#35120 Heavy Tank KV-1 Mod 1942 Early Version

Built from the box, this kit depicts a KV-1 Model 1941 from the spring of 1942 with the early cast turret and ZIS-5 gun.  The kit provides the Model 1941 hull with regular curved rear overhang. 

As with #35119, Eastern Express has provided two different patterns of one-piece all-steel road wheels but both are types used most commonly on the KV-1S, and rarely if ever on the KV-1.  As mentioned above, this creates some difficulty since no after-market manufacturers produce the correct Type 5 wheels.

The tracks provided in the kit are the narrow split-link variant.  This type of track was uncommon on the KV-1 Model 1941; the most common track on this variant was the Omsh pattern single link track, though a few photographs exist showing the early pattern split link track with guide “bump” fitted to Model 1941 hulls.  Fortunately a number of aftermarket manufacturers offer suitable replacement tracks.

The upper hull includes most details, such as the engine access hatch, radiator intake screens, hull hatch etc, molded integrally with the upper hull.  The engine deck layout however, and particularly the engine access hatch, is highly unusual.  The engine hatch is only 80% of the correct length and width.  While it is similar to the flat hatch fitted to some Model 1941s and Model 1942s, it has a large circular patch presumably welded over a hole in the center.  Near the forward edge of this patch is a small vent or inspection port similar to that seen on the domed engine access hatches commonly fitted to Model 1941, Model 1942 and KV-1S hulls.

The only photographs that remotely resemble the engine hatch configuration in the kit, are of the KV-1 Model 1940 preserved at the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow.  This vehicle was apparently used for trials and displays a mixture of early, late and experimental production features.  I can find no evidence of any other vehicles with this engine hatch configuration and even if they did see service, the engine hatch in the kit is still too small to be accurate.

This area will require some serious work to create an accurate model.  The kit does include the domed hatch with vent as a separate part, and the simplest approach would be to remove the integrally molded hatch and fit the domed hatch in its place.

The kit provides tow cables with cast ends.  The instructions direct you to use thread or wire for the cables themselves, but no thread or wire is provided in the kit.

Three large rectangular stowage boxes and two smaller stowage boxes are included, though the smaller boxes are not included in the instructions.  Most Model 1941s with cast turrets carried only a single small stowage box on the number 7 fender position but the inclusion of the large boxes does give you the option to model a January 1942 production example, some of which carried two large boxes on the number 9 and 10 positions.

The kit also includes four 100-litre cylindrical fuel tanks for the fenders.  A number of photographs do exist showing these fuel tanks mounted on Model 1941 vehicles, though typically only a single tank was fitted.  They did not become common until the introduction of the KV-1S.

The kit provides an early cast turret with 76.2mm ZIS-5 gun.  As with the other Eastern Express kits, the 76.2mm gun barrel has a separate end cap avoiding the need to drill it out, but it would nevertheless benefit from replacement with an after-market item.