Hi Hov,
I never said this tank was 6 weeks old
I was referring to the paint jobs/weld jobs done on these tanks in 1945. These tanks where needed yesterday in the eyes of the Russians and I don't think they really cared about the paint on the tank in daily life either. This tank would have carried troops on its sides and just behind the turret. So lots of troops climbing all over it carrying mud and scratching the paint. Bare metal in the combat environments these tanks where in would result in lots of rust.
I said the heat from the engine removed the paint from the grill and it rusted. The engine/fuel is a recent problem on the tank. It would eventually cover the grill but not just yet. Better effect for me. I might even stick a repair crew on it. Just my imagination here
I have no idea what that is on the gun but I was thinking of cutting it off but I want to look at more photos in winter to see if its to stop barrel creep of some sort first.
Stick a spoon into the ground in your back garden. Not a good one
In our climate being so frikkin wet it does not take so long to rust. The robbed cars in my estate in the eighties where a testament to that. Raised areas or edges that got exposed to the elements and areas that had pools of water rusted really quickly or its surrounding area did so.
Its good to see how others see it. If we where all the same this would get boring real quick.
http://s4.images.drive2.ru/user.blog.ph ... iginal.jpg
Rust takes time to develop... It appears on really hot parts fist 
