Background

The most important Soviet tank design of the early post WW2 period was the T-54/T-55 series of tanks, and these tanks were exported in large numbers to Soviet client states including Syria and Egypt. The 1967 and 1973 Arab/Israeli wars were disastrous for the combined Arab armies, and Israeli forces captured hundreds of intact examples of the T-54/55 tanks. Not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth, the Israeli military developed a procurement program designed to put these captured tanks back into Israeli service. Over the years the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) fielded the Tiran 1, 2, 4 and 5. The Tiran 1 was an unmodified T-54, and the Tiran 2 was an unmodified T-55. The Tiran 4 was a modified T-54 with new jerry can and stowage boxes added to the exterior of the vehicle, as well as a change to the loader’s hatch, and the addition of turret mounted exterior machineguns. The Tiran 5 was the same modification program as the Tiran 4, but for the T-55 tank.

(Again, no preamble this time; only building reports. )

The exterior set contained one item overlooked by many; behind the set of holes on the cheeks of the chin scoop is a set of interior grating; What this is FOR, I have no clue, but it’s there, and the fun part of hogging out plastic on a small rectangular part is, well, not there. But it’s mandatory, and I’ve put it aside for now so I can finish up the rest of the other review items I have lurking in the “to build” pile.

The final item provided in the Big Ed set is a set of canopy masks. Now, mind, I will remind myself to check in the future, because this is not your ordinary set of masks. No. It includes the interior masking! So, after I had dutifully fitted half the INTERIOR mask around the EXTERIOR of the bubble canopy, I realized there were not two sets of masks for the sake of providing them, but were specifically called out as interior and exterior.

I felt pretty dumb.

Thanks as usual go to our prolific supporter, Eduard, for sending the IPMS/USA review team this BIG ED for the new Revell 1/32 P-51D-5 series Mustang. This was another in my series of “On-the-road” reviews, and as such the background will change… a lot. I had misplaced the review item before I left the house while cleaning up my work area, and right before I left in desperation I sent an order to Sprue Brothers to please send me a replacement, (after I used my credit card), to handle on the road. I also asked they annotate my name and the point I was a guest in the “GJOEHOFOE” hotel in California. This was dutifully marked in large, clear lettering on the front of the box, and as such there was no confusion about who the guest (Me) was, or what do to with said package. It got there on Wednesday afternoon, three days before I left for the hotel-hopping part of my trip (where much of the work you see here was done). Onward!