Stalinets-65 WWII Tractor - extremely detailed 1:25 free paper model

[Leif Ohlsson]

I have found this very attractive model of a classic Soviet WWII tractor. It is a free model, graciously offered by designer V. Melnikov, under the label "MBA card model". I have not been able to contact the designer, nor find the publisher as labeled. Here is the front page:



As you can see from the cover the scale is 1:25, and it is a black & white model. There is also a line stating that it is an "alfa version", although it seems very, very carefully worked out already.

I guess the prudent way of building such a model would be to print most parts of it on grey-green paper from the start, something similar to this photot perhaps (Wikipedia Commons):



Here are a few sample pages from the kit, two part sheets, and two instruction sheets:



As you can see the print quality is high (already in this downsampled image). The originals are size A4 @ 300 dpi resolution.

More importantly, I'm sure you are as struck as I was at the richness of detail! I wish, I wish there was an aircraft at this level of detailedness available…

For all those tractor lovers on the site this should be a must-see at least. Here's a link to a direct download of the model:

Stalinets-65 WWII Tractor - extremely detailed 1:25 free paper model

The site hosting the download is a common fileshare site, very often used to host illegitimately obtained models. However, since this model is clearly marked as a free model, and this publishing of it is non-commercial, I deem it acceptable to offer the link. If this is in violation of site rules, please advice.

The download is 34 MB. While you wait, please have a look at some readily obtainable data about the Stalinets-65 tractor and its history:


"Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant" (Wikipedia]

The Chelyabinks Tractor plant was a project of the First Five Year Plan. The plant was founded in 1933; the first product was a 60 hp tracked tractor С-60 (Stalinets-60) fueled by petroleum ether (Benzine). In 1937 the factory produced its first diesel-powered vehicle C-65 (Stalinets-65). By 1940 the plant had produced 100,000 tractors.

During World War II seven other industrial entities (including most of Leningrad's Kirov Plant, and 15,000 of its workers) were either wholly or partially relocated to Chelyabinsk, the resulting enterprise, commonly known as "Tankograd", or "Tank City". The work force increased to 60,000 workers by 1944, from 25,000 during non-military production; during the conflict the works produced 18,000 tanks, and 48,500 tank diesel engines as well as over 17 million units of ammunition.

Post World War II conventional tractor production resumed with the С-80 (Stalinets-80) entering serial production in 1946. The plant reverted to its original name of Chelyabinsk Tractor factory in 1958. In 1961 a tractor with diesel electric transmission entered production: DET-250. The millionth tractor from CTZ was produced in 1984.


Cheyabinsk Tractor Plant - History (original company site)

At this site you can see the tractors they are still making - and they do look quite a lot like the 1937 original (although there is a bit more hydraulics and electronics involved, I'm sure…):




"Saving the Tractor of the War Time From the Swamp" (Article on "English Russia" website)


Photos of the Stalinets-65:

• Google search - also with many fine model builds in various materials.

• Peter Rathgeb: Soviet Vehicles of WWII (German photos, b&w). The ones with a Stalinets-65 in them are republished here:




By now the Stalinets-65 tractor model by V. Melnikov should have downloaded. Enjoy!

- Leif

[Don Boose]

This is a truly superb review with a lot of very useful information on the model and the prototype.

Nice-looking tractor, too.

Many thanks, Leif.

Don

[whulsey]

Wow, I bow down in thanks, Leif. Since this is basically a slightly updated Cat 60 with a diesel engine I thinking a bit of reverse engineering should get me the Cat 60 that I've long wanted. Oh man, can I put in for my retirement next week.

[airdave]

The fact that this is a "free model" just means that is available at no charge.
The fact that it states "alfa testing"(sic) on the cover would lead me to believe
that it is not meant for wide distribution.
Either that or the designer is being cautious and fending off any judgement
just in case there any errors or imperfections in the model...and has no plans
to produce a "final" version?

Glad to hear that you attempted to contact the designer.
Thats what I would do...and ask him if he is aware of the models download
through deposit-files.
If he hasn't authorized its distribution through this location, then...

I gave up trying to download it.
Deposit-Files always give me trouble.
3 attempts to get to the download,
and then its stalls twice during downloads.
I gave up on the third download attempt because it was so slow.

It is a cool looking Tractor though.
Looks like a very hard ride!

[CharlieC]

Download doesn't seem to work.

The Stalinets 65 was made in huge quantities - the production run from 1937-41
made over 37,000 tractors. It was used in the GPW as a heavy artillery tractor especially for artillery pieces like the 203mm B4 howitzer.

The Wehrmacht captured many S-65s in the early stages of Barbarossa and impressed them into service as "Raupenschlepper St(r) Typ "Stalinez 65".
A model S-65 would make a great tow vehicle for GPM's Morser 18 model.

Went looking - found a copy of the model - it's unbelievably detailed. The designer must have had access to an S-65 and/or the production drawings to
produce this model.

Regards,

Charlie

[Tapcho]

Download works fine here at European side of the world. It's over 30Mb so it takes some time. Great kit, excellent instructions.

Tappi

[thorst]

Thank you for the link! And the download worked without a problem.

Thorsten

[SCEtoAUX]

Worked OK here. Had to make sure the correct download button was clicked, otherwise no telling what kind of cwrap would be encountered.

Unzipped to 41 jpg pages, 300 dpi. 18 pages of parts, 22 pages of intructions in graphic form, 1 cover page.

Here is a reduced resolution page of the tracks:

[Leif Ohlsson]

Glad you liked it. It is an incredible model, isn't it? I was thinking especially of you, Whulsey, when I posted that iffy link. In fact, it was a bad link to post, since it was the one I got after going through the rigmarole of waiting, filling in funny letters, etc., so that link is expired for me as well now.

I would dearly like to be able to pay honor to the designer, and if anyone has an idea of how to raise him or her, it would really be a nice thing to do. Waiting for that, it seems a shame not to pay our respects in the shape of admiring and drooling over this magnificent piece of work - freely given, for non-commercial spreading, as it says on the cover. Going through an image search, it seems to be quite a popular subject for advanced modeling in various materials and scales.

What do you say, Whulsey - if one printed it on yellow paper, would it be a reasonable likeness of the Cat 60?

Leif

[3Turner]

Originally Posted by Leif Ohlsson

If this is in violation of site rules, please advice.
- Leif

Unfortunately Leif...yes, no direct linking to downloads. We should give authors page views to their website or original hosting website. HOWEVER, if the website is full of pirated models...then please refrain from posting the link. Instead, hopefully someone would recognize the author or MBA Card Model brand.