On the Subject of Soviet WWII Armour: The T-35 Land-ship

It is everyone's secret desire to have a T-35 even though may not admit it, or like me even know what they would do with it if they ever made one (see below, the S-Models "two in a pack T-35" offer of a lifetime): 

Admittedly it did look slightly out of place on the painting tray, sharing time with a "brigade" of 20mm ACW Union troops - although to be honest the technology didn't seem too different (see below, the painful process of clipping the brittle plastic of the S-Model without breaking delicate parts is now far behind me): 

Delightfully the "multiple small rollers" track casting came literally in one part. So provided that you were careful clipping it out there was no "Matilda" or "Churchill" hell (those who have put together those Airfix kits will know what I am talking about) to contend with (see below, a multi-turreted monster - but still lovable at the same time): 

Harder than putting it together (and I did have a choice moment or two when I put the radio aerial on the turret) is painting the blooming thing. It took quite a long time and quite a lot of Airfix primer to finally cover it (see below, a ghostly post-build but pre-paint apparition - I originally thought they did but I was told that they never made it to the Winter War with Finland, I must double check that): 

Next came a refreshingly messy stage as I daubed the whole kit and caboodle in Vallejo Sepia Brown Wash (see below, I know they didn't see much combat - deployed and destroyed around Kiev in 1941, but they did a fair bit of travelling in the dusty Russian Summer, so my two T-35's are going to look grubby rather than factory finish):  

Next Stage: Time to break out the Vallejo Russian Green!