September 17, 2026

Preview: Meng upscales & Up-Armours the T-72B3M (Mod2022) fin 35th scale...

This time a new 35th scale T-72B3M - the Mod.2022 up-armourded & with Russian optics. We look at the real thing & the CADs in our preview...

Preview: Meng upscales & Up-Armours the T-72B3M (Mod2022) fin 35th scale...

Russian T-72B3M (Mod.2022)
From Meng Models
1/35th scale
Kit No #​​TS-060
Available in: October 2026
The Subject: The T-72B3M (Mod.2022)
The T-72B3M (Mod. 2022) represents a stark shift in Russian armored warfare philosophy, moving from pre-war optimization to urgent, combat-driven adaptation. Rushed into production by Uralvagonzavod to offset massive vehicle losses in Ukraine, this variant strips away complex peacetime luxuries in favour of immediate battlefield utility. It serves as a pragmatic stopgap, blending the classic, low-profile T-72 chassis with rapid design modifications engineered specifically to survive a high-intensity, drone-dominated environment.

T-72B3M tanks shipped in July 2024.
The defining characteristic of the Mod. 2022 is its heavy, almost improvisational armor upgrade package. Recognizing the lethal threat of top-attack missiles and FPV loitering munitions, designers covered nearly every vulnerable surface in Relikt and Kontakt-5 Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA), extending blocks down to the lower glacis, track shoulders, and previously exposed turret gaps. 
Supplemented by factory-installed mesh screening and steel turret cages, the tank sacrifices a degree of its traditional mobility for a heavily reinforced defensive shell meant to give crews a fighting chance against modern infantry tactics.Beneath its rugged exterior, the vehicle reflects the harsh realities of international trade sanctions on Russia's military supply chains. Deprived of the advanced French matrix components needed for the standard Sosna-U thermal sight, the Mod. 2022 frequently relies on the simpler, domestic 1PN-96MT-02 optics. While this substitution reduces the tank's maximum night-fighting identification range, it ensures production lines can keep moving without relying on smuggled or blockaded Western electronics, resulting in a tank that is less sophisticated than its predecessors but far easier to mass-produce in a wartime economy.

A modified & T-72B3M mod.2022 with 1PN-96MT-02 (with a security blanket😉)

The Kit:
The MENG TS-060 1/35 Russian Main Battle Tank T-72B3M (Mod.2022) model kit precisely captures the battle-hardened appearance of Russia's modern armor. Once fully assembled, the completed model measures 285mm long, 117mm wide, and 99mm high (including the open roof-mounted anti-drone screen). The kit features tooling that accurately replicates the 4S23 Relikt explosive reactive armor (ERA), modular slat armor, and the distinctive anti-drone roof cage.
This is an accurate replica of the heavily armored combat configuration of the Russian T-72B3M (Mod. 2022) main battle tank.
The CADs showing the kit and the features.

The model can be built in either a standard configuration or a heavily armored configuration fitted with add-on armor and turret roof anti-drone armor.
The brand-new tooling 4S23 Relikt explosive reactive armor and the modular slat armor are precisely reproduced.
The anti-projectile chain nets are precisely reproduced with fine photo-etched parts.
The anti-drone roof-mounted armor is precisely reproduced. The commander's and gunner's access panels can be built open or closed.
The gun mantlet canvas cover is realistically reproduced using digital sculpting. Add-on armor for enhanced protection is also fitted on the sides and top of the mantlet.
The main gun can be posed either horizontally or at an elevated angle.
The anti-aircraft machine gun can also be posed either horizontally or at an elevated angle.
All optical sights are reproduced with clear parts and can be built open or closed.
Crew hatches are openable.
The movable torsion bar suspension and workable track links provide the model with excellent articulation.
The double-pin workable tracks feature outstanding details. A dedicated assembly jig is provided for easy and convenient assembly.

You can see more info on this kit and others from Meng on the Meng Models Website...