Kirov Class Cruiser

Sven Schönyan
I´m also in! I like those soviet/russian ships

Melf Boyens
I'm in Scot, the 1:350 scale is huge , thought about 1:700 Kirov class myself.

Scott Dutton
Its almost complete, the real challenge was working out a mechanism to paint.
A. Assemble completely and paint
B. Make subassemblies at each level that has the Brown/Orange and paint then assemble
C. Mask, or freehand.

Chose a combination of A&B, assembled hull without superstructure, grey undercoat throughout, sprayed the Orange/brown on hull and separate superstructure, sprayed the grey from below waterline up, using the vertical surfaces as a mask (bit of a fail as the swirling of air around the superstructure blew some grey back down), hand painted the remainder of grey in detail at the demarcation lines, then touched up with thinned orange brown to regive the brightness back (after the swirling grey)

Detail painting and mate elements together.

Having to fudge a few things, Kirov is now not in service, and they don't give decal options for Kirov (Pennant Number 65) so will be suing Armour Numbers for that in approx size (Verlinden), no ship name plate (I cant freehand Cyrillic Kirov). I'll get around that with a plate on the stand (When I get around to relearning Corel Draw so I can get Russian Engraved).

It's been a great project, I've loved this beast since my misspent childhood playing Harpoon and other Fleet games, with this at the centre of fleets facing off against an Alpha Strike from a Carrier supported with Bear and Backfire.

Having learnt more about them, would probably have preferred the Frunze variant (Additional AAW at expense of ASW) but at least this is the name ship for the class. I don't have the space nor time to build more than one so will be a Cruiser or Destroyer next time around (After an Su-33 and hopefully 34)

Should be complete by weekend (sans stand) so photos on the way

Now please someone (Trumpeter) a Kiev and Moskva Class(Helo Carrier not the renamed Cruiser/Destroyer) in 350 to round out my Cold War Days.

Hopefully you get some enjoyment from this, I certainly have. Need to by more WEM paint, this one used a whole tin so no Northern Fleet Grey left......

Pavel Pinzhin
I can easily lend a hand with both Corel Draw and Cyrillic 🙂

Sven Schönyan
Hey Scott, in my case I paint all horizontal surfaces first because mostly they are more easy to mask after airbrushing. Masking is sometimes time consuming but worth the effect.
And I also divide the kit into subassemblies in a way to build as much as possible and also still easy enough for painting/masking. Deck details for example are left separatly if possible so I can pick them up on a toothpick.
After all painting is done you can bring all together.

Bart Goesaert
one of the most beautiful ships ever made... if you want some details or info I think you should read through this build:

shipmodels.info/mws_..php?f=59&t=42741

It's like a compendium...

Melf Boyens
Is Humbrol 98 still the best Option for "russian Navy deck red"?

Scott Dutton
I used the White Ensign Models colours, there is Russian specific colours and that includes the deck brown and a green. Also have Takan colours, which is colour matched for Russian, just small bottles so dent go that path.

Scott Dutton
Sven, thanks I grabbed a couple of ship modelling mags but they didn't help much, iwas concerned with painting then joining that there wouldn't be a good bond because of paint and the extra thin glue I prefer leeches along and bubbles paint. I'm not a good masker, my friend masks my canopies for me ????

Scott Dutton
Pavel, I may take you up on that, I generally use Google translate or cut and paste from wiki the Cyrillic. I was making all the outstanding plates as a batch job to send off to my laser engraver. See my Russian sub collection for the template I use. I'm thinking for surface ships, 1st line in Cyrillic with Russian designation like тяжёлый атомный ракетный крейсер then the second line the NATO BCGN Kirov Class Battle Cruiser
Just current thoughts.
I had to use Corel, I'm a PhotoShop guy, but the laser engraver needs vector graphics not raster and that's all I could find to produce it. My Russia also isn't up to speed.
I think I have about six Russian Naval Vessels left to do, and maybe even prepare myself for my dream of a Kiev and Moskva.

