1:700 Destroyer Taschkent 1941

The blue cruiser of the Black Sea

Tashkent was the only one of her kind in her fleet. The Soviet Navy listed her as a destroyer flotilla leader, that is, a vessel meant to lead a whole squadron and keep it together. The hull was built in an Italian yard at Livorno, and that is where the unusually slender silhouette came from, which suited the ship among her more thickset companions. An unusual light blue finish then earned her the nickname under which she entered history more firmly than under her own name.

Three years of service

The ship served from 1939 to 1942 in the Black Sea, and the end of her career belonged to fast runs to a besieged coast, carrying reinforcements in and taking the wounded out. Speed was exactly what kept her alive longer than was usual. The end came from above: after a heavy hit by German aircraft she was towed into harbor, where another raid finished her off. The wreck was later scrapped, so nothing remains of her but plans and photographs.

On the build itself

• 1:700 is the usual ship standard, so the model will sit alongside other vessels in a collection.
• The year in the name refers to the state in which the ship is represented.
• Paints, glue and a base are not included in the package.
• In this scale it pays to cut the small parts free only just before gluing them.

The item comes from a Czech publisher that concentrates on less usual vessels and on fortifications, so it is a subject you will not find in the regular ranges of the big brands.