1:35 Object 490B

Object 490B (1:35, Trumpeter)

This injection-molded plastic kit captures the Soviet experimental tank project Object 490B, a radical design study from the 1980s. The Trumpeter model is richly broken down and holds photo-etched parts, copper wire rope and individual track links. The unusual shape and layout make this kit a rewarding subject for collectors of experimental and so-called paper panzer Cold War vehicles.

The real subject

Object 490B was a Soviet design study for a next-generation tank explored in the mid-1980s. It pushed crew protection to the limit: the two-man crew sat in the rear of the hull, separated from the ammunition and from the powerpack at the front. The vehicle was planned around a powerful large-caliber gun and an unusual running gear solution. The project never went beyond the study and mock-up stage, but it is one of the remarkable chapters in the development of Soviet tanks.

Building and painting tips

Assemble the running gear and the lower hull first; take your time over the individual track links so that the sag looks right. Glue the photo-etched parts and the copper wire rope with super glue and the plastic with thin modeling cement. Apply primer and spray with an airbrush — an experimental vehicle leaves you free, so Soviet green and a studio finish are both on the table. A wash brings out the breakdown of the surfaces and a dry brush the edges. Dust and mud on the running gear are finished with pigments.

Who the model is for

• For collectors of experimental and conceptual Cold War vehicles.
• For modelers drawn to unusual shapes and paper panzer subjects.
• For lovers of Soviet tanks and of their developmental dead ends.
• For intermediate and advanced builders.

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.