Scott Dutton
Bart, looks like an interesting blog, does yours come up with any in line images, mine is blank which I don't think is the intent. Shame looks great, well above my league I suspect, I'm a close enough good enough modeller and get another on the bench, which if you see the shah is how I have to be, but I'm satisfied.

Bart Goesaert
seems all pics are gone... has been a while since I visited that blog, kept the link under my references... to bad, was a very interesting build

Pavel Pinzhin
Oh, I've seen your subs collection and enjoyed it very much!
Sure, I'm familiar with file requirements for laser engraving. If you'd like to keep consistency throughout your collection we might go with something as in the attached image below. Or, if you wish, we might develop something more elaborate. And we even might prepare files for all the upcoming future projects 🙂
[img1]

Scott Dutton
Pavel, image didn't work. My email is scottiedut@gmail.com.
I like consistency, I have just drawn up 3D files for my mounts, the sub mounts were done by hand on a lathe but need a few more. Think the base that goes into the ship was too small for ships, flatter bottom than a sub in general, so redesigned them for surface ships, identical for submarines to match collection so far, decided on identical theme for NATO, larger and smaller tops dependant on sub or surface, stainless steel with silver panels for Russia, brass mounts and plates for West. Waiting for guys to return to work so can get into NC lathe and get hem out. See like consistency, control freak, too link in Army.

Scott Dutton
Bart, have a friend whose joke mission is life is to download the entire internet, would be useful in instance like this. Thanks anyway, I wasn't aware of that forum.

Scott Dutton
Pavel, clicked on link and it had come up in new window. Great ideas, right hand one looks good, NATO designation would be consistent, think she is BCGN, not sure how best to incorporate that, will settle on something. No hurry. Spaseebo

Bart Goesaert
pics are still there, you can see them with google images (trumpeter kirov 350 as search tag), but the picture won't open:

This webpage is not available

ERR_NAME_RESOLUTION_FAILED

don't know what that means, but...

can't do this at work: wiknix.com/err_name_..failed-error-solved/

Christian Bruer
Looking forward to your progress and as Sven replied it is better to work with sub assemblies in ship modeling to make sure to reach all areas with paint whatever you use a hand brush or air brush.
@Bart, I remember this build. It was much excellent and highly detailed. Sad the photos are gone🙁

Burkhard D
The Russians have a talent to make their military vehicles look decidedly bad-ass. 😄😎

Scott Dutton
Took some more photos (and found some on the camera) , it is essentially complete, helos and PE and small boats left to go on. Decal (It doesn't come with Kirov Markings, Pennant number 65). Then decision time, do I risk any weathering beyond the drybrushing I have done already (I know I'm old school). It is never going to be a heavily weathered ship, but worry about even filters and washes as its painted in enamels (It will get an Acrylic matt coat after the decals) but still worries me.

Sven Schönyan
Hi Scott, thank you, you make me want to build this giant, too ;]
Your cruiser looks good in the way it is. If you want to make some more weathering beyond drybrushing I would recommend to exercise these methods on a much smaller kind of model. Everyone here made the experience to overdo a technique and soon a beautiful model doesn´t look good anymore. I by myself am recently building a Trumpeter´s HMCS Huron OOB just in order to use and exercise some new weathering techniques I adopted from the tank builders. So if it works out I´m happy, if not it´s no big loss.

Christian Bruer
Very nice and clean work!

Burkhard D
Looks great! 👍👍👍

Torben H.
I like modern Russian ships and yours a beauty for real! As for weathering I'd go the cautious way and add some streaking on the hull and a bit greenish sediments along the waterline.

Scott Dutton
Not happy, was going the cautious path and didn't get that far, put Tamika rattle can matt varnish on, over my white ensign paints, and it has caused that paint to bubble and peel badly in places. ????????????????

