark yellow, with possible brown/green and whitewash. Very large number 730.

Bulgaria
N) StuG III Ausf. G. 1944-45. Olive green with whitewash.
O) StuG III Ausf. G. 1945. Olive green with whitewash.
P) Hetzer. 1945. Possibly Soviet dark green. Soviet red star.
R) PzKpfw IV Ausf. G. Yugoslav-Hungarian border, 1945. Mainly olive green. 3-color shield as a national marking.
S) PzKpfw IV Ausf. G/H. Hungary, 1945. Mainly olive green. 3-color shield as a national marking.
T) PzKpfw IV Ausf. H. 1945. Russian green. Soviet red star.
U) Jagdpanzer IV. 1945. Russian green. Soviet red star. (It is marked "RO" (for Romania), but Johan Lexell from Bison confirmed me that this was a typo.)
Some of these Bulgarian vehicles can also be found in [2].

 

 

For those of you that want to get off the beaten track: this sheet is for you.

 


Color images taken from Bison's website (with permission).

 

References
[1] The reference used on the Bison sheet can no longer be found on the given address. New address: http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article.asp?a=3402
[2] Panzerwrecks 7

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Review Last Updated: 10 August 2010