T-26 Mod. 1938

T-26 is one of my favorite tanks of all time. Definitely in my Top 5, heck, maybe even Top 3. All thanks to childhood nostalgia. When I was 12, my schoolmate lent me his copy of the real-time strategy game Blitzkrieg. Apart from Medal of Honor, it was my first real exposure to WW2 and armored vehicles from that period, and I was hooked! I chose the Soviet campaign for my first playthrough, and the first mission was the Mannerheim Line in Finland. Everything was covered in snow, and I had 3 T-26 tanks in my squad. So much nostalgia!

Since then, I tried to build the horrible Mirage Hobby kit, but it ended up as a test mule. My first successful build of this tank was using the Zvezda kit when I was in my late teens. You can find the model in THIS GALLERY.

For me, a T-26 in winter camouflage defined the early battles on the Eastern Front, so it was obvious that I had to build one. What was even better was that I had this interesting reference photo in my folder for many years. The tank sported a very unique double-zero tactical number, and it was the beautiful Mod. 1938 – the perfect blend of the old and new design.