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In 2023 Zveza is to release a 1/144th Yakovlev Yak-40 "Codling" kit - ref. 7030 Source: https://m.vk.com/wall-29859496_2740388 V.P.

While I'm still trying to solve the problem with the Lufthansa DC-10 cockpit windows, I decided to start with my other kit that I had in my queue. In order to complete the complete line of Boeing passenger planes, I chose the Boeing 767 in the colors of the magnificent Brazilian airline Varig. The choice of VARIG started through a very strong link that I have with the airline and with Brazil itself: My grandparents emigrated from Portugal to Brazil in the 50's. They met there, got married and had children telling Portugal again already in the 1980's. On the trips they made from Rio de Janeiro to Oporto they chose Varig most of the times and even today, they always tell me how big, splendid and good the airline was in terms of service, quality and planes. Thanks to that and also thanks to my mother, my house is full of things from Varig. Cutlery, trays, blankets and more. Like TAP and Swissair, Varig is an airline that is in my heart, due to my connection with Brazil. An airline that unfortunately shouldn't have had the outcome it did. But turning now to the kit itself! I bought this kit on sale on eBay and with free shipping! I was quite satisfied however, a little suspicious that the kit is from Zvezda. Since I was a kid, I've been used to seeing Revell kits. That's why I always try to give preference to Revell, even knowing that most of the time the mold is not the best. The box is a normal Zvezda box, with the lid and the illustrations drawn, along with the classic box where the kit comes from, which is quite good and resistant and useful for storing things in the future! When I started assembling the kit I put the two main parts together and I was very surprised by the quality of the kit. The two pieces fit perfectly and at first glance everything looked in place. All the pieces have incredible lines and details that honestly left me with an excellent impression of Zvezda! For all kits to be so perfect, I started to have a favorite brand! The next step was to apply putty to all the windows as well as to make the necessary changes to the main fuselage. This Boeing 767 comes with the Aeroflot layout which consists of four doors at the front and four doors at the rear. It turns out that the Boeing 767 that I'm going to make, the PP-VPV has a different configuration: It has two doors at the front, four windows on the wings and two doors at the rear. I confess that I was very close to changing the plane to the -200 version. The 767-200 is an airplane that manages to have a very peculiar beauty. But after comparing the 767-200 and the 767-300 with the same painting (yes because Varig operated with both versions), I opted for the -300 version. Maybe one day I won't make a 767-200 with the colors of American or United Airlines The kit had such a good fitting, that the windows fit perfectly into the holes. Obviously, I putty and sanded everything and in the final result the entire surface was polished. I have to stress this one more time. The kit had such a good fitting, that I didn’t apply putty in the top and bottom. I just sanded it and then with the help of a scalpel I redid the lines I had erased with the sandpaper. It was a 1st time, not applying putty to cover bad fittings, which saved me a lot of time and patience! Zvezda you rock! After sanding and applying the wings (and those had to take a little plastic putty from Vallejo), I turned to the engines while the putty was not drying so I could sand again to apply the primer. I decided to follow the instructions and started with the low pressure turbine and nozzle area of the engines. After assembling (just to check the fit and shape of the engine), I noticed that this interior part would not be very visible. Anyway, I decided to apply a smoky color in order to simulate a little the metallic alloy already marked by the high temperatures there. Varig's 767 used to have General Electric CF6-80C2 engines. After that I decided to apply a primary white to reveal some imperfections as well as for the paint to adhere better when applying the final color. This afternoon I did it and left it to rest. Next time I will probably sand the imperfections a little and then start with the painting process!

Good day everybody, this is a placeholder for a maybe second contribution to the SSDGB, depending on how well my build of the Crusader will go. I intend to build this plane as the SAR/firebomber as shown in the boxart. Content of the box: We'll see if this will get started during the GB. Best of luck to all of you!

