1:350 SSBN Pr.667A (Yankee Class)

Project 667A submarine, the Yankee class, 1:350 scale

A model of the Soviet nuclear submarine with ballistic missiles of project 667A in 1:350 scale. In Western surveys these boats are listed under the designation Yankee class, and the abbreviation SSBN means a nuclear submarine carrying ballistic missiles.

The real subject

Project 667A was the first Soviet missile submarine built in plentiful numbers and in its arrangement it came close to its American counterparts: the missile tubes stand in two rows behind the conning tower, sixteen of them in all. Because of them the hull has a conspicuously raised back behind the tower, which gives the boat its characteristic silhouette. That profile is precisely the main thing that has to be captured on the model.

On the build and the surface

The hull of a submarine has no articulated superstructure like a surface ship, so the result stands and falls with the quality of the surface. It pays to devote time to sanding the joints so that they are not visible under the paint. The scope of the package, the number of parts and the material are stated by the manufacturer.

Building and painting tips

• Wash and degrease the parts before painting, as a smooth surface otherwise does not hold paint.
• Fill the joints on the hull and start sanding with a coarser grit and finish with a fine one.
• Apply the paint in thin coats, because a thick coat floods the fine detail of the hatches.
• Stand the finished model on a display stand or in a display case so that the whole silhouette of the hull is visible.

Who it is for

For collectors of Cold War submarines and for modelers who want a piece in the display case that cannot be mistaken for anything else.

Paints and glue are not supplied, unless stated otherwise.