Hello
This will hopefully be a scratch built 1:16 scale T-80. Nope.....not that one. This one.....


The T-80 light tank was a tank from 1943 where the problems with the T-70 were supposed to be solved. An entirely reasonable design, by the time it came about however it was simply outclassed by tank developments in general.

It was built upon a T-70 hull but the top is obviously different. Two things caught my eye with this one:

1. Its covered in "grab ons" for tank riders....you dont see that that often on other tanks.
2. It was possibly the only tank in the war purposely designed to hit ground targets and to engage air targets. Its gun could go a whole way up and it had a dedicated sight for aerial targets and one for more normal targets. There may be other tanks that could do this but I havent heard of them at least.




I think around 80 were built and its one of those intriguing designs that had much to offer but which were just washed away as development passed them by.

I decided to make one, as usual, from steel and brass where necessary.

Right off the bat I cocked up. I thought the track widths were the same as the T-70. In which case these Pz I tracks would probably work.



Two problems with these.... the first being that they are not very good. Fine for a static model probably but the "metal" is really bad white metal and I doubt they will take a beating with a steel sprocket.

The second problem is that the T-80 actually used a wider track than the T-70. Which leaves me with a problem that I am kicking down the road a bit.

I started off by making the two sides and sticking in a load of rivets and peening them off on the back.

The suspension will be simple and one I have used before but it needs to be dainty as this is a very small tank. So I started making the rails out of 1mm brass and these rails will be further developed as I proceed along the road.




A small start but one that had to be taken.

P