I've got this -in the stash yet to be built, but also have their Su-85 which has the exact same hull, wheels and track assembly which I have built. I'm an out of the box builder these days happy with moulded detail and used to Dragon slide moulded Smart Kits which feature it as well as post mid-90s and later Tamiya which just keep getting better, both my favourites for armour. Pros. The sturdy box. The attractive outer packaging sleeve. The colour painting guide insert. The price -kind of (more later). The relative accuracy/fidelity to type. Cons, taking into account the price in my country. I accept the absence of PE and the nylon for screens looks OK and does the job, but a length of too thin cord instead of coiled wire moulded cables? C'mon. I bought a metal barrel for the T-34/85, but after building the Su-85 decided it was unnecessary and a waste of money. The kit plastic one cleaned up nicely and looks the business. I don't like Zvezda's non bath tub hull approach. It's a PITA with the thin brittle green plastic they choose to use in their WWII Soviet armor kits. FTR my preferred glues are Mr. Hobby Cement Deluxe and Cement S and Tamiya Cement and Tamiya Extra Thin, all brushable. I have them all as well as Revell Contacta with its tip applicator. No surface texture, especially aggravating on exceptionally roughly cast parts IRL like the mantlets and turret. Concur on the soft top hatches detail with zero internal detail which was a disappointment as was the lack of even rudimentiary half body IJM crew figures. C'mon Zvezda lift your game. Instructions OTOH, I don't really have an issue with. Certainly no worse than Revells or Airfix infantile picture books which drive me nuts. Dragon's errors can be frustrating at times too. Tamiya probably has the best balance. The link & length (L&L) tracks. OK, although I wouldn't rave about them. I wish more manufacturers would offer Dragon's DS quality continuous run (CR) style tracks though. Plus one (+1) for Tamiya and their newer CR and Dragon DR CR as I'm a KISS modeller these days. I like Tamiya's approach of marketing afforable specific to model/type individual link track detail up kits for those who want them as they do small PE kits for screens. Overall. Despite buying several of their relatively new tool WWII 1/35 armour kits, T-34/76 Chz, T-34/85, Su-85, Ferdinand, I wouldn't buy another when for around the same price or just a little more I can buy Tamiya. e.g. Zevzda's Ferdinand is probably the pick of those four IMO. Their modern armour kits of which I have the Terminator and T-90MC are better as are the majority of their 1/48 aircraft kits which are worthy of praise, the PE-2 arguably being the pinnacle.
I built this last year. You're already ahead of me, my tub was shaped like a "W". It built up OK, a few fit issues do to warping but nothing clamps and brute force couldn't fix. As you noted the detail is a bit soft, especially on hatches and engine covers, some PE would have been nice. I remember being surprised by how well the track went together. I've built 2 others, their Mk.4H and Elephant in 1/35. The tracks on the Elephant are the easiest assembling for a big German tank of any make of kit. I've built and look great also. And ya, their instructions............
