ROB'S TANKS

A SHOWCASE OF MY PROJECTS

Heads up, incoming! Just kidding. But I am a serious armor enthusiast and I love tanks and reading about tank battles and the different wars tanks participated in. My name is Rob and I live in New Jersey. I've been building 1:35 and 1:48 scale tank models for many years now. I decided to showcase my work here. I'd also like to offer anyone interested in obtaining custom-built tanks (or any models for which kits exist, really) my services as model builder. Recently I was contracted to build nearly 20 1:48 scale tanks and I am looking forward to meeting and surpassing those challenges! I am displaying these projects as I build and finish them right here on this page. My main interest lies with WWII armor, both Russian and German, so the bulk of my projects revolves around those themes. But I am not averse to branching out into modern armor, as well as more obscure (or lesser-known) subjects, or earlier WWI stuff. I am also now working on a British WW2 tank. Please enjoy taking a look around and Email me if you're interested in any models, or just want to chat. Thanks for stopping by!

Email me: RobertShveyts@aol.com

Clicking on thumbnail will open picture in new window

ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	KV-2 Heavy tank, Russia.		Trumpeter	1/35	The Trumpeter is an excellent kit with good detail. The only problem is that the plastic barrel is too short. I swapped it out for a turned-aluminum part. I also added photo-etch detail and metal cable. I added some Mr. Surfacer 500 to make certain areas look rough and to add casting detail to the mantlet.	WWII
.				.	My finished model (with the Tristar figure) was published on Finescale Modeler's website. This is the 4th tank model I've built.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
.			.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	Tiger I Heavy tank (Panzer VI, Ausf. E), Germany		Tamiya	1/35	Tamiya, as always, brings a solid kit to the table. This one is probably the best Tiger I you can get. The kit does not come with engine grill covers though, so I had to buy those, and some detail is missing. Only after the mesh covers were installed, did I realize I bought ones for a later version of Tiger I.	WWII
.				.	I also threw in various photoetch detail sets, Karaya cables and cable heads and used all my ingenuity and scratch-built parts to make the most realistic Tiger I could. Oh, and the white-metal Friulmodel tracks were used. They are amazing and truly add realism here.	.
.				.	This is the 7th tank model I've built.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
.		.	.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	Tiger II Heavy tank (Panzer VI, Ausf. B), Germany		Dragon	1/35	Dragon makes a very good model kit of the Tiger II (also called King Tiger and Royal Tiger) but I decided to go a few steps farther and added tons of photoetch, Friulmodel metal tracks, metal cables and lots of scratch-built parts.	WWII
.				.	I had decided to showcase the wheels and tracks on one side, so I left off the skirts (skurzen) and added detail where they attach to tank. This model was published in Finescale Modeler Reader Gallery in December 2009 issue. This is the 5th tank model I've built.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	Panzer 38(t) Light tank, Germany		Tristar	1/35	This tank started life as a Chech machine called LT vz. 38. The Germans acquired these in the late 1930's (together with the LT vz. 35). This little model from Tristar is a gem, and came with a few photoetch parts.	WWII
.				.	I added the Friulmodel metal tracks, and didn't need to do much else as far as construction - other than add an antenna - as this kit is just beautiful. This model was published in Finescale Modeler Reader Gallery in November 2013 issue. This is the 8th tank model I've built.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
.			.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	Panzer II Light tank, Germany		Tamiya	1/35	This is an older Tamiya kit (1970s), and lacks much detail. The tracks are rubber band. But it does provide a good representation of this small German tank. This is the 2nd tank model I've built.	WWII
.	.		.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	Sherman M4A4 Medium tank, USA		Tamiya	1/35	This is also an older Tamiya kit (1980s?), and lacks some detail. The tracks are rubber band and actually work well to represent the real deal, as those were tension tracks and did not really sag. This is the 1st tank model I built and was a good learning experience.	WWII
