1:35 Soviet Air defense missile system 2K11

The Soviet 2K11 Krug anti-aircraft system in 1:35 scale from Trumpeter

This glued plastic kit captures the launcher of the Soviet 2K11 anti-aircraft missile system, known by the name Krug and in Western designation as the SA-4 Ganef. It is an unusual and striking subject, because it combines a tracked chassis with a pair of large missiles on a traversing launch rail. In 1:35 scale the finished model has a distinctive silhouette that cannot be overlooked in a display case and adds an entirely different category of hardware to a collection of tanks.

The real subject

The Krug system entered service with the Soviet Army in the mid-1960s as a medium and high altitude air defense asset covering advancing formations. The launcher stood on a tracked chassis derived from the family of self-propelled artillery mounts, which let it keep pace with tank units across country. It carries two large missiles on a traversing and elevating rail. Guidance and surveillance were handled by separate radar vehicles of the same system, so a battery in the field consisted of several mutually different machines.

Building and painting tips

Start with the running gear and the tracks, because once the superstructure is finished the road wheels are hard to reach. It is practical to paint the launch rail and the missiles separately from the chassis and to put them together only at the end. The missiles usually have a different, as a rule lighter shade than the vehicle, so think the order of coats and the masking through in advance. The vehicle comes to life with dust on the running gear, dark accenting of the panel gaps and fine chipping of the edges where the crew climbs up.

Who the model is for

• collectors of Soviet air defense
• modelers looking for unusual tracked hardware
• builders of dioramas with missile assets

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