by Vladimir Yakubov
1/700 D-4 Revolyutsioner (Combrig)
Soviet submarine D-4 Revolyutsioner Combrig D-2 conversion
The first class of the Soviet submarines designed in the late 1920s was based on the Italian design for the Balilla class submarine which was purchased in 1925. The armament was moved to the sail which improved the ability to use it in the rough seas but made it very cramped. The sail was later rebuilt to the standard soviet configuration with the gun a the deck level and that is what Combrig gives in the kit – the way the sub looked during the war, but I always likes the look of the subs as built originally.
In order to do the conversion there needed to be hull modifications done – the bow lowered and some of the limber holes in the hull filled in. The main piece of the conversion was the sail – it was completely scratchbuilt. I’ve built the lower part then the floor of the bridge. Then I made the sides from the CA glue impregnated paper and fared everything in. The gun was made as it was in real life – I took a 102mm model 1913 gun from a Novik class destroyer and shorted it and made the elevation mechanism for it. The antenna spreaders were soldered from the pieces of photoetch and brass rod. The sub was painted using the PollyS Acrylics and weathered with pastels.
