RED ARMY RF-8 GAZ-98 "AEROSAN" SNOWMOBILE (Trumpeter)

This is the Trumpeter 1:35 scale model of the USSR's Red Army's RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan" snowmobile armed with a 7.62mm machine gun. The snowmobile was powered by a small automobile engine (3.3L GAZ M-1 I4), making at capable of 50km/h. This and subsequent Aerosans were developed by Gorki Narkorechflota.

The name on the side is "Lembitu", and refers to the ancient Estonia general who lead his people against the Germanic invaders in the early 13th century.

The kit is well designed and moulded. I used both Vallejo white primer and Tamiya white primer to achieve the overall colouration.Detailing is with real rust, and with Vallejo "engine grime". The tubing sticking out from the engine body is plastic from the kit. It is not brass wire.

It was a great pre-christmas project taking only ten days. It placed second in the IPMS Ottawa January 2017 model contest.

photographed on actual Canadian snow!

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

A real one...

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

RF-8 GAZ-98 "Aerosan"

on real snow again!

Second place winner in the WWII armour (non-tank) category at CAPCON 2017 on 30 September 2017.

TOPOL MOBILE ICBM LAUNCHER (4D of China)

This is the new and unexpected 1/72 scale 4D "puzzle" model of the Topol ICBM launcher vehicle. Strangely, it is a snap-tight kit, but I glued everything for extra security. All paint is Vallejo acrylic airbrush colours.

The Topol (poplar tree) road mobile RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM was designed by Alexander Nadiradze at the Moscow institute of Thermal Technologies. The missile carries a single large-yield nuclear warhead. The truck is the MAZ-7310 or MAZ-7917 body (depending on the exact date of manufacture). The Topol was manufactured at the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, and entered service in 1985, and was last test fired on 20 March 2014 at Kapustin Yar. Armour kits usually come in 1/35 scale, but as this is a truly massive vehicle, it is about three times the length of a main battle tank, and therefore suitable for a smaller scale kit.

The kit was ordered on AliExpress.com, and cost $20 shipping included.
At the bottom are photos of the new 4D kit with the recent Zvezda kit.

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

A real one...

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

With the Zvezda kit, which is much more detailed, but far harder to construct.

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

With the Zvezda kit, which is much more detailed, but far harder to construct.

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM

Topol RT-2PM 15Ж58 ICBM