Just in time for the 4th of July, here's one big firecracker: Trumpeter's SCUD in 1/35th scale!
First things first, a big thank you to Trumpeter for supplying the kit and to my David the Elder (aka "Dad") for tackling most of the construction. I wouldn't have had the drive to get it finished without the extra help!
The base kit is by Trumpeter (kit #01019), and I also used their figure/detail set to add some extra bits to the already-complex kit. The detail set includes the cold weather and window covers, a length of flexible tubing for the rocket fuel lines, the fuel line attachment nozzles, several photo-etched detail parts, and two new options for the R-17 missile warhead.
The kit includes a complete engine and a full interior for the drivers and radio operators compartments, as well as a fully detailed launch cabin. The decals for the instrument bezels in the interior didn't match the raised detail on the parts, but they provided a good guide for painting and ultimately the interior is mostly invisible once completed. (When will I learn?)
The only thing really missing from the kit is the mess of fuel lines and plumbing used to fuel the rocket, which hang off the rear of the vehicle like a wedding train of spaghetti. The detail set includes the parts to complete this, but no instructions are provided. Thankfully there are enough good walk-around photos online to show how most of the plumbing is arranged, but I'm still not confident that I got it 100% correct. It is rocket science, after all: I didn't expect it to be easy!
I found some photos of East German SCUD launchers decked out in a cool tricolor winter camouflage, and after finding a few photos of Soviet vehicles painted in a similar scheme I took some artistic liberty and finished my model in the same winter scheme while using the Soviet markings supplied in the kit. Most of the decal work was reserved for the missile itself, which has a sheet of markings all to its own and took quite a few hours to complete. The decals went down fine and didn't silver, but the white stripe decals on the missile's conical warhead don't match the curve of the surface. I'm not going to sweat it though, because when this thing reaches mach 5 nobody will have time to notice... right?
I weathered the whole model with oil paints for the washes and filters/glazes, and used pigments and lots of dust-colored paint splatters from a paint brush to get the "well used" look I usually prefer. I intentionally left the missile, and especially the warhead, looking cleaner since it's bound to stay cleaner than the rest of the vehicle while it's being transported.
If you like tubes, hoses, wiring or tedious exercises in untangling headphone wires, then you'll love the rear of the SS-1c "SCUD-B".
Thanks for looking! All feedback is appreciated!