The Definitive 1/72 Scale Model Census. Vehicles: 1/72 T-55 MBT.

Siga
Light grey plastic, hand-made limited run look to moulds, very crude, main track parts have no detail on the inner suface except for the central guide teeth. Turret appears more accurate, has a less squashed look to it. In total contrast to the mouldings, the instructions are printed very crisply and are very clear, with options for 7 different colour schemes as mentioned above. The scheme views offer one side, front and back views, (no starboard view) which is unfortunate for the assymetric camouflage schemes, although the Syrian scheme is redeemed somewhat by a photo of the real thing on the box lid which has been photographed from the starboard side. Siga acknowledges the futility of including grab rails and tow cables molded in plastic and instructs the modeller to employ copper wire and wound thread respectively, thoughtfully including the the tow cable hook ends as plastic components.

PST
The PST kit is the complete opposite of the Siga kit: great mouldings, lousey instructions. The parts are very crisply molded in green plastic, equivalent to a Revell kit. The tracks have relief detail on their inner surfaces, and are moulded separately in black (perhaps the Ghost of Matchbox lurks on their factory floor). The kit offers optional parts for a T-54. The engine bay access hatches are moulded as separate components, making it easier to build a model with this area detailed. The turret components look less accurate than the Siga one, from the top view they look too angular and the hatch openings are far too small. The 'gable' slope of the turret roof is more pronounced than the Siga component. We cannot confirm the actual accuracy of either kit compared to the prototype until reliable drawings are to hand. PST also instructs the modeller to employ wound thread for the tow cables, but includes turret grab rails as plastic components. The instructions are clear enough regarding assembly, but fall down when it comes to decal placement. No information is offered whatsoever; the modeller must resort to alternative references to complete this task. The decals appear to offer 5 different schemes (based on the font of the serial nos), one being a Polish Army machine. There appears to be an emblem included resembling that which might be used by the Afghan Army, but this is speculation. The nations of the 4 remaining schemes are undetermined.

Kits
OT-55 flamethrower	Ace 72142
T-55	Ace 72141, Siga 7M12, M15 (52315), PST 72046
T-55A(M)	Armo 72026
T-55 Enigma	Ace 72152
Tiran 4/5	Ace 72157

Turned Detail Parts
T-55 gun barrel	Armo 72743


Decals
Afghanistan
T-55	Northern Alliance	Ace 72141

Croatia
T-55	Pc24 Croatian Army, 1994	Siga M15

Finland
T-55	Ps 262-51 Finnish Army, 1980	Siga M15

Germany
T-55	East German Army, 1981	Siga M15

Iraq
T-55	2nd Gulf War	Ace 72141

North Vietnam
T-55	383, Nth Vietnamese Army	Siga M15

Peru
T-55	655 Peruvian Army, 1981	Siga M15

Poland
T-55	Polish Amy, invasion of Czechoslovakia	Ace 72141
T-55	Polish Army,1970's	YnoT W71, W71PE, W72, W72PE

Russia
T-55	016 Soviet Guard, 1968	Siga M15
T-55	Soviet Naval Infantry	Ace 72141

Syria
T-55	9V52 Syrian Army, 1982	Siga M15
T-55	85th Brg, Arab Deterent Forces, Syrian Army, Beirut 1982	YnoT W72, W72PE

Yugoslavia
T-55	Yugoslav Army, as destroyed by Croat forces, Novska village, 1991	YnoT W72, W72PE
T-55	Yugoslav Army, mid-90's scheme	Ace 72141

72nd scale detail entry
	T-55 MBT.
menu vehicles modern Russian T series tanks links

Kit Reviews
Siga Light grey plastic, hand-made limited run look to moulds, very crude, main track parts have no detail on the inner suface except for the central guide teeth. Turret appears more accurate, has a less squashed look to it. In total contrast to the mouldings, the instructions are printed very crisply and are very clear, with options for 7 different colour schemes as mentioned above. The scheme views offer one side, front and back views, (no starboard view) which is unfortunate for the assymetric camouflage schemes, although the Syrian scheme is redeemed somewhat by a photo of the real thing on the box lid which has been photographed from the starboard side. Siga acknowledges the futility of including grab rails and tow cables molded in plastic and instructs the modeller to employ copper wire and wound thread respectively, thoughtfully including the the tow cable hook ends as plastic components.		PST The PST kit is the complete opposite of the Siga kit: great mouldings, lousey instructions. The parts are very crisply molded in green plastic, equivalent to a Revell kit. The tracks have relief detail on their inner surfaces, and are moulded separately in black (perhaps the Ghost of Matchbox lurks on their factory floor). The kit offers optional parts for a T-54. The engine bay access hatches are moulded as separate components, making it easier to build a model with this area detailed. The turret components look less accurate than the Siga one, from the top view they look too angular and the hatch openings are far too small. The 'gable' slope of the turret roof is more pronounced than the Siga component. We cannot confirm the actual accuracy of either kit compared to the prototype until reliable drawings are to hand. PST also instructs the modeller to employ wound thread for the tow cables, but includes turret grab rails as plastic components. The instructions are clear enough regarding assembly, but fall down when it comes to decal placement. No information is offered whatsoever; the modeller must resort to alternative references to complete this task. The decals appear to offer 5 different schemes (based on the font of the serial nos), one being a Polish Army machine. There appears to be an emblem included resembling that which might be used by the Afghan Army, but this is speculation. The nations of the 4 remaining schemes are undetermined.