.	.		.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	T-28 Medium tank, Russia.		ICM/Alanger	1/35	The ICM and Alanger kits are interesting because they feature obscure subjects, such as this T-28 and the T-35. I did a lot of scratch-building for this tank, making the basket on the port side and the flag. The sprockets needed a lot of work and much small detail was added with styrene and aluminum.	pre-WWII
.				.	This was the 3rd tank I built. I decided to populate it with several figures and I think it looks pretty good for a third effort. Tracks are Modelkasten plastic working link-to-link. The ladder was scratch-built and some photoetch from a T-35 set was used. This project was purchased for publication by Finescale Modeler but has not been published yet.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	T-35 Heavy tank, Russia.		ICM/Alanger	1/35	The ICM and Alanger kits are interesting because they feature obscure subjects, such as this T-35 and the T-28. A lot of extra work went into making the missing guard rails around the aft turrets and fixing sink holes, adding bolts, etc.	WWII
.				.	The T-35 was a giant. Not a scary one, just a heavy, slow giant. With an 11-man crew, things got pretty hectic. Add to this underpowered engine, insubstantial transmission and narrow tracks, small main gun, and this tank was doomed from the beginning. This was the 6th tank I built.	.
.				.	Tracks are Friulmodel metal. A photoetch set was used as well as lots of scratchbuilding. I might have overdone it with the weathering. These tanks did not see all that much action. This project was purchased for publication by Finescale Modeler but has not been published yet.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
.			.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	KV-1 s Ekranami, Russia		Tamiya	1/48	Like all new Tamiya kits, this 1:48 scale tank is excellent. I added Karaya copper cable. Model requisitioned by and built for a collector. (I'll have more photos as work progresses on the 1:48ths.)	WWII
.				.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	KV-2, Russia		Tamiya	1/48	Like the rest of new Tamiya kits, this 1:48 scale tank is excellent. I added Karaya copper cable. Model requisitioned by and built for a collector.	WWII
.			.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	KV-1 "Small Turret", Russia		Hobbyboss	1/48	I have worked with several Hobbyboss 1:48 models now and I have to say, these build into very nice models. But, the kits have MANY parts, some are very tiny, fiddly and fragile. Spending twice as much time on these as Tamiya kits yields good results. Not for the impatient modelers. The kit comes with photoetch and metal cable.	WWII
.				.	This was built for a collector. Trying new Mr. Surface black primer. This stuff is pricey (all of their stuff is) and I wish I could get away with regular spray primer, but oil weathering will be done with turpentine, and it dissolves regular primer. The black goes on great but for some reason doesn't always cover metal cable the way the gray does.	.
.				.	.	.
.				.	.	.
.		.	.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	Matilda II Mk. III/IV medium tank, Russia.		Tamiya	1/48	This Tamiya kit is exquisite. The detail and the molding is just about perfect. I added Karaya cable. This will depict a lend/lease tank sent to the USSR.	WWII
.				.	This is another model I am building for a collector.	.
.				.	.	.
.			.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	Panzer 754[r] (KV-2), Germany.		Hobbyboss	1/48	This excellent model kit depicts a captured Soviet tank in German service. It replicates many German conversions. The kit comes with p.e. fender supports and metal cable, as well as two gauges of wire for the fairly complex wiring on the forward hull.	WWII
.				.	This is another model I am building for a collector.	.
.			.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	SU-122 Self-Propelled Gun, Russia.		Tamiya	1/48	This excellent model kit from Tamiya does not disappoint. Some detail is missing but easily-enough replicated. I added wire pulls on the large hatch. Antenna is guitar string.	WWII
.				.	This is a model I'm building for a customer.	.
.			.	.	.	.
ITEM #	TANK MODEL	PHOTOS	KIT MANUFACTURER	SCALE	NOTES	ERA OF OPERATION
----	T-34/76 Medium tank, Russia.		Hobbyboss	1/48	The Hobbyboss kit comes with a nice p.e. mesh. Fiddly construction but builds into a very realistic tank. I added metal cable from Karaya. The T34 kits come with a full interior! I added interior detail to the turret because the hatches are open.	WWII
.				.	This is a model I'm building for a customer.	.
.				.	.	.

Please visit my Ebay auctions, where I sometimes have cool stuff for sale.

Visit Russian 1:43 Scale Automobile