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Author Topic: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"  (Read 25358 times)

Edward Pinniger

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This is one of the range of cheap ready-to-run warship models which have been appearing on eBay and occasionally at retailers (such as Howes) for the last couple of years. (See this thread) Probably the best in this range (at least in my opinion) is the "Smasher", which is actually a modern Soviet/Russian Sovremenny-class destroyer in 1/200 scale. It appears to have been copied from the Trumpeter plastic kit in the same scale and is actually an accurate and detailed (other than a few areas like the aft mast) representation of its subject. Out of the box it looks very toylike with its shiny plastic and bright silver + green detail parts, but with a new paint job it should look very presentable, and the 1/200 scale is much more suited to a working model than the 1/350 Kiev carrier and Bismarck also available, allowing finer details like aerials + ladders to be added without them being too tiny + fragile.

I bought this over a year ago with the intention of repainting it and replacing/modifying some of the cruder details to give it a more scale appearance, but never got further than repainting the hull and making a few modifications to the "works" (I replaced the battery pack with a lower-voltage one to give a more scale running speed, connected the "safety" wires together to allow the motors to be test-run out of water, sealed up the hole in the stern, and added some extra ballast in the bows) I intended to carry on with the rebuild + repaint process but never got round to it in the end, partly because I wasn't sure how to deal with all the screw holes in the deck - so for the last 6+ months it's sat on the shelf unfinished, other than the occasional test run on the local pond.<BR>

Here's what it looked like when I bought it - this photo was taken in April last year:


I've decided that I'm just going to glue the whole thing together, fill in all the holes and sand the deck down. Anything that's likely to go wrong with the running gear is probably not going to be worth the cost of replacing, but as a last resort I can probably prise the deck off without causing too much damage, as it fits quite tightly in place anyway - the glue is just holding it in place. 
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2008, 07:01:50 pm »


Anyway, the first stage is now more or less complete. I've totally dismantled and stripped down the model, and have re-assembled the hull, deck and screwed-together superstructure parts with glue (I've removed all the screws, from both the deck and the superstructure, to help reduce the top weight - as I'll be adding more weight in the form of extra detail bits). The screw holes have been filled in with styrene sheet discs + filler putty, and sanded smooth.





I've also removed all the various unwanted pegs, sockets, ridges, etc. from the deck, along with some moulded surface details which I'll later replace with scratchbuilt or spares-box parts. I also ended up having to remove the mine rails, as these had got badly damaged + worn away in the process of cleaning up the deck - they'll have to be rebuilt from scratch using thin styrene strip.

The main superstructure parts have also been cleaned up, unwanted moulded bits + detail removed, and the positions of ladders, life belts etc. marked in pen so they can be replaced later.

Here's the model reduced to its component parts:



I'll be using as many of the fittings + details from the original model as possible, but will also be adding a lot of extra detail using styrene stock, copper + brass wire, and generic photo-etch parts like ladders and mesh (hence the thread title). I'm not sure what to do about the aft mast (the forward mast is no problem, it is "solid" on the real ship) - I might scratchbuild a simplified replacement out of brass wire. The Ka-27 helicopter will be another problem... the one supplied isn't actually as overscale as it looks (it's quite a big helo) but the rotors are awful and will have to be rebuilt from scratch. I don't know where to get a replacement other than a Trumpeter Sovremenny kit.

The finished model will be painted in the standard Russian Navy scheme, overall medium grey with dark grey weather deck and red-brown upper decks. I have some spare hull-number decals from a Trumpeter kit, though I still need to find some name decals.
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2008, 08:54:03 pm »

What will you be doing for radio?

I'm just sticking with the bog-standard out of the box radio and motors - as you've probably gathered from my other posts, I don't have much skill or experience with the "nuts and bolts" side of R/C boat modelling, and also don't have much money. Hence I currently stick to rebuilding cheap RTR boats, or re-using their working parts in other hulls (as with the steam yacht)
The only modifications I've made are replacing the 7.5v battery pack with a lower voltage one - to be precise, a battery holder containing 4x rechargeable AAs, total 4.8v (which gives a much more "scale" speed, and still has a reasonable run time), adding some extra ballast particularly in the bow area, and removing the safety feature on the props (detach the ends of the wires attached to the prop shafts and solder them together) to allow the motors to be test-run out of the water.
With the lower running speed, the model is surprisingly manoueverable, and a lot more stable and "seaworthy". I'll post a video when I get the chance to take one.

