The T-34 tank design is arguably the most important tank of all time with over 84,000 made and innovative design features. The T-34/76 first saw action in late 1941, and was a significant leap forward in tank design – a rugged, no-nonsense anatomy and wide tracks enabled it to cope with the mud and snow of the Eastern Front. It married the perfect combination of thick, sloped armour and an efficient gun, along with extreme sturdiness, reliability, ease of manufacturing and maintenance. German tanks struggled in the cold conditions of the Eastern Front – the rubber peeling away from the road wheels, engines being slow to start and needing to be slowly warmed-up, machine guns jamming constantly, and the narrow tracks of the Panzer III and IV causing them to sink into the snow and mud. The T-34s ran circles around the struggling German hardware – especially as the Luftwaffe was more often than not grounded due to the bad weather, so couldn't harry the Soviets. This set of 3 tanks allows you the option of assembling each tank as either 1941, 1942, or 1943 pattern T-34/76 – each with their distinctive turrets. Contains 3 separate plastic tanks and 8 loose infantry to make tank riders. This vehicle can also be used in games of Achtung Panzer!, the game of close-quarters tank-on-tank combat, its rules can be found in the Achtung Panzer! rulebook. Note: Models supplied unassembled and unpainted