Hi everyone. I think I need a change from what I usually do. This GB seems to be perfect as a return to things I haven't done in a few years. I found two models in my stash, which match the subject, both are in 1:35 scale. First is Dragon Sd.Kfz.10 Ausf.A (with PAK 38), second that's Zvezda BA-10. Dragon has "magic track" which scares me a bit (I don't think I can put it together correctly), so I chose Zvezda. It will be the second BA-10 in this GB (there is also Hobby Boss kit here). It's a kit, I bought a few years ago for a never finished kitbash project. I even glued few parts together before I abandoned it. The vast majority of parts are still in the sprues. I don't have a lot of experience with AFVs but it seems to me that it's not the best quality kit (at least compared to things I've done before). Some elements have decent detail: But many other parts are really weak. I have a lot of sanding to do. What surprised me the most was the barrel, which the designer placed in the frame of the sprue (part 10). I will have to drill the exit hole myself. The manual is black and white even in the part about painting schemes. And decals. The word ORLOVSKIE is divided into three parts for some reason (unknown for me at the moment). The kit was very cheap, so it's hard to expect more than what's in the box. Now it's time to see how this affects assembling. Cheers Wiesiek.

Hi folks! Just completed a massive build Zvezda's 1/48 Pe-2, took me half a year (on top of school and sport and all else), but super pleased with it. I bought the kit at a model show last year, and honestly I think I envisioned this very diorama as soon as I picked up the box. The kit itself is excellent for the most part, although I did encounter a few small problems along the way, trying to get the engine to sit properly was a nightmare as it sagged down and wasn't properly attached, but I fixed it eventually. Some other small problems were trying to fit the fuselage halves, and those of you with eagle eyes can probably spot the noticeable seam line down the middle.. actually it's probably way more obvious than I thought at first oh well. The details in the engine and cockpit are excellent, and I decided to give quinta studio's 3d decals set a go. Awesome product, super easy to use, and really detailed. I'd 100% recommend. The only other additions to the kit were some cockpit and engine wires, but apart from that it was built completely OOB. The decals in the kit were alright, but the colour schemes were limited, and I therefore decided to find another scheme... only problem was that the only aftermarket decals sheet was one which came with no less than 104 different marking options, and the only one I could find came from Belarus for $70 aud+ shipping. But lucky for me, the modelling community is very kind, and it is thanks to @Thant Zaw Win that I was able to finish this project. He had previously built the eduard kit, and lucky for me he still had the decals for the scheme I wanted, and sent them to me, paying for all postage fees. Make sure to check out his awesome works, especially that pe-2 of his. Moving on to the diorama! Again, I was super pleased and even surprised by how well it turned out, although it definitely could have had some improvements, if only I wasn't so rushed (I finished it a day before the model competition which I entered it in) Anyway, the snow was made by a combination of vallejo's snow effects and microballoons from ammo mig. The trees were made using the wire tree technique and the resin figs are by cmk. My hands are getting sore lol so I think I'll end it here. Thanks for reading! (Really sorry for the massive paragraph) And some cockpit pics: That's all, thanks for viewing! Any questions or critisms are welcome! Again, sorry for the massive post.

While the @Homebee sleeps, I'll crack his news - 2! On Moscow "МИР ДЕТСТВА 2021" ( WORLD CHILDHOOD 2021) expo , has announced a 1/72nd of Yakovlev Yak-9 from Zvezda in 2022. B.R. Serge P.S. On street @Learstang the candy truck has finally turned over!

I think it's time to build another airliner. In the late 1990s BA painted a small number of its aircraft with a Poppy scheme to coincide with Remembrance Day; usually this had a poppy and "Pause to Remember" applied to the fuselage but G-BIKW was (as far as I know) unique as the poppy was applied to a plain white tailfin (this was after its "Ndebele" World tails had been removed but before the current "Chatham" livery was fully applied). Here is a link to the scheme So, to be built from the Zvezda kit (which has the correct Rolls Royce engines) with 26 Decals. Unlike some other Zvezda airliners this kit has no option for dropped flaps or slats, so should be a relatively quick and straightforward project. It will probably be another week or so before I get started as there are still two F-15E to finish. Mike