To be honest, if I were going to spend £50+ on decent radio, speed control, rudders etc., I'd buy the Trumpeter Sovremenny kit (a lot more detailed, and includes etched brass rails + a full set of decals) to put it in rather than the cheap RTR boat! Although it does have the advantages of ready-installed motors + prop shafts, and a more robust hull than the Trumpeter kit - combining the two might be the best option if you can afford it.
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tobyker

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2008, 11:44:03 am »

I'll be watching this thread, 'cos I'm concentrating on the 'works' and I'm not very good at the detailing - and for a working model there's an awful lot of fragile detail!. Two questions - what are you using for glue, as I haven't found one that works well yet, and do you have a paint No for the red-brown decks?
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2008, 06:14:43 pm »


Mine rails have been rebuilt using Slaters square styrene rod. I'm not sure what to do about the light bulbs; I might put the aft one at the base of the mast as a power indicator. I originally planned to drill out the bridge windows so the forward bulb could light up the bridge, but the plastic is too thick to drill + cut neatly enough.


The bow area and anchor handling gear has been rebuilt with extra detail. Metal anchor chain will be added later (along with replacement flag staff + anchor davits made from brass wire)




The ship looks a lot better now with a coat of paint! - though it's still devoid of most of its fittings and small parts, and the deck paint needs retouching around the fairleads, bollards etc. Paints used are Revell Blue Grey for the hull sides + superstructure, Reddish Brown for the lower hull, Light Grey for the radar dome and Tank Grey for the main deck, along with Lifecolor Raw Sienna for the distinctive colour of the upper decks. I also used Citadel "Boltgun Metal" for the windows and portholes.


I'll be watching this thread, 'cos I'm concentrating on the 'works' and I'm not very good at the detailing - and for a working model there's an awful lot of fragile detail!. Two questions - what are you using for glue, as I haven't found one that works well yet, and do you have a paint No for the red-brown decks?

I'm using ordinary styrene cement (Revell Contacta, in the blue bottle with the metal "needle" applicator) - this has worked OK for me, the model seems to be made entirely from styrene other than the rubber screw caps. The only areas where I had problems were some areas of the deck that had been softened by the plasticisers in the rubber caps - I used superglue to glue thin styrene sheet over these patches.

The paint colour I've used for the upper decks is Lifecolour Matt Raw Sienna. This is a very good match for new deck covering (not sure what material it is - linoleum?) although, from photos I've seen of Soviet/Russian ships in service, when weathered it fades to a duller orangey colour. All the other paints I've used are Revell, but there doesn't seem to be a good match for this colour in their acrylic paint range. Not sure about Tamiya and Humbrol - I think Tamiya "NATO Brown" is fairly close, but I don't often use their paints now as they don't brush paint very well.

If you use enamel paints, White Ensign (link) have "Russian Deck Red" in their extensive range designed for ship modelling, along with "Russian Northern Fleet Grey" which I'm guessing is the right colour for the hull + superstructure.
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tobyker

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2008, 10:14:20 pm »

Thanks for the glue and paint gen. I'll try Contacta again when I resume operations after my holiday. Yours is already looking better than mine ever will!
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2008, 06:25:06 pm »

Now the hull, deck + basic superstructure have been cleaned up, re-assembled and repainted, I've made a start on the smaller details of the ship:


I used etched brass parts to replace the rather crudely moulded vertical ladders on the superstructure. The ladders I used are made by Eckon and are designed for N-gauge (1/144) railways, they can be bought from some model shops + online dealers who specialise in model railways. They're excellent value at about £2.50 a pack - one pack was exactly enough for all the vertical ladders on my model - and are made from heavy-gauge brass, making them much less fragile than etched brass ladders designed for ship models.


