Kit Review: LF Models/FORT Limited Kit No. 35007; T-37A Early Version;
294 parts in grey styrene; price and availability varyAdvantages: only kit of this vehicle in this scale; provides options for either line tank or command tank with rail antenna
Disadvantages: somewhat crude moldings, delicate and fragile single link tracks
Rating: Recommended
Recommendation: for all early-war Soviet armor fans
The T-37 was the first in a long line of amphibious light tanks which the Soviets foresaw as one of their five main types of tanks in the early 1930s (the others being infantry support light tanks, light fast tanks, medium tanks, and heavy breakthrough tanks). Created using some design elements of Carden-Loyd vehicles, the T-33 prototypes evolved through the T-41 to the T-37, and this entered full scale production in 1933. It soon evolved into the T-37A which featured flotation chamber fenders to assist it in swimming.
Three production variants were seen =96 one using a welded hull and turret from Izhorsk and the others either a riveted/bolted one with smaller turret from Factory No. 37 or welded hull and turret from Podol=92sk. A command variant was produced with a rail antenna running around the fenders and glacis of the vehicle on short posts, with a kink=94 at the rear to boost it up a few inches. 1,909 T-37A line tanks and 643 T-37A radio tanks were built from 1933-1936 (as well as some chemical tanks and other variants) when the tank was replaced in production by the improved T-38.
Soviet light tanks =96 especially the prewar ones =96 have received some attention from model manufacturers, but mostly the smaller Eastern European ones. This kit is no exception, as it comes from the FORT Limited company in Ukraine. (I believe the molds are now in other hands and the production status of this kit is unknown as a result, but it can still be found at shows.)
As a result, these kits are usually about one step above =93garage=94 resin kits and this one is no exception. The parts are somewhat crude with a lot of flash, but checking them with a very good history in =93Frontovaya Illyustratsiya=94 issue No. 3-2003 by Maksim Kolomiyets it scales out dead on the money. The kit is typical of eastern kits with =93flat molding=94 and the only major components not molded that way are the one-piece belly pan and turret sides.
The suspension units consist of two road wheels, two side frames, a big molded spring or optional parts to replace them with real springs (not included).
The turret comes with a complete DT machine gun with separate 63- round drum, but this kit suffered from a =93short shot=94 and the barrel was missing. (I can replace it, but it is always a pain when a vehicle has but a single machine gun for armament and the kit flubs it.)
Some parts suffered from the molding techniques, but I do give FORT credit for warning you. For example, you have to drill a hole in the radiator housing to attach the taillight.
The track links are petite and fragile, so be careful with the kit set (there is at least one after-market set available). The directions (which are in Russian, not Ukranian) are as clear as mud here, but what it is telling you is to thin and taper the driver teeth before installing the tracks. They also comment on adding a couple of links to get the track to sag properly.
A large sheet of decals is included but in this example had curled due to the kit=92s age. Unfortunately the directions do not provide a whit of information on what to do with them, so perhaps that is just as well! Suffice it to say they provide for most of the Soviet unit markings of the time and also some captured Finnish vehicles, but you will need a reference to get them right for a specific time and place.
Overall this kit is not a simple one to build; I finished one as a T-37A radio tank back in 2003 and it was a struggle to complete it, especially with the screwball antenna mounts. But it is the only game in town and WILL build into a relatively accurate T-37A. (Prices vary, but I purchased this kit at a sale table for US $8.)
Cookie Sewell