1:35 KV-14 SU 152 ( Eastern Express)

The real subject

The SU-152 is a Soviet heavy self-propelled gun of the Second World War. On the chassis of a heavy tank of the KV line it carries, in a fixed armored cabin, a howitzer of 152 mm caliber, whose shell could badly damage even a well-armored target. Besides the combat designation SU-152 the vehicle also appears under the designation KV-14, which this set carries as well. Thanks to its tall cabin the model has large smooth surfaces, on which every sheet-metal detail stands out.

What the set contains

A photo-etched metal fret with accessory parts for a model of the SU-152 in 1:35 scale, reckoned for the kit from the brand Eastern Express. The individual parts are cut out of the fret, bent along the etched score lines and fitted to the model where the sheet is to be thin. What the fret contains in particular and where which parts belong are given by the manufacturer's instructions.

Building and painting tips

Cut the parts off with a sharp knife on a hard surface and put them straight into a dish; a small metal part is lost on a table immediately. Make the bends along the score lines, ideally in a bending tool for photo-etched metal. Metal is glued with cyanoacrylate glue; glue for polystyrene does not hold on it. Before painting, wash the parts, degrease them and coat them with a primer. On the large surfaces of the cabin it pays to shade the paint, so that the model does not look like a uniform green mass.

Who it is for

For modelers of Soviet vehicles who want to see thin fenders, holds and other fine elements on a self-propelled gun instead of thick plastic. The set reckons with a part-built model and with basic equipment for working with photo-etched metal. The kit itself, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.