Before attaching the ladders I glued thin strips of square styrene rod at the top and bottom, these make the ladders stand out from the bulkhead for a much more realistic effect. To be accurate, the ladders themselves should be bent over at an angle at the top + bottom, but the styrene strip method is less tricky and has much more structural strength (important for a working model). For the inclined ladders, I'll either use etched brass ones made by L'Arsenal, or if these prove to be too fragile, I'll use more Eckon ladders with handrails scratchbuilt from brass wire.


There are quite a few cable reels + winches of various sizes and patterns scattered around the deck. The parts supplied with the model are fairly good, I added some extra detail to some of them including replacement crank handles (brass wire) for the small winches which go on the flight deck and boat deck. Finally, I added "cables" to the reels using fine tinned copper electrical wire. This is quite easy to do - just superglue glue one end of the wire to the central drum, then when set wind it carefully around the reel, and add another touch of glue to secure the other end.


The "Bass Tilt" and "Front Dome" fire control radars are again fairly good and just needed cleanup + a piece of styrene strip to cover the moulding hole at the back.

Here are some links I found which might be useful reference for anyone else building a Sovremenny model:
http://www.kipperboxes.co.uk/html/sovremenny.html
http://www.geocities.com/~uwezi/ships/sovremennyy.html
http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/ships/ru/dd/sovremenny/p1/p1.html
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2008, 05:45:47 pm »

I gave the model a test-run on Chesham pond today - it ran extremely well with no stability problems.






I took a couple of short videos of the model running on the water, which I uploaded to YouTube (my first attempt at doing so):

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nygm34EElYE
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QnhJJ_g5rF4

(Anyone know how to embed YouTube videos? Copying + pasting the "embed" code doesn't work)

(I also ran my rebuilt "Seaport" tug, but had some problems with ballast and stability (centre of gravity too high, and not on an even keel) it will need some additional ballast and testing before it can be run properly)

As mentioned in my previous posts, I'm using the R/C gear and motors supplied with the "Smasher", but have replaced the 7.5v battery pack with a 4.8v one (a battery holder with 4 1.2v rechargeable AAs) as well as adding some extra ballast in the bows. The boat now runs at a very nice scale speed rather than its out-of-the box "speedboat" performance, and is also much more stable and seaworthy. It's also surprisingly manoueverable for a twin-prop system!

Replacing the "racer" props could be another solution to reducing the running speed, but I couldn't find any replacement props of the right type (they are threaded and held on with a nut) hence used the rather low-tech method of swapping out the battery pack. The running time is still pretty good (and as it uses AAs, it's easy to carry a set of replacements)

The high speed of the default setup means that the stern (including deck) digs into the water (usually resulting in leaks) and the boat rocks about quite noticeably when turning sharply. The lack of weight in the bow also makes it prone to bobbing up and down on waves/ripples rather than cutting through them. See this video http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3itYvp5hhjU to get an idea of how the Smasher runs out-of-the-box.

I'll post some more work-in-progress photos in a few days, currently I'm working on the main armament - 130mm main turrets and SA-N-7 launchers. The Moskit/Sunburn launchers are already in place, as you can see from the above photos/videos; they didn't need much extra work besides cleanup and painting.
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2008, 06:00:07 pm »

Amazing what can be done on a budget!
 How good is the fitted radio?
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boatmadman

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2008, 08:19:21 pm »

nice conversion.

You could replace the props with a conventional prop and use a locknut against the prop boss to hold it on the shaft.

Ian
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2008, 07:19:51 pm »

How good is the fitted radio?

I think the maximum range is about 40 metres - the furthest I've run it from the shore is about 20m. Not as good as a decent quality transmitter/receiver, but as it's a fairly small model (by R/C standards) I usually run it close to the shore anyway otherwise you can't really see it! Currently I've removed the aerial from the boat, which doesn't seem to affect the operating range much, as I think there's a fair amount of aerial wire inside the hull.

You could replace the props with a conventional prop and use a locknut against the prop boss to hold it on the shaft.

I'll probably try this with the 1/350 Bismarck, which has the same prop arrangement- if it works, I'll also replace the props on the Sovremenny and put the original 7.5v battery back in.
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2008, 03:27:02 pm »


Here's another update on the work I've done:







The model is looking a lot better now with the hull, deck + superstructure fully painted and various small details like ladders, cable reels and radar domes added or replaced. However, it's looking distinctly incomplete without any weapons, so I've started work on putting the main armament back in place, with added detail and a new coat of paint.



