Soviet Heavy Tank KW1
Maly Modelarz 4/81
(Note that my translation of the history is doubtful in accuracy.)
In 1937 the Engineering Unit Construction Office was established. Kirowa of Leningrad under the direction of the engineers Kotina and Duchowa started developing a prototype of a heavily turretted tanks, the T-100 and SMK. Some of these had inaccurate aim and this inspired the engineer Kotina to construct an improved prototype heavy tank. The outbreak of the Soviet war stimulated the production of Version KW in December 1939.
The KW was producted up to 1943 in several versions:
KW-1 with a 76.2mm gun, KW-2 with a 152mm howitzer, KW-8 could hurl the same projectile, as well as the KW-85 with an 85mm diameter.  In 1942 the model KW-IS emerged, followed in 1943 by KW-85. Altogether the Soviet Arms Industry produced a total of 10000 KW tanks of various models during this war period.
A small number of Polish Armoured Units received some KW-1 tanks. They were later replaced with IS tanks. In 1944-1946 some KW tanks were retained for instruction purposes to train tank crews.
Technical data:
Mass - up to 48 tons
Crew - 5 men
Length - 6.68 m
Width - 3.32 m
Height - 2.71 m
Ground Clearance - 45 cm
Armament:
1X 76.2 mm ZIS 5 gun
2X machine guns 7.62mm DT
grenade launchers and crews personal arms
Ability to traverse difficult terrain:
Angle of incline 36 degrees
Width of channel 2.8 m
Height of wall 0.9-1.2 m
Fording Depth 1.45-1.6 m
Performance:
Max. speed 34-35 km/hour
Range 335 km
Model Scale 1:20.
General Suggestions
Model is medium difficulty and recommended for modellers of some experience.
You will need card of 1-1.5mm thickness for reinforcing parts, wire of 3mm and 0.3mm diameter.
Instructions:
Glue the whole of sheet 1 onto 1 to 1.5mm card, then cut out the parts of the hull skeleton (I-IV). Note parts V and VI are for the turret. Glue together as in Diag. 1. Form to shape and then glue hull covering part 1 to frame, then attach lower covering pieces 2, 3 using gluing tabs. The front armour plate 4 is reinforced with card and glued to hull front as shown in Diag. 2. Then glue parts 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 after reinforcing with card. The markings on the hull and Diag. 2 will guide you. The exhaust pipes 9/a are glued in position as shown in the plan. 7a is formed into cone, glued with 7 to middle hull. The reinforced antenna mount 14 is attached, remembering the hole for mounting the antenna later.
Next attach the mud fenders 15/16 at the hull sides remembering to fold down the edges. After assembling tool boxes 17 glue to mudguards. Form fuel containers 18 into cylinders, glue in reinforced 18a parts, attach mounting bands 18b and reinforced filler-caps 18c. Glue to mudguards. Remember to make the grips from templates IX on sheet 3 and attach to 18a (Diag. 2).
Reinforcings for mudguards 19L and 19P have white areas cut out, folded in half and glued in place. P and L indicate sides looking from back to front of tank. Glue 20L/P similarly. Reinforce mechanic-driver hatch 12 and glue to site on front armour.
Signal parts 22, a, b: Form and glue 22a/b into cylinder, then unite with formed and glued part 22. Unit is attached to front armour plate (see Diag. 2).
Assemble and attach spot-light 21/a/b/c. The front machine gun 13/a/b/c/d: first reinforce 13/c, attach cones 13a/b, see diag. 3.
Parts 23 form bases for tow-hooks 23a.
Track bogies
This is time consuming and requires accuracy. Start my building the motor wheels. Cut from sheet 4 and glue to marking on hull the gear cover part 24 (diag. 6). Glue 24a/b/c to card, form 24d into cylinder with 24c glued in each end. Glue between 24b/a see diag 6. Attach 24e to 24a.
To assemble tension wheel see Diag. 5. Glue discs 25a/b/c/d/e/f to card. First make axle 25/a, then assemble rest of wheel (25g/h are cylinders).
To assemble auxilliary pulleys follow diag. 4a. Glue discs 26a/b/c/g to card. 26 forms cone to attach pulley to hull. Assemble rest - 26f forms connecting cylinder.
To build lower pulleys first glue parts 27 to hull noting left and right (L/P). Glue 28a/b/c to card, parts 28d are glued around edges of 28a/b as in Diag. 4b. The wheels are made as above.
Parts 30/a are glued together and in place near driving wheel at site shown on overall view.
Tracks
Due to space limitations the tracks are not included on the sheets, however the average modeller will have no difficulty using the provided information to manufacture these. The overall diag. shows templates for the elements of the tracks and the number of each required. See Diag. 8. It is best to cut the tracks from the same piece of card so that all elements are the same. It is best to paint the completed tracks steel/metallic.
Turret
Reinforce with card parts V and VI, glue together to form turret framework. Next form and glue turret sides 31 and top 32. Then glue framework inside. In sequence, glue 33 and 34 underneath turret. Part 35 is glued around the opening of 33 so that the jagged edge is against 34? This completes the turret body. Next make the gun yoke 36: form and glue 36a according to Diag. 7, attach 36b/c, glue 36/37 noting the hole "W" for gun barrel.
Begin to attach equipment to outside of turret e.g. mobile periscope 42/a, static periscope (43). Reinforce hatch 41. Attach ventilators 40 and 40a as well as gun-slit cover 44. The machine gun is assembled as per hull gun. Cut a circle of reinforced card 70mm in diameter and glue to part 33. Manufacture machine gun barrels and aerials as per templates on sheet 1. Paint green and mount in marked positions. One can simulate rivets by inserting pins at the dots and colouring the pin heads suitably. A coat of varnish or similar may improve the end-appearance of the model and protect it from dust.