Leningrad
by Paul Helfrich

1/700 Leningrad, Soviet ASW Cruiser (Combrig)

This was my first Combrig kit and only the 2nd resin ship I've ever tackled. I think this is one of the older Combrig kits - I've heard great things about the new ones, but this one wasn't so hot. My kit was missing the launching rails for the SUW-N-1 missile launcher, so I had to scratchbuild them, and I was also missing the bases for the SAN-3s so I had to improvise those as well. The kit radars were of course totally unusable (even by my standards!) so I replaced all those with parts from the Gold Medal Models Soviet aircraft carrier set.

My biggest problem with the kit had to do with attaching the rear part of the flight deck. The fit wasn't good, and even after my sanding and filling job it still isn't quite right.

The big "Top Sail" radar should have more of a tripod mast, but I didn't feel up to scratching that, so I just used the mast that came with the kit.

I'd say the kit's a little better than the old Airfix 1/600 kit of the Moskva/Leningrad - but just a little. Thank heaven for the GMM details, they really add a lot to this one!