VT-34 – the Czechoslovakian/ Slovak tow truck

In order for armored vehicles to function perfectly and without malfunctions on the battlefield, it is necessary to have appropriate engineering and technical equipment in the armament. Not every lightly damaged or stuck tank on the battlefield is definitely lost - such a machine must be evacuated from the battlefield to the rear as soon, as possible, where it would be transferred to repair brigades, or, if possible, repaired on site and it could replenish combat units again. In the Czechoslovak army, such a machine became the VT-34, built on the chassis of the standard medium tank T-34/85. The Polish People's Army (LWP) also had such tow trucks, which are here designated CW-34. The machine was equipped with a V-2-34M diesel engine, the fuel supply reached 500 liters, the chassis consisted of 5 pairs of support wheels, 1 pair of tensioning and 1 pair of driving wheels per side. During the production of the VT-34, the front part of the tank hull was changed the most. An armored superstructure, welded from steel plates, was installed there. It protected the crew of two people (driver and mechanic-gunner). Immediately behind the crew seats, a towing winch drum was installed, two main boarding hatches were installed at the top of the superstructure. In addition, there were three hatches for technical assistants. The winch drum was connected to the engine directly; a 33 mm thick towing cable was wound on it. The maximum cable load was 30 tons. Next to the main towing drum was another, smaller one, designed for towing lighter armored vehicles (up to 500 kg). In addition, a bulldozer-plow was installed on the VT-34. It served to stabilize the machine during the extraction of another combat vehicle.

A complex, well-designed and maximally detailed (engine compartment, chassis and its suspension, control cabin interior, armament, exterior detailing, “fighting” compartment) armored recovery truck model for only medium-experienced and experienced modelers. There is a considerable stock of colors, You can make one of 3 painting versions (Czechoslovak, Slovak armies or a machine without markings), You can make opening hatches, covers, removable armor plates for interior display. The textual instructions are small but quite detailed; the graphic one is exemplary.