1/35 WWII T44 Soviet Medium Tank w/Full Interior

At first, I thought this kit from MiniArt might be a little overpriced for a medium tank, but upon opening the box found that it was packed wall-to-wall with tons of parts trees. It was advertised as an interior kit, but I didn't realize just how detailed they would go, in the detailing level of all interior compartments. This kit is definitely not for beginning-level modelers, as it is likely to take a seemingly staggering amount of time investment to assemble, especially if the builder is a hardened detail fan. Naturally, the kit can be assembled buttoned-up without the necessity of all that interior detailing, but it would seem a waste of very nicely detailed parts and result in a literal box-full of extras The tread system is of the individual link type, with no option for any long rubber strip variety. The kit builds a rendition of the 3rd generation prototype/production model of the T-44A M1944 Medium Tank, distinguishable by the wider gap between the 1st and 2nd station roadwheels. The enclosed gun tube and mantle is of the 85mm ZiS-S-53 type, common the the late production T-34/85 style, and the unit has the option of a hull front driver's splash guard strip used on the prototype and some of the production models with that gun/mantle configuration. There was a 2nd example of the 3rd generation prototypes that differed, with the 85mm D-5T gun tube and mantle style, and without the splash guard. There were an additional 2 prototypes developed off of the T-44A, with either a 100mm D-10TK or LB-1 gun, 1 with and 1 without the splash guard, driver's hatch moved fully onto the hull deck, and both with 6mm anti-HEAT sideskirts (T-44-100), which led into the later T-54 Main Battle Tank. There were 2 other generations of prototypes that proceeded this kit's unit for the OBject 136/T-44 project. The first generation had 3 prototypes, 2 with the 85mm D-5T gun and mantle (T-44-85), 1 with and 1 without splash guard, and the 3rd unit with a 122mm D-25-44T gun without splash guard. These prototype had the driver's hatch fully onto the hull front plate. There were 2 of the 2nd generation prototypes, that had the driver's hatch moved backwards some and partially onto the hull deck, 1 with the 85mm ZiS-S-53 gun/mantle and splash guard, the other with the 85mm D-57 gun/mantle without splash guard. Outside of the driver's hatch placement/location, the kit has the ability of the chassis/turret being used in renditions of the 1st and 2nd generation prototype vehicles as well, which were distinguished mainly by the wide gap in the roadwheel system being between the 2nd and 3rd wheel stations, instead of between the 1st and 2nd wheels. This can be accomplished by utilizing a reversed layout of the 2nd roadwheel station's axle system, exactly as used for the unit's 5th wheel station. As can be seen, the kit has potential towards other build applications. Overall, the kit is very good and exceedingly well detailed, and I would highly recommend it for those that are more detail-oriented.