Hello friends, We are nine days into February and I am finally checking in with my first completed kit for 2022. This is the Zvezda Ju-88G-4 in 72nd scale. Here are the highlights………. 1. Paint used A. Model Master RLM 79 Sand B. Polly Scale RLM 80 Green C. Mission Models Black ( undersides ), Tire Black, RLM 02, RLM 70 D. Tamiya : Metallic Grey, Gun Metal, Semi Gloss Black, Flat Aluminum, Desert Tan, Buff 2. Eagle Cals Decals Ju-88A-4 #EC154 3. Uschi Bobbin Thread size fine 4. Eduard Express canopy mask ( must have item!! ) 5. Vallejo washes : Light Brown, Oiled Earth, White, Black, Light Rust 6. Pastels : Brown, Black, Light Grey 7. Eduard Resin SC 250 bombs I enjoyed this kit very much. It was a bit tricky in a couple of locations but nothing significant that anyone would not be able to handle. While difficult to see, I included the supplied aircrew within the cockpit. The detail and fit is very good. I recommend this excellent kit from Zvezda to all skill levels. Thank you in advance and with much respect, Mike

Both my crude Ju 88 G conversion from the old Airfix A-4 and the Revell C-6 having been scrapped, I decided I needed a good kit of the G. I was thinking Hasegawa but they were ruddy expensive and I had seen good reports of the later Zvezda kits so I decided to give it a go. I saved enough to get the AIMS conversion set as well and this will be my main project for this GB. The kit was issued in 2006 I believe. The kit engine nacelles are apparently too short so I will be fitting longer replacements. Pete

So as I have finally finished my 1/350 Dunkerque I figured I should repair my first build since coming back to the hobby. Here is Zvezda's HMS Dreadnought in 1/350. Aside model master barrels for the guns its oob. It did come with an artwox deck when I bought her, but it started to lift off the night I fitted it so it went the way of all the earth shall we say. She could do with a lot of upgrades but is what she is. I learned a lot from her so from that point of view is a success. She is brush painted in humbrol enamels which was a faff in the end as I ran out of paint and couldn't get anything to match so I think the hull and some parts had 5 coats in the end softening the already soft parts of the detail. Thanks for having a look Sam

Zvezda is to release in 2020 a 1/48th Mil Mi-24 "Hind" kit. Probably the start of a family of Mi-24: D/V/P etc. Fingers crossed. Source: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235061306-zvezda-2020/ V.P.

While the @Homebee sleeps, I'll crack his news - 3! On Moscow "МИР ДЕТСТВА 2021" ( WORLD CHILDHOOD 2021) expo , has announced a 1/48nd of Yakovlev Yak-9 from Zvezda in 2022. B.R. Serge P.S. As far as I understand, the whiskey truck overturned on the street @Learstang , in addition to the overturned candy truck!

Zvezda is to release in 2020 a 1/72nd Lockheed C-130 Hercules kit - ref. 7321 Source: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235061306-zvezda-2020/ V.P.

Those who have followed my recent builds will know of my affinity with the 747. Whilst my current 747-436 tribute build is stalled (I'm still waiting for replacement decals), I thought I would turn my attention to some more modern 747 kits. Hopefully they will be far less hassle and go together much more easily than the venerable Revell 747-400! The only modern version of the 747 is the -800 variant. Both Revell and Zvezda have 1/144 versions of this aircraft, but which is best? There's only one way to find out - build them both! To start, here are the two boxes: First impressions - the packaging on the Revell box is superior, as are the decals. The quality of the sprues looks pretty comparable - time will tell as the build progresses... More on that later! Regarding the schemes, I am going to venture into the world of custom decals and build these two as 'what ifs'. Both models will be finished in a 'Utopia' or 'World Image' livery, used by British Airways at the turn of the century and then dropped in favour of the current 'Union Flag' scheme. It was a bit marmite(!), but I quite liked it and thought it would be an interesting side project to design something completely different and previously unseen on a 747. One model will be finished in the 'Youm al-Suq' design, representing Saudi Arabia. This scheme was only ever used on two aircraft - an Embraer 145 (G-EMBJ) and a 737 (G-GBTA). Images of these two aircraft can be seen on the artist's website: https://www.shadiaalem.com/british-airways-utopia-project I purchased some decals designed for the 737 and set to work on photoshop, amending the design to fit a 747. Here's the original decal: Then after many, many hours of work, I created something 747 sized: The other airframe will receive a variation of the 'Colum' livery used on my tribute build. This design was quite well received and there were several different versions of this design in use. I am basing my decal on G-BGDR, a 737-236. I bought these decals earlier in the week and have a few hours of work ahead of me... Here's how they look, compared with the 747: Obviously they need enlarging and I will have to make a few modifications and additions along the way! I hope to turn my attention to these two models soon - I need a break from the endless round of filling/sanding/priming which seems to be happening with all my other projects at the moment! Just gluing plastic together will make a pleasant change...

