T-26 Soviet Light Infantry Tank - T-26 Decal Sheet 180818

[EarlyWarGamer]

Very excited at the prospect of a plastic, multi-model version T-26 kit. I am planning out an early war soviet force at the moment, and any plans to add to the variety of available models suitable for 1941-1942 is wonderful news. I think most prefer to game the late war with all the heavy hitters, but I find the early war stuff more interesting.  Glad to see Rubicon is not only interested in the mid to late war vehicles.

I understand there is no ETA for this kit, so I can only wait and wonder. But hopefully when it becomes a reality, sales will be good enough to encourage other early war goodies!

[tyroflyer]

I agree with you EWG. You might also find a gamer with 1939 Finns or Poles to take on your Soviet T-26.

[Pinky]

I just took these photos of the T-26 in the Bovington Tank Museum:

[Rubicon Models]

The T-26 tank was a Soviet light infantry tank used during many conflicts of the 1930s and in World War II.

It was a development of the British Vickers 6-Ton tank and was one of the most successful tank designs of the 1930s until its light armour became vulnerable to newer anti-tank guns. It was produced in greater numbers than any other tank of the period, with more than 11,000 manufactured. During the 1930s, the USSR developed 53 variants of the T-26, including flame-throwing tanks, combat engineer vehicles, remotely controlled tanks, self-propelled guns, artillery tractors, and armoured carriers. Twenty-three of these were series-produced, others were experimental models.

We will try to focus on T-26 variants produced in between the Spanish Civil War and WW2.  Probably 4 to 5 different turrets, and minor alterations on the hull.

This is a T-26 M33 being used as our base design:









Enjoy!

[Rubicon Models]

Different flavours of the T-26 for your liking...



Enjoy!

[Pinky]

Wow, that's very cool.  You might be about to set a record for the number of variants in a single kit!

[tyroflyer]

Pinky, as I'm thinking it you're typing it! Wow.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Nice.

[MarkJ]

Hello pretty!

[EarlyWarGamer]

This is exactly the sort of kit that attracts and excites me.  Although I would only ever need "one" on the gaming table at a time (I play mostly infantry games, with one or two vehicles in support), I love to have options, and just based on the diagrams above, I can easily see my getting three kits.  One to assemble as the twin-turret, one for the single turret, and one for the later models with the sloped armor.  Not sure I could justify getting a fourth kit, so as to play around with a command tank version.  But I might.

And this is one of those tanks available in HUGE numbers in the early war years.  As my form name suggests, I prefer early war, so around 1943 I start to lose interest.  But this beauty will definitely be part of my soviet forces when it becomes available.

[Rubicon Models]

More sprues incoming... this time for the T-26 Soviet Light Infantry Tank! Using our newfound multi-slide mould capabilities, we are giving you EIGHT build variants with only TWO-AND-A-HALF sprues! This is what you will expect in 2018!























Enjoy!

[ultravanillasmurf]

Looking good.

I have not tracked down where the insert for the track is located on the sprue.

[Jimmy_P]

I can't see quite a few of these in my future! Front of the track is odd, or is that part covered by the fenders?

Will it be 2 and a half sprues, or will that empty sprue space be used for something else....? (Like some Soviet tank commanders, pleeeeeease?) 

[Tracks]

I have not tracked down where the insert for the track is located on the sprue.

I too cannot locate this.
From looking at the posted pics, clearly something goes onto the front end of the track.

Also, with EIGHT build variants, this is going to please a lot of modelers and gamers alike.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Will it be 2 and a half sprues, or will that empty sprue space be used for something else....? (Like some Soviet tank commanders, pleeeeeease?) 

I was thinking 7TP and Vickers.