#84814 Russia KV-1 Model 1942 Lightweight Cast Tank

This kit represents a KV-1 Model 1942 built in the spring of 1942 with the reinforced cast turret and ZIS-5 gun.  The kit is a 1/48 scale rendering of Trumpeter kit #00360 and the comments made for that kit also apply to this kit.

The kit provides a Model 1942 hull with angular rear overhang, all-steel reinforced road wheels, all-steel return rollers and late pattern drive sprockets with eight hub retaining bolts.  The suspension swing arms are of the later pattern with three retaining bolts for the torsion bar hubs.  All of these features are appropriate for the variant depicted by the kit.

Fender stowage is provided in the form of a single narrow rectangular stowage box for the number 7 position, and two spare track links in brackets for each of the number 9 and 10 positions.  The stowage box lacks the mounting brackets and straps, while the spare track links feature four brackets on each set rather than the correct three.  Carve away the forward bracket from the outer link on each side for accuracy.

Appliqué armor is included for the hull front, driver’s front plate and upper hull sides.  The chevron-shaped bar armor on the forward hull top and the straight bars at the rear quarters of the turret are also provided.  The appliqué armor for the driver’s front plate is the shorter pattern used by UZTM.  If you want to model a vehicle with a Factory No.200 hull, you must fabricate your own appliqué plate from styrene sheet.

The kit’s lower hull includes trapezoidal mounting plates for the front and rear towing eyes, and the cut-outs in the appliqué armor for the hull front match the shape of these plates.  These are appropriate for a Spring 1942 production example.  If you wish to model a vehicle manufactured from late June through September 1942, you should sand away the mounting plates from the hull tub and substitute circular plates from styrene sheet.  Vehicles built in the June timeframe still carried appliqué armor with trapezoidal cut-outs along with the circular mounting plates, so check your references for the vehicle you want to model.

The upper hull features early pattern transmission maintenance hatches with curved edges but the crew hatch is of the late pattern with raised lip.  The crew hatch is correct for this variant but most photographs of late production Model 1942s show transmission maintenance hatches with beveled edges.

The kit provides a late pattern domed engine access hatch with inspection port.  Late pattern radiator intake screens are included, and both these features are appropriate for the variant depicted by this kit.  The engine compartment and transmission compartment roof plates have the correct bolt configuration with seven bolts across their front and rear edges.

The kit provides a reinforced cast turret with ZIS-5 gun.  Features such as the turret ventilator and episcope housings are molded separately and are depicted without flanges, which is correct for this turret.  The kit includes conical periscope housings for the turret roof, which are appropriate for this variant.  The turret hatch includes a central socket allowing it to be opened from the outside with a wrench, but most photographs show this feature to be present only on the hull crew hatch and transmission maintenance hatches, so the socket should be eliminated for accuracy.