Hi all, back once more. This time with a project I've had in mind since May. Time spent having to drum up the appropriate masks, and then a set of decals, and then finally some metalizing powder for the display stand. Overall, came about fairly painless, aside from a few niggling moments. Kit itself varied a little from going together nicely, to being a bit of a pain. Biggest areas of frustration were fitting in the lower fuselage, and getting everything to meet up, causing some overhanging joins, and requirement of filler and sanding. After that, it was largely the pylons and stores having inadequate mounting points to make them fit securely without a lot of adjusting. Overall, happy with how it came out. Final bit of fiddling was adding metalizing powder to the base. Came out fairly good, and then I wanted to put the emblem on. Thought I had it positioned, but then it was off. Decal tore during adjustment, so had to remove and replace. In lining up, put two indentations in the surface with my ruler, somehow , then accidentally scuffed the surface to the gloss beneath with a paper towel while buffing out the water marks. Second coat of powder didn't cover it, so in the end I went over everything with a 4000 grit stick to make it all look a little worn. Came out better than expected. May or may not ultimately gloss the base to seal that decal, though tit'll probably dull the shine. Anyway, without further ado. Here be my Ukrainian AF (Blue 30), 1/48 Zvezda Su-25. Painted up with the Hataka UAF acrylics set, masking with the DN Models vinyl masks, and marked with Aztec decals (pretty good decals, but they take a fair amount of softening). Thanks for looking, as always Gaz

The Zvezda's catalogue 2023 is downloadable here: https://vk.com/doc6108131_651686281 Front page V.P.

