1:350 USSR Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier

1:350 USSR Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, a Trumpeter kit

An injection-molded plastic kit of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in 1:350 scale from the manufacturer Trumpeter. The designation USSR in the name matches the naming that the manufacturer itself uses for this kit. It is a large glued model of a big surface unit, to be assembled and painted.

The real subject

The Admiral Kuznetsov is the only completed unit of her project and in the Russian classification she is carried as a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, not as a conventional aircraft carrier. She entered service at the very close of the existence of the Soviet Union and then spent her whole operational career under the Russian flag. At first glance she is set apart from American carriers by the bow ramp known as a ski jump: the aircraft take off under their own thrust up the inclined ramp, as the ship has no catapults. Su-33 machines and Ka-27 helicopters operated from her deck.

Building and painting tips

The basis of the result is a flat flight deck, so glue the joints of the hull and the deck on a flat surface and let them cure properly. Paint the deck separately from the hull; the markings and the white lines are best applied to a smooth base. Bring the gray shades of the superstructures to life with light highlighting, otherwise a large model looks flat. Leave the masts, the antennas and the life-saving equipment, which break off easily, for the end of the build. Given the size of the model, think about where it will go in a display case and how it will be secured beforehand.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of modern aircraft carriers
• Modelers interested in the Soviet and Russian Navy
• Experienced builders who dare to take on a large model
• Anyone interested in a comparison with American carriers in the same scale

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