The main anti-ship armament of the Sovremenny, and one of the most distinctive features of its appearance, is the SS-N-22 Moskit (Mosquito) surface-to-surface missile, NATO codename "Sunburn". Eight missiles are carried in two quadruple launchers either side of the bridge.


These needed the least work of all the armament parts on the model. I just dismantled the launchers, cleaned up the parts, and re-assembled them. The only additions were the support posts/cable ducts? in the centre and the strips at the base of the main support posts.


The SA-N-7 "Gadfly" surface to air missile is the Sovremenny class's main air defence weapon, two launchers are fitted, fore and aft, which carry one missile each - the reloads are stored in a magazine below (the missile hatches can be seen in the deck)


The launchers supplied with the model are actually upside-down, the missile should be on the underside of the pivoting "arm" not the top. Other than this, they're not too bad.


The completed and painted launchers, with a figure to show scale - cleaned up and re-assembled (with the missile removed and glued back in the right place) with etched brass ladder + railings added.


The main gun armament consists of two AK-130 130mm twin turret mounts, one forward, one aft. The "Smasher"'s turrets are based on those in the Trumpeter kit and hence are inaccurate in shape (the turret shape is the kit's only major error) - they should be rounded in shape rather than a straightforward hemisphere. White Ensign Models make a set of accurate replacement turrets moulded in resin, but for a working model the original turrets still look good enough. They can still be improved with some cleanup and extra detailing to the hatches, barrels and other areas.


The gun barrels are so misshapen and badly moulded as to be virtually rectangular in section, so rather than attempt to improve them I scratchbuilt new barrels from metal + plastic tube, retaining the breech/pivot part of the original barrel. The main part of the barrel is stainless steel tube salvaged from old Revell Contacta glue tubes! I also added the cooling hoses using fine brass wire.


The turret gunhouse was sanded smooth and new hatches + other surface detail added from styrene, along with the vision port/rangefinder on top.


The finished and painted turrets. The barrels still elevate, but with the screws removed, there is nothing to hold the turrets to the deck, so they'll have to be glued in place to stop them falling off. Rotating turrets probably aren't much use on a working model anyway unless they're actually motorised and remote-controlled!
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tobyker

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2008, 09:05:26 pm »

The propellors are bored 3mm, not threaded, and are driven by the brass collar with the dogs on which is threaded. The props are held on the shaft by the nyloc nuts - see photo on the "£20 chinese destroyer" thread.  I shall try to find brass 3 or 4 bladers that I can drill out 3mm and file the slots for the dogs in, and I'll let y'all knoiw how I get on. Just catching up with post - hols activities - mowing lawn etc!

Your detailing is giving me a hard act to follow!
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #13 on: August 04, 2008, 06:35:05 pm »



Miscellaneous small armament parts from the original model: RBU-1000 launchers, saluting guns, 30mm CIWS, decoy and chaff launchers.

Here are some photos of the model with main armament in place:







Aft of the forward turret are two much smaller single mounts which are actually saluting guns (maybe there aren't blank 130mm shells available to fire salutes with the main turrets?) These are the original parts, cleaned up + repainted.
I'm guessing the calibre of the Sovremenny's saluting guns is 47mm, as this was the standard medium AA gun size on Soviet WW2 ships, and the size and design of the gun is similar.



The AK-630 30mm guns are the equivalent of the CIWS (close-in weapon system) on US/NATO ships, intended to shoot down incoming missiles and as a close-range anti-air defence. The parts supplied on the "Smasher" are not very accurate in shape, but still look more or less OK when painted. After cleaning up the parts, I replaced the barrels (the AK-630 "barrel" is actually an outer housing for the 6 rotating barrels of the gun) with stainless steel tube. This has been painted black then drybrushed with graphite for a subtle gunmetal effect.
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #14 on: December 03, 2008, 02:52:08 pm »

Sorry for my long absence from the forum - I've been busy finishing off various static model projects (ships and planes). I hope to get back to work on the "Smasher" in a day or so. A very kind fellow modeller from another forum sent me the decals and etched brass parts from the Trumpeter kit, which will help a lot (particularly with the masts)

Since my last update I've added the decals to the hull - which add a lot to the appearance - and also painted + added the many liferaft canisters. Will post some more photos soon!