Kerry COX
You MUST "Decant" all spray can paints so that they can "De gas", or what will happen is what happened to your attempt.
Youtube Video
These videos on Youtube will help you understand the process.👍
Cheers. 🙂

Christian Bruer
Heard about problems with varnishes all the time, not only with Colorcoats. I tend to use only the varnish that was required for a brand – Xtracolor is a good example with their special varnish. Following an advice from my shipmate Jim Baumann I only use Windsor & Newton for matt and / or satin varnish for Colorcoats. Windsor & Newton work also well on Vallejo acrylics. I test it before I apply it to a model and if there are any problems I use a new bottle and I never use varnishes from a rattle can for the finish!
Hope you can restore the peeled paint!

Pavel Pinzhin
Rattle cans always contain aggressive (to a different extent) paints and varnishes: Tamiya's ones, I belive, are laquer. I'm not familiar with White Ensign paints, so can't tell what exactly went wrong. But I prefer water-based acrylic warnishes as a protection layers for weathering, for two reasons: 1 - they won't affect the underlaying paintwork, and 2 - it won't be affected by enamel or oil weathering liquids itself once properly cured.
Really feel for you to see this happened to your work, sorry that can't be much of help about how to repair 🙁 , hope that more experienced people here will have something to advice.

By the way, matt varnish is not the best choice for pin washing - better be gloss or at least satin (i.e. semi-gloss), so the wash won't spread all over thematt surfece, but rather congregate in crevices and around raised details. Matt warnish in regards of weathering is good for color filters and other effects you want to spread evenly on large flat surfaces.

Scott Dutton
Yes, got lazy as holiday was finishing, only had one part jar of my normal varnish and knew rattle can would be quick for such big model compared to starting airbrush and cleaning . Don't even remember having the rattle can, but given Tamika and Tamika is my normal varnish didn't think would be a problem. Needless to say can is in bin now, so never a problem again and went and bought a box of varnish.

Christian Bruer
Hi Scott, mhh, have you ever tried this varnish on Colorcoats before, and any repair work in progress?

Scott Dutton
No hadn't, actually thought was just an acrylic varnish, didn't realise it was special. I put acrylics over enamels all the time, not WEM hadn't used them before, but assumed they were a pretty standard enamel. I was looking at a wash, enamel, hence need for acrylic barrier. I'm letting settle for a day or so, to see if anything improves.

Christian Bruer
Colorcoats are very fine pigmented and need a very clean surface free of dust grease etc. Maybe the beginning of you problem has different reasons?! I had the same when I first use Xtracorlor instead of other enamels. Al l my normally used varnishes etc. does not work proper so I changed to the special Xtracolor varnish and all was fine. Same with Colorcoats and Windsor & Newton. They work well together.

Scott Dutton
Thanks for tip, I had bad experience with Xtracolor ten or so years back, on a Tornado, parts wouldn't dry, even after weeks., pretty much solved when started using Shellite as thinner, much lighter fraction. Have used again now, but this was first with WEM. It seems to have drawn back down a little, so onlyt problematic in a few hard to recharges. Think I'll just live with,. I had a suggestion that weathering may rewet and soften and help but not sure I'm that game.

Christian Bruer
As mentioned before if you use the special thinners, varnishes etc. for the special product it all should work well. I thought before this is just business but I had the same experience with Vallejo colors and thinner. I used window cleaner to thin the paint, what worked well, but the color was sticky for weeks ago before it dried completely. Within this you cancel the advantage of fast drying paint. Sine I use the special Vallejo thinner all worked well and the paint dries in a few minutes.
By the way what products you'd like to use for weathering?
Cheers, Christian

Scott Dutton
Ive gone back to ẃondsor and Newton artists oils with odourless thinners. I have many of the mig, but find the artist oils let me just mix a few shades. I'm predominantly armour modeller, so normally a pin wash, dot method filter, Tamika buff dusting, streaking, pastel. Have just tried an enamel overcoatsprayed followed by spirits streaking, but couldn't get enough of the enamel off, apparently better to use Tamika enamels, dry brush