Steregushchy class corvette

[Shar2]

Steregushchy class corvette
1:350

History

The Steregushchy class (Russian: стерегущий – "vigilant") is the newest class of corvette in the Russian Navy. It was designed by the Almaz Central Marine Design bureau. The first two were designated Project 2038.0 (or 20380) by the Russian Government; subsequent vessels were built to an improved design, Project 20385. At 2,200 tons it is large for a corvette and is designated as a frigate by NATO. Project 20382 "Tigr" is an export variant that has been sold to Indonesia and Algeria. This class has been further developed into the Gremyashchy class corvette.
The ships of the Steregushchy class are very large multipurpose corvettes, designed to replace the Grisha class. The first batch being built at the Severnaya Verf shipyard in St. Petersburg consists of four ships. A second building line has been started at Komsomolsk where orders for at least a further two ships are expected. The lead ship of this second batch will be named Sovershenny. The Russian Navy has publicly announced that they expect to buy at least 30 of these ships, for all four major fleets. According to Jane's Naval Forces News, the first vessel was commissioned on 14 November 2007.
In 2007 the Indonesian Navy made an agreement in principle (pending a full contract) for four vessels of this type to replace their ageing Dutch-built Fatahillah-class corvettes. The first was to be built in Spain and fitted out in St Petersburg, leaving open the option of Indonesian involvement in building the subsequent ships. Rosoboronexport have briefed Singapore and the UAE on the vessel.
The first actual contract for the export version, Project 20382 Tigr, was signed at the 5th International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg in July 2011 when Algeria ordered two ships. The cost was estimated at US$120–150m/ship.
The Steregushchy-class corvettes have a steel hull and composite superstructure, with a bulbous bow and nine watertight subdivisions. They have a combined bridge and command centre, and space and weight provision for eight SS-N-25 missiles.
The Kashtan CIWS on the first two ships was replaced in subsequent vessels by 12 Redut VLS cells containing 9M96E medium-range SAMs of the S-400 system. SS-N-27 (3M-54 Klub) cruise missiles will be fitted to a larger domestic version, Project 20385 starting with the sixth vessel, Provornyy, although 20385 is the name sometimes applied to all ships with the Redut.
The export version known as Project 20382 Tigr carries either eight supersonic SS-N-26 (P-800 Yakhont) anti-shipping missiles or sixteen subsonic, SS-N-25 Switchblade, (Kh-35E Uran) missiles. It also carries two twin-tube launchers for 533mm heavy torpedoes. The A-190E 100mm gun first used in the Talwar class frigates is controlled by a 5P-10E system that can track four targets simultaneously. Protection from air attacks is provided by the Kashtan CIWS and eight mounts for the SA-N-10 'Grouse' (9K38 Igla) SAM.

The Model

Recently arrived direct from OrangeHobby is their first 1/350 model. The Steregushchy, lead ship of a class of corvettes. The model comes in the standard plain brown box with only the company name on it. Inside, the two hull parts, separately packaged sprues and brass parts are extensively cocooned in bubble wrap. Once the packaging is removed from the box the six sheets of etch brass and nickel, the instructions and decals are carefully placed at the bottom.

On removal, the fine lines and sharp angles of the hull are readily apparent. Coming in two parts allows the option of either waterline or full hull builds. The moulding is exceptional as is becoming usual for OrangeHobby releases. There are some very large pour stubs on both parts of the hull, some are quite easily removed with a few slices of a scalpel blade allowing them to be snapped off. The large ones will need to be carefully sawn off with a Xacto saw or similar. Once the stubs are removed, some light sanding will be required to clean everything up, particularly if a full hull model is to be built, requiring a neater join.

The rest of the resin parts are each held securely in their own micro sprues. This method of moulding does make it a little more difficult to remove the parts which will also need cleaning up, but allows some more detailed parts to be well protected. There are 13 sprues in total, containing 70 parts, the largest of which are the two single piece masts. The rest of the resin parts consist of items such as radar domes, radars, mast platforms, propeller shaft skegs, rudder and stabilisers, life rafts, funnel exhausts, rigid Inflatable and launch. The weapon systems include the VLS plate, main turret, gatling CIWS, anti-ship missile launchers and wonderfully rendered Kashtan missile/gun system. The KA-27 Helix is also a beautiful model in its own right, with the fuselage in resin, complete with open side and cockpit doors.

Brass items are provided for the SS-N-25 missile launcher barrels, gatling guns, propeller shafts, internal gun trunnion, main gun barrel, (with resin surround) and SATCOM masts.

Etch Sheets

There are six sheets of etch parts included, four of brass and two of nickel. The smallest of these contains just the ships nameplates; the smallest nickel sheet contains the superstructure front face, Kashtan radar and railings. There is a separate sheet for the KA 27 Helix, including the undercarriage, doors, main rotors and controls, tailplanes and various aerials. The second nickel sheet contains the ships railings, accommodation ladders, intake vents, crane hooks and hand rails. Brass sheet B contains the SS-N-25 launcher faces, funnel heat shield, crane, open watertight doors and hatches, window wiper blades and vertical ladders. Sheet C contains the propellers, whose blades require bending into position, SS-N-25 blast deflectors, gatling CIWS mounting rings, SS-N-25 outboard hatches, aldis lamps, whip aerials, bridge wing sidewalls and funnel top surround.

Decals

The waterslide decals are provided for the flightdeck markings, ships numbers, port and starboard, depth markings and ships ensigns. They are well printed and in good register.

Conclusion

This is a beautifully designed model and OrangeHobby should be commended for producing this good looking ship. It’s quite a jump from designing and releasing kits in 1:700 to 1:350, but they have risen to the challenge remarkably well. My only minor criticism would be that the mould release agent is quite difficult to remove, but it’s worth the effort to do it properly for a good paint finish. Recommended to all maritime modellers, of at least intermediate skill level.

Review sample courtesy of Orange Hobby.com

[Panzer Vor!!!]

as always a succcient review , youre tempting me from tanks to the dark side chap

[armored76]

Great review! Thanks for sharing!

Are there any clear parts included? For the helicopter cockpit, for instance?

 

Thanks!

[Shar2]

@armored76  Sorry for not seeing your question, but no, there are no clear parts. You'll have to use something like clear fix.

[armored76]

Thanks @Shar2! That was to be expected