FT-17, 1/35, Meng
#1/35 #Meng #2018 #2021 #2022

FT-17, 1/35, Meng

Legendary Renault FT-17, most influential and revolutionary tank design in history. It’s so tiny by modern standards that 1/35 model feels like 1/48. That’s why it’s even more interesting and challenging to build it with full interior. Model quality It’s just perfect, even compared to modern Airfix kits. No flash, very dense and hard plastic allowing amazing level of details, and very detailed build manual. It’s the best plastic kit I’ve ever built.

  • Alexander Bulimov
English Carronade, 1/17, Mantua
#WoodenKit #1/17 #Mantua #2018

English Carronade, 1/17, Mantua

After I visited famous HMS Victory in Portsmouth this summer, I wanted to build something related to her. My experience with wooden kits tells me that building the full HMS Victory model is a very big project that I’m not ready for yet, not to mention the sheer size of it. So building this kit allowed me to scratch that HMS Victory itch without spending a year on it. English Carronade Carronade is a short cannon that was used by the Royal Navy, and HMS Victory carries two of such cannons on her forecastle.

  • Alexander Bulimov
Launch, 1/72, Master Korabel
#WoodenKit #1/72 #Master Korabel #2018

Launch, 1/72, Master Korabel

As I had great fun building my first wooden kit, on my next trip to Russia I bought a bunch of other kits from local manufacturers. This modern kit is again from Russian company called Master Korabel (Мастер Корабел), is fully laser-cut and costs less than 10 Euros. Launch This is just a general purpose boat used on sail ships in 17th century. Nothing really special about it. Model quality Just as with previous kit from this company I had no issues, fit was almost perfect.

  • Alexander Bulimov
Cannon Jolle 1801, 1/72, Master Korabel
#WoodenKit #1/72 #Master Korabel #2018

Cannon Jolle 1801, 1/72, Master Korabel

My first ever wooden kit, yay! I was always intimidated by wooden ship kits, assuming huge amount of scratch-building and crafting. Also I knew from my childhood plastic kit experience that rigging is quite challenging on Tall Ships. Luckily nowadays thanks to modern technologies like laser cutters and CAD software wooden kits are enhanced with pre-shaped laser cut hull planks and details. Considering this I decided to give it a try and build something relatively simple, relatively cheap and without complex rigging.

  • Alexander Bulimov
Albion 3-Point Refueller, 1/48, Airfix
#Airfix #1/48 #2018

Albion 3-Point Refueller, 1/48, Airfix

Very good modern kit from Battle of Britain: Ready For Battle set. The Albion 3-Point Refueller Not much information available online about this machines. Refuellers like this were in use with the RAF during the Battle of Britain. Apparently having 3 fuel hoses cut down the refuelling time. Model quality Almost no flash, great detailed instructions, excellent fit, good decals. Just perfect. Build notes The build was straightforward, no fit issues at all.

  • Alexander Bulimov
Sovremenny (Современный) Russian Destroyer, 1/700, Zvezda
#Zvezda #1/700 #2018

Sovremenny (Современный) Russian Destroyer, 1/700, Zvezda

Neat modern kit by Zvezda. The model is tiny, details are crisp, and build is straightforward bar the challenge of working with such small parts. I’ve enjoyed building it a lot, much more than I expected - normally I don’t do anything modern. Russian Destroyer “Sovremenny” (Современный). Commissioned in 1980, this ship was the first destroyer built by USSR in 20 years. This fact is reflected in ships name - ‘Sovremenny’ means ‘modern’, ‘contemporary’.

  • Alexander Bulimov
HMS Hood, 1/720, Italery/Zvezda
#Zvezda #Italery #1/720 #2018

HMS Hood, 1/720, Italery/Zvezda

Italery kit from 1978, which explains strange 1/720 scale. I’ve got Zvezda version just because it was a present. Interesting fact - Zvezda is not allowed to sell this kit outside of ex-USSR because it’s just cheaper in it’s version. The Mighty HMS Hood Built in 1918, the only ship in her class, this battlecruiser remained the largest and most powerful warship for 20 years. She tragically sank during the Battle of the Denmark Strait with the loss of all but 3 of her crew of 1418 men.

  • Alexander Bulimov
Bedford MWD, 1/48, Airfix
#Airfix #1/48 #2018

Bedford MWD, 1/48, Airfix

Nice little model from Battle of Britain: Ready For Battle set. The whole kit is fantastic - it’s ’new tool’, so perfect quality and level of details. I’ve decided to start with truck just to learn how to paint vehicles and try some new techniques. It’s the first model I’ve painted after I read awesome Adam’s Armour book by Adam Wilder, so I’ve tried to apply knowledge I’ve got from the book.

  • Alexander Bulimov