The steam yacht "Actium" is another matter - though it's progressed very well model-wise (I've added and painted the bulwarks, and acquired virtually all the fittings and bits I need to complete it, though I haven't put them on yet) I've got a persistent problem with the radio (see the Model Boating forum); basically the range drops to an unusable 2-3m once the boat is in the water. I don't want to do any more work until this is fixed, as I may end up having to remove the entire deck to replace the radio gear.
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #15 on: December 14, 2008, 03:25:10 pm »









I've finally got back to work on the Sovremenny again after a long delay. The hull now has decal markings, and I've glued the many liferaft canisters back in place on the deck, after cleaning up and painting them. A modeller in the USA very kindly sent me the etched brass parts from the Trumpeter kit (as he used the White Ensign Models etched set instead) along with some spare decals. The decals he sent are for no.430 "Bezuprechnyy" (Irreproachable) the fifth Sovremenny-class destroyer to be built, in 1985.



This is the etched brass set included with the Trumpeter kit. It contains a complete aft mast assembly, as well as detail parts for the forward mast, flight deck screens, and other small parts. I'm going to attempt soldering the aft mast together - this should make it a lot stronger and less likely to be accidentally demolished when running the model! Unfortunately, there are no radar parts included; I may try and scratchbuild the radars out of metal + etched mesh, as the plastic ones on the "Smasher" are very chunky-looking, particularly the "Top Steer" (big square radar on the main mast)

Here's a link to a review of the White Ensign Models set. It's much more detailed and comprehensive, but also a lot finer and more fragile, and I wouldn't want to risk it on a working model!

I'll post another update soon. Most of the detailing + painting work on the main body of the ship is complete, so it's now a matter of adding all of the small fittings and details - but there are a lot of these!
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #16 on: December 14, 2008, 03:53:25 pm »

It's certainly looking a lot better, just a coat of paint does wonders for this model! Where did you get the extra pair of "Sunburn" launchers on the flight deck?

A tip for anyone else building a model of the Sovremenny, whether from the Smasher or the Trumpeter plastic kit - I've just today found a website, http://medlem.spray.se/sturmvogel/index.html, which has some very good close-up photos of the Sovremenny class ships, invaluable for detailing. I wish I'd found this earlier! It's actually rather intimidating seeing just how many tiny intricate fittings and details there actually are on these ships, particularly on the masts and radars - modelling them all would be a challenge even in 1/72 scale let alone 1/200.
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #17 on: December 15, 2008, 03:43:43 pm »







The helicopter type carried is a Kamov Ka-27 "Helix" which is a rather odd-looking aircraft, with its twin tail fins and very tall "eggbeater" twin rotor setup. The one supplied with the Smasher - in glossy green plastic like a lot of the other parts - is not very convincing, but as far as I know there are no aftermarket suppliers of this type in 1/200 scale - the only way to get a better one is to buy a Trumpeter kit! So I'll try and make the best of the one I have. It should look OK with a coat of paint.

I dismantled the parts and cleaned them up as best I could, glued the fuselage back together and filled in the seams + screw holes with styrene scrap and putty filler. After sanding everything down, I replaced the (incredibly overscale) rotor shaft with metal + styrene rod, and also replaced the landing gear legs with shorter pieces of brass wire. (One of the reasons the helicopter looks rather overscale out-of-the-box is that the landing gear is about twice as high as it should be)
The helicopter will receive some more scratchbuilt details - aerials, lights etc. - before I paint it. It'll be fitted to the flight deck with a peg allowing it to be removed if necessary.



There are two small turret-shaped fittings at the stern which I think are decoy launchers. These should have small guide rail ramps - I scratchbuilt these from styrene scrap.



Forward of the bridge is a small mast which carries 3 lights. The supplied plastic part is very thick and overscale, so I replaced it with brass wire, attaching the lights which I cut off the original plastic part and drilled out.