Boeing 757-200 Icelandair (7032) Zvezda 1:144 First flown in 1982 the Boeing 757 was designed as a replacement the to hugely successful 727 tri-jet. The initial version was the -200 as depicted in this kit, which entered service with Eastern Airlines on January 1st 1983. Designed to cruise at higher altitudes than the 727, the 757 was able to achieve up to 45% fuel saving over its predecessor. The later -300 version stretched the fuselage by 23 ft (7.1m) and entered service in 1999. It has served widely with Civil, Military, and Government/VIP operators, as both passenger and freight haulers. Offered with the Rolls-Royce RB-211 or Pratt & Whitney PW2000 engines, a total of 1,049 757's of all versions were delivered. After nearly 40 years of service it is becoming an increasingly rare sight in the skies. Since this kit was announced, it has been eagerly awaited by airliner modellers, and first impressions are that it was well worth the wait. It is presented in Zvezda's stout cardboard post-office resistant box, with an outer sleeve depicting an Icelandair 757 taking off. Slide the outer cover off and the box reveals a set of beautiful looking moulding in light grey plastic. Panel lines are lightly engraved, and details are razor sharp on all the finer elements such as engine fans and undercarriage legs. The fuselage features the 'lobe crease' along its length, but is difficult to photograph as it is so subtle. Construction starts with the cockpit (we don't say that very often in airliner modelling!) with seats, control columns and rear bulkhead. Strips of glazing are provided for the cabin windows, and the instructions show to remove various lengths from each one, a sure sign that a -300 is on the way, and this sprue will be shared with it. The cockpit opening is of the 'letterbox' type, with a clear insert for the glazing, like the Airfix 'Skyking' and some Revell kits do. The instructions note to include 10 gr of weight in the nose to prevent tail sitting. There is no option to assemble it with slats and flaps down (which seemed to divide opinion amongst modellers) as the wings are formed from a single span lower part with individual uppers for each side. This is a virtually fool proof way of getting the dihedral set correctly and equally each side, simplicity itself. The wing can be built with the upward curved 'winglets', or the standard tips which are included but marked as not for use. Either are probably appropriate as photos show Icelandair 757's with both at various times. Next up are the engines, and here we have a real bonus. Zvezda have included both the Rolls-Royce and P&W options in full, which is very welcome for those of us who like to buy multiple kits and finish them with aftermarket decals for other liveries. The Rolls-Royce engines are used on this Icelandair version, and feature stunningly moulded fan detail. Also welcome is the provision of inner liners for the intakes. They are in 2 parts so can be assembled and smoothed off before fitting to the fan units. Knowing how accurately Zvezda's kits fit together, a quick swipe with some wet & dry paper should clean up any seams in seconds. Finally the undercarriage is assembled, but there is the option to assemble it 'gear up' in flight, and a sturdy stand is provided should you chose to do this. The undercarriage is made up of Zvezda's typically fine detailed parts, so will need care in assembly. Attention to detail evident even here as two complete sets of wheels are provided, each with different hub patterns. Kudos to Zvezda! Nose leg main part: I've had a couple of messages since posting this review, asking if it is possible to fit the nose leg after assembly. The good news is yes! Stage 10 in the instructions is the final step, and this is where you fit all the legs to complete the model. Summaries from the instructions to illustrate some of the pints made above. Decals Just one colour scheme is provided, that of Icelandair. It is beautifully printed in perfect register and with minimal carrier film. Silver framing is provided for all window surrounds and the cockpit glazing. A much appreciated touch is the provision of blocks of colour for the blue and yellows needed for painting the model. These will be the engine cowlings (yellow) and the under fuselage and fin. A second sheet provides the wing and tailplane walkway markings. Conclusion. The 757 has been high on many airliner modeller 'wants' list for several years. There are nice resin kits available, but the two injection moulded 757's from Minicraft and Eastern Express are not up to most modellers expectations, and can now be consigned to 'collectors only'. This new kit far and away exceeds them, and looks to be outstanding 'in the box. I have no doubt that it will build up with the superb fit that Zvezda achieve with their kits, a little care will be needed with assembling the noseleg, but the rest of it looks to be simplicity itself. I am sure that it should be a big seller for Zvezda, and that the aftermarket decal producers should be releasing some of the many, many attractive schemes that the 757 wore over the years. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Zvezda is to release in 2023 a 1/144th Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear" - kit ref. 7038 Source: https://m.vk.com/wall-29859496_2740388 V.P.

Here's one wot I made earlier - my first attempt at this kind of mottled finish using a 2mm airbrush needle. I didn't mask the cockpit frames as well as I had hoped, and although the color is apparently correct (RLM 02 Grau - but can't remember where I read this. But, I don't like it, I think it looks out of place, and I wish I had used same green as the camo spray (RLM 82 Grun), instead of the grey. I may need to apply to renew my artistic licence. FuG 212 antenna in brass from Master in Poland - I spent nearly an hour soldering the first pair together, then gave up & used cyanoacrylate glue for the rest - so they will be delicate & might be snapped off during dusting or handling. So far I have bent them accidentally, but they can be eased back in line, and so far they are all holding up ok. Cockpit detail included good seats & the rack of radar equipment (painted by an amatuer), plus seat harnesses from an Eduard brass etch set - Visible to me when I peer into the canopy . Weathering is ok, but a bit heavy handed on the panel lines in places. Lots of grimy exhaust staining underside, done using Revell weathering powders, matching what can be seen in some photos of operational nightfighters which were on ops continually night after night. I touched up a few splashes of overspray and a couple of overzealous patches of camo using a brush with some RLM 75 hellgrau to hide the offending blobs and star runs. And I forgot to add the Hakenkreuzen on the rudder when I declared this project completed ... (I was still waiting for a transfer sheet to arrive in the post) - so 99.5% complete, may be booked in for maintenance & a touch up one day Skyhooks by B&Q. Anti-gravity tractor beams by fishing line (only visible in photos on websites, invisible to humans in most daylight and evening lighting conditions) Comments welcome JU-88 in its natural habitat (stars not to scale)

