LZ Models
S-65 Stalinetz Engine Upgrade Set
Trumpeter 1:35 Scale Kit #35405
Preview by Terry Ashley

Trumpeter
Introduction:
The Stalinetz S-65 was a development of the earlier Stalinetz S-60 tractor incorporating a more powerful Stalinetz M-17 18.5 litre 4 cylinder diesel engine delivering 65hp giving a top speed of just 6.95kmh. The Stalinetz S-65 was the most numerous of the Soviet tracked tractors of WWII with 37,656 being produced at the Chelyabinskiy ChTZ and Zavod plants between 1937 and 1941 before ChTZ switched to tank production.

With a combat weight of 11.2t the Stalinetz S-65 was used to tow heavy ordinance most notably the B-4 203mm Howitzer and ML-20 152mm Howitzer-Gun as well as recovery tasks with many being captured and used by the German Army to tow a variety of loads.

The kit:
The recent release from Trumpeter of the Stalinetz S-65 Tractor (kit #05538) was a nicely done kit but one thing missing (depending on your viewpoint) was the engine which meant the kit had to be built with the engine bay doors in the closed position.

LZ Models have released this resin update set with a highly detailed Stalinetz M-17 18.5 litre 4 cylinder diesel engine to fill the engine bay void to give a new dimension to the Trumpeter kit.

As LZ Models have also released a replacement radiator cover (set #35406) with the correct Russian lettering this is just a preview of the engine set contents with a full build review to follow when I receive the radiator cover.

The set consists of 41 parts in light cream resin, 29 etched parts, 5 lengths of wire in various thicknesses plus a small decal sheet and Mini CD disc with the .pdf format instruction and marking guides.

Resin parts
LZ Models
LZ Models
LZ Models

The standard of resin casting is first class with no air holes or other blemishes and just some fine resin film and the casting plugs to be removed. This is a very easy task due to the small contact points between the parts and the plugs, even on the larger parts only a #11 blade is needed to remove the plugs and clean up the parts.
There are some very small resin parts that need care cleaning up and during assembly but overall the kit shouldn't pose any problems for modellers with only modest experience working with resin and etched parts.

The instructions as mentioned are included as a .pdf file on the Mini CD provided but to access this you need a computer with an opening CD tray, most desktop PCs have opening CD trays but quite a few newer Laptops come with slot loading CD drives and you can't use the Mini CDs with these drives. Fortunately I had an older laptop with an opening CD tray to access the files. I would also advise you copy the .pdf files to your local hard drive so you don't need to keep accessing the Mini CD, keeping this as a back-up.

Resin parts after clean-up which was quick and easy as resin set clean-up goes.
LZ Models

Decals/Instructions:
The small decal sheet just markings for two tractors, one in Russian service and one in German service with the marking guide on the Mini CD

The instructions consist of photos of the actual resin parts during assembly with the parts numbered and other locating instructions included, as with any instructions you should study these before hand to understand the sequences to avoid any problems.

Trumpeter
Trumpeter
LZ Models

As mentioned, when I have received the replacement radiator cover a full review on assembling the engine and radiator as well as fitting to the Trumpeter kit will follow.

References:
On the Web:

Silicon Valley Scale Modelers Website

Tyagatshi
Soviet Full-Tracked Artillery Tractors of World War 2
in Red Army and Wehrmacht Service
Tankograd Publishing
Book
Thanks to LZ Models for the review set.


Page created April 13, 2012



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