PMMS
Ace
Lend-Lease Tanks in Red Army
Ace Decals #D35001 and D35002
Reviews by Peter Brown

While the Red Army had a lot of T34’s, KV’s, JS’s and other tanks, they also received many AFVs from their Allies the USA, United Kingdom and Canada. These two decal sheets give markings for several different vehicles, usually tactical numbers and slogans in white with a few in red and even some Red Stars with white outline which while not common were used. I got the 1/35th scale ones, but there are also 1/72nd equivalents though I have not seen them so cannot be sure if they cover the same subjects.

These markings are based on photos in a Russian book, "Lend-Lease Tanks 1941-1945" published by Russian publisher ExPrint in 2000 which is written in Russian with photo captions repeated in English. All the photos are black and white, though most tanks were in their factory colours of Olive Drab or Brown which does not need much in the way of colour notes. For those who want them, see Wydawnwictwo Militaria no 113 "Lend Lease Vol 1" which is a Polish translation also with English captions. It has many of the same photos but also colour plates of many vehicles. It is available from Wydawnwictwo of Warsaw, ISBN 837219121-2.

Subjects covered are -

D35001

D35002

Where the vehicles are from the same unit, there is usually one "unit marking" with options for different vehicles so the total number of options is not quite as large as it might appear but there are still 20 to 24 vehicles per sheet.

Apart from the lack of colour notes, many American vehicles still carried their original US serial numbers which are not included so you may need to add those from other sources. Many of the markings were hand-painted in real life but unless you have a steady hand or good stencils these will be your salvation. Especially useful are the "warning" stencils on sheet D35001 which would be very hard to reproduce without decals.

All the subjects are available in kit form in 1/35 or can be modified from existing parts, though some are older kits and will need a little work to bring them to modern standards.

Backing carrier sheet is thin and matt, while I have not applied these they should go on well even if they might need some suitable solvent or set.

Note that the images have been scanned and then the colours altered to try and make the white markings clearer against the original pale blue background, in so doing the red has gone from scarlet to closer to purple.

See ACE’s website which has links to other stockists worldwide.

Sheet No.D35001
Archer Fine Transfers
Sheet No.D35002
Archer Fine Transfers


Page Created 18 December 2003

Click Browsers BACK button to return to list
Home / Reviews / Vehicle Reviews / Ace Decals