by Vladimir Yakubov
1/700 SS-533, Project 1710 Makrel "Beluga" (OKB Grigorov)
SS-533 was a small unarmed, diesel-electric test submarine that was build to test the test various new ideas in hydrodynamics and acoustics as well as to test the influence of various liquid polymer mixtures on the boundary layer. It was the Soviet equivalent of the USS Albacore but built in the 1980s. Commissioned in 1987, it was involved in active research until 1991 when with the dissolution of the USSR money dried up. Last time the sub went out to sea was in 1997 and in 2002 it was scrapped.
The model is one of the newest kits from OKB Grigorov which is quickly filling up the gaps in the various cold war submarines in 1/700 scale. The model was a full hull kit, so I had to cut it down to waterline. I've detailed the sail with the cutout for the bridge and the periscopes, made the periscopes and radars, as well as the hatch covers. On the hull I've redid some of the detailing and deepened the limber holes. Model was painted with acrylics and weathered with Pastels.