Part 2 of my Battlefield 2042 inspired dioramas, featuring 'No-Pat' or NP marked vehicles. This time the peculiar T-15, TBMP Armata variant. Again I went for a unique camo incorporating two different pattern styles into one. Initially planned in a lighter scheme, but I liked the contrast of Khaki and Khaki Drab with the Desert Yellow (I think it was). Thanks again for checking it out Gaz

Hi All A while ago I came across this picture and thought 'that would make a good little diorama' Fast forward a few years to earlier this year and my club decided to hold a diorama build. Originally the theme was build a diorama of a picture on an A4 base but the picture requirement was dropped. This then was an opportunity for me to recreate the picture in plastic. A Zvezda Bf-109 was duly purchased and built but I was unsure of the colour scheme as the fuselage sides seemed very dark. Fortunately fellow Britmodellers came to my rescue after I posted the picture and it was revealed that this aircraft, with another, was captured by the Russians in November 1942 and given to the Americans who repainted it in Olive Drab and Neutral Grey (thanks Troy Smith, Lusitanian and GRM for the detailed info). See below. For some reason it looks like the bottom engine cowl was left painted in RLM 65 when you look at the first picture. I duly finished the aircraft as 'EB-1' and managed to cobble together two figures in poses as close as I could get to the mechanic and the cop watching him. Thanks for looking Mick

Hallo This is my finished model now. The kit is from Zvezda. I used resin sets from Black Dog and Reskit. For the rotor and engine. Beside I used Eduard etched parts. Masks from New Ware. The building was not easy, since the fitting and assembling of resin parts took my patience. Since the building started from a flat hill to a steep mountain after some days, I decided to drop my idea of Afghan camouflage. So I chose the dark grey version. Well at the final stage I lost one pitot tube. Well, so have a look. Happy modelling

While the @Homebee sleeps, I'll crack his news - 4! On Moscow "МИР ДЕТСТВА 2021" ( WORLD CHILDHOOD 2021) expo , has announced a 1/48nd of Mill Mi-35 from Zvezda in 2022. B.R. Serge P.S. But if you think need to merge this branch with the Mi-24 from Zvezda in 1/48 - no problem!

Hallo This is the start of my Mi-24. All you see is the job from 08:00 until 15:45 this day. First of all I had to get a picture of this kit. How do parts fit, what is the overall design and how about handling. Well, after that closing up process, I got to the etched parts and made many cross switches between instruction from Zvezda to Eduard. In my mind I had to place two sets from etched parts in. Cockpit interior and cargo interior. With both in mind to check what makes sense, and what to leave out. Actually the instruction from Eduard surprised me until this hour. No flaw noticed and as you see all parts fit. The instruments at this set are much better from production as all seen before. However, I proceed that way, that I install prepainted etched parts before spraying. I mask them and this works well. So I can hide the gluing margin or leftover. · For tomorrow I have left some interior for the WO, still to finish and some electronic boxes from unpainted fret. · And to finish the big rear bulkhead from the cargo room. · The back seat cushion I will probably create by scratch. The next challenge is my resin rotor. Here I have to be careful. Since I am not sure if I will use the resin engine installation from Black Dog which I get by the end of this week. The rotor I think I will use in every case from the Reskit. The gear box from Reskit or Black Dog? This question I will decide at weekend. Happy modelling