In Russia there were plenty of captured T-34s - some still in running condition. So at local field workshops conversions were made on battle damaged tanks.

This usually involved removing the turret and the internal amunition stowage, boarding over the turret ring in either wood or metal - and usually, but not always fitting a tool platform over the rear deck. The resulting vehicle was mechanically simple, had a towing capacity to haul a laden Panzer IV and was cheap to build.

This conversion is based on soldier's memoirs, descriptions in Wermacht war diaries and best guesses - not the way to approach a conversion I know. However the resulting model is as accurate as can be done sixty years later and I'm happy that it captures the spirit of the original vehicle.

That's why there aren't any picures of the original in this article. Apparently there maybe a set of engineering drawings at Kubinka, I've not made it that far yet - but I do want too ;-)

So, you'll have to make up your own mind about my work. Like everything I do I'd like to hear if you have any more information that I can use to make a second version one day.

The conversion is based on the Tamiya T-34/76 Model 1942 - which is easily available and reasonably priced.

Tamiya kit is getting on now and has some inaccuracies. But, this conversion gained me a Commended at the IPMS(UK) Scale Model World in 2001. The parts left over are useable in other conversions so there is no waste. It's a straightforward conversion - it consists mainly of parts from other kits with only a bit of scratchbuilding and is an ideal first conversion - give it a try.

The slope of the engine deck sides is wrong resulting in the top of the deck being too small. This was done to motorise the original model back in the seventies when it was first released. It is possible to correct but with other manufacturers releasing correct alternatives it just isn't worth it.

Tamiya do score with their early pattern wheels and an additional applique glacis armour plate. The 76mm turret is probably the best on the market together with the Italeri version - so it does have some things going for it.

As you can see the first step is to blank off all the holes put into the lower hull for motorisation and fill them in smoothly on the other side. Six all steel wheels have been borrowed from an Italeri Model 1942.

The kit tracks have been replaced with metal Fruil model early style plate track - two reasons really. First I like the weight of the metal track, it sags very realistically. Second, nothing looks like metal - like metal.

These are the newer 'working' style that has wire to connect the link and I can recommend them highly - the only drawback is the price. These were £22.50 - I've seen them priced higher, but it is a specialised piece of kit and can't be bettered for what it is.

They are the early track which is from the model 1940/41 really, but I reasoned that the Russians were more likely to have stocks of the early track than the brand new super-dooper new for 1942 waffle track - My theory only mind.

Earlier Russian tracks were made with Manganese steel which weathers to a chocolate brown rather than silver and isn't as bright as nickel steel when worn or new - so I had to be a bit restrained with the polishing of the shoes where the combination of rubber and metal road wheels had rubbed.

The final set up

This has a shorter deck, and needs only four mounts, not the six I drilled, so the filler had to come out again.

The Panzer IV track shoes are some spare Fruil Model ones I had in my spares box.

After grinding off the turret ring I drilled six mount holes for the deck supports. These were put in where the top hull seemed thick enough to accept some welding in real life, and probably follows real life there... The deck supports were made from ship's railing posts from the Artesania range. Brass rod was used to provide a base to superglue the Evergreen V groove that makes the deck - suitably weathered and chipped.

My compass cutter made short work of a circle of Evergreen to make the hull top, but I cut out a rectagle which I inverted and glued back for the entry hatch. This was adorned with hinges, but I realised later I hadn't added a lifting handle...

The hatch is based on the drawings that Hilary Doyle did for the Panzer IV conversion. It's guess work, but pretty accurate for all that.

The big pulley wheel was made from laminations of plasticard, much swearing, and lots of circle cutting. Eventually I got enough to make the assembly and finished it off with a suitable round mounting bolt from Grandt Line.

There are a number of stowage boxes fabricated from plasticard triangles fitted to the side and then glued, they mainly have metal foil lids that have been 'distressed' and dented - after all this is a working vehicle.

The wheel carrier is recycled from an old Panzer IV kit, as are the spare road wheels, which have had the bolt heads drilled out, and replaced with Grandt Line bolts with square plate to mount them to a ficticious bracket that would have been welded to the hull in real life.

The upper surfaces are spray painted in Tamiya Acrylic olive drab, then sprayed with Klear. I've washed the panel lines with acrylic Panzer Grey, then drybrushed with enamels in shades of mid grey with plenty of black and panzer grey at the engine exhaust end. I have a treasured tub of the now discontinued Humbrol Acrylic 5046 which is a matt Orange that makes a superb rusty tone to thin out and drip into various corners were it flows out and dries in a most convincing way. More drybrushing with Humbrol enamels helps to tone down the few markings and tie the whole thing together.

I've no idea how long I spent on the model - the whole thing was done over the course of 5 months in 2001 in time for the IPMS(UK) Nationals