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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #18 on: December 17, 2008, 03:32:33 pm »





The ship has two pairs of torpedo tubes amidships, which are an anti-submarine weapon. The supplied parts could do with a bit of detailing but as they're not very visible under the deck, I just cleaned them up and painted them. I did replace the supporting "pegs" with a pedestal mount, which I added to the deck earlier on in the build.



I'm not sure what these small parts are; originally I thought they were manual directors for the 30mm AA guns, but these are in a different position. They have a small tube on a large swivelling pedestal mount, and may be signalingl lights, some sort of chaff/flare launcher, or viewing scopes, for all I know!



More small details; these are flare launchers. Two are fitted at the stern, and two in front of the bridge. The supplied parts are featureless flat shapes, I added the barrels from tiny lengths of styrene rod, and some detail to the supporting mount.






Here are a couple of photos of the model running on the pond today! It runs very well with 4x AA batteries for power, giving a realistic-looking scale speed and wake.
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #19 on: December 20, 2008, 01:52:06 pm »





The aft "jackstaff" actually appears to just be a mast for lights, with no space to fly a flag from. I assume the flag is flown from the small flagstaff on the aft superstructure. The supplied part is rather overscale, and is square in cross-section, whilst the etched brass one is far too thin, as well as being flat and two-dimensional. So I decided to scratchbuild a new one from brass rod + styrene bits. This also has the correct (based on photos of the real thing) arrangement of lights. The first photo compares the 3 parts (scratchbuilt, kit and etched), the second one shows the completed part on the ship.

You might notice the finish of the deck in this area is rather rough, mostly as a result of sanding + filing off the raised mine rails, filling and sanding the screw holes, and gluing the new mine rails in place. It'll be cleaned up a bit on the finished model.




This is the the "Kite Screech" radar fire control director for the 130mm guns, which goes on a small platform aft of the bridge. The supplied part is fairly accurate, I added a few extra details using metal wire, and drilled out the hole in the dish (no idea what this is for). Forgot to take a photo of it unpainted - the lattice structure at the front is brass wire, the cables are copper wire, everything else is the original plastic part, cleaned up and re-assembled.





The RBU-1000 "Smerch" (Tornado) rocket launcher is similar in operation to the WW2 "Hedgehog" (the projectiles are very similar in appearance) and is a 6-barreled version of the more common 12-barreled RBU-6000. The two launchers are mounted either side of the helicopter flight deck.
I just drilled out the barrels and added some wiring.




A few extra details added to the Ka-27.



It looks a lot better with an undercoat of paint! The finished helicopter will be painted in a two tone blue-grey/white scheme.






The fore mast is detailed with etched brass parts. The lattice structure underneath is from the Trumpeter kit, rails are from a generic 1/200 set. I've removed all the radars, for later detailing or replacement with scratchbuilt parts.
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skypoet

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #20 on: February 14, 2009, 04:45:20 pm »

Smashing job!  I have a 1/200 and a 1/144 scale Sov as well -- none of them built!

Oliver
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Edward Pinniger

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #21 on: February 14, 2009, 06:44:28 pm »

Thanks for the comment - the model is about 90% complete now, I really need to post some more photos. Still not sure what to do about the main deck railings, etched brass will be too fragile and I'm not sure solid plastic ones (plenty of these in the spares box) will look right.

Is your 1/144 Sovremenny a scratchbuild or a kit? (I think Ark Models in China do a large-scale Sovremenny, but I'm not sure if it's 1/144 or 1/96)
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skypoet

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #22 on: February 16, 2009, 05:49:31 am »

Hi Edward,

I have Tian Jie's 1/144 kit.  It's a very beautiful kit. 

Oliver
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cmpang

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #23 on: March 16, 2009, 06:00:44 pm »

Hi Edward,

I have Tian Jie's 1/144 kit.  It's a very beautiful kit. 

Oliver

Hi Oliver,

How is the quality of the TJ 1/144? Can you post some photos ?

cmPang
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Niall

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Re: 1/200 Sovremenny-class destroyer - superdetailing a "Smasher"
« Reply #24 on: March 16, 2009, 11:51:35 pm »

Thanks for the great thread, it has inspired me to get one of these models. Could you please tell me what voltage of battery you are using?
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