Krivak IV

[Thorvic]

Ok I'm in as I could do with the motivation 

Aiming to do an updated Soviet Krivak ASW Frigate converting a Skywave Krivak I/II kit to a revised version the Krivak IV which will get a gun forward on place of the SS-14 missile and a Hanger and helicopter pad aft where the guns were formally located.
I have the kit and the parts to hand but am awaiting the AKAN paints to get the right Russian colours, I also have some real world Russian and Soviet ships to build alongside my current Aircraft Carrier builds so thought I would jump in with a frigate conversion



The kit ready for work starting tomorrow 



What a Krivak III looks like with the Hanger fitted, these variants went to the KGB as border patrol frigates but are now with the Russian Coastguard as the equivalent to a USCG Cutter.

The Krivak IV will be similar but with a revised weapons fit of the late Cold War something like the Krivak VI which are used by India as the Talwar class.

[Captain Canada]

Cool. I like both ideas of moving the guns forward and adding  hanger.

[Thorvic]

Well I've started, went to bed last night and attached the waterline plate to the lower hull and added green stuff putty as the seam is crap.

Cleaned up the waterline this morning with a mix of sanding sticks and files to get a nice clean base join, and have removed the spray guard and box structure towards the bows that are two big for a Gun Turret version. These will be replaced with smaller versions later. Now looking to build up the superstructure at the stern to support the flight deck and the new hanger. I Intend to refine the rear structure from the Krivak III format with inspiration from the Talwar and the Neustrashimmy class which followed the Krivak's by extending the forecastle further aft, raising the funnel and doing a longer oblong hanger with space for the Kashtan CIWS on either side of the hanger.

Also building the other kit as a straight Krivak I (you get two kits in the box for a I or II ) to act as a comparison and add to the real Soviet Cold War collection 

[proditor]

Please provide as much photographic evidence as possible so I can blatantly steal...um...I mean, make an homage to your work. 

*totally not kidding, the Krivak 3 has been on my "to do" list for decades now*

[Thorvic]

I'll see what I can do, a Krivak III is probably viable looking at it and the IV will have some of the features but I am looking for a different look with some Neustashimy and Talwar features too as I intend to replace SAN-4 with SAN-9 and add the SSN-25 Harpoonski as well as Kashtan.

Progress so far has been to build up the afterdeck superstructure under the flight deck and with the IV I have extended the main deck further aft too. Just letting this cure and will clean up the putty used before doing some WIP shots in the morning. Will need to paint the are under the flight deck so will need the paint that will hopefully arrive next week, so I the meantime I can look to raising the forward superstructure and the funnel before starting on the hanger.

Going to use the Trumpeter Kirov as a source for the Kashtan CIWS as the Trumpert kit has the them on a common sprue and they were not fitted on Kirov herself which is handy  (Kirov will be built as straight OOB cold war build ).

[Thorvic]

Progress so far with the new structure for the fight deck



With a Krivak I alongside to show the differences



The Combrig Neustashimy hull for comparison which followed on from the Krivaks, although only 2 were completed and a third scrapped on the slips.

Since I did the photos this morning I have cleared off the deck ahead of the superstructure as this will get VLS launchers for SAN-9 and have added a deck to the superstructure to bring it into line with the Krivak III

[Thorvic]

As stated earlier I have built up the fwd superstructure a deck and added a deck house between the fwd and middle superstructures, I have built the body for the hanger and have extended the funnel to be taller than the Hanger.






Next up will be additional structure on the side of the Hanger to accommodate the Kashtan CIWS on either side plus a small Flyco on the starboard side of the hanger, Structure wise I need to modify the main mast to lower it to compensate for the higher superstructure and work out the revised sensor suite. Will also need to decide what to do about the senor structure fwd of the Funnel as this should probably be different.

You'll note I have placed the 100mm gun that will be fitted forward, and that I have refitted the lowered bow strakes that were removed yesterday. also shown is the expected location of the SAN-9 in lace of the SAN-4 and now trying to decide on if I should put the ASW RBU mortar back ahead of the bridge or fit the SSN-25 Harpoonski.

[proditor]

Looks awesome, thanks for the pics!   

I like what you did with the breakwater. Funny story, I was cleaning up my absolutely gorgeous G3 hull from IHP, and I got too vigorous and basically tooth-brushed off the breakwater. *Le sigh*

I also really like the skinny hanger. Looks just like what I have sitting on the side left over from my Varyag.

[Thorvic]

Cheers for that

To do a Krivak III you would from the looks of it cut off the rear of the bridge upper deck and the walk ways and build a new small block behind the bridge.

[Weaver]

You'll note I have placed the 100mm gun that will be fitted forward, and that I have refitted the lowered bow strakes that were removed yesterday. also shown is the expected location of the SAN-9 in lace of the SAN-4 and now trying to decide on if I should put the ASW RBU mortar back ahead of the bridge or fit the SSN-25 Harpoonski.

If you went for Neustrashimy-style fixed TTs next to the hangar and underneath the Kashtans, you could put the SSN-25's amidships in the former TT positions, and keep the RBUs forwards of the bridge.

[Thorvic]

You'll note I have placed the 100mm gun that will be fitted forward, and that I have refitted the lowered bow strakes that were removed yesterday. also shown is the expected location of the SAN-9 in lace of the SAN-4 and now trying to decide on if I should put the ASW RBU mortar back ahead of the bridge or fit the SSN-25 Harpoonski.

If you went for Neustrashimy-style fixed TTs next to the hangar and underneath the Kashtans, you could put the SSN-25's amidships in the former TT positions, and keep the RBUs forwards of the bridge.

Yeah I did consider it although it might end up looking a bit too Neustrashimy like but it does make sense. I think I may add a deck over the torpedo tubes and plate over the side of the hull in that section leaving an opening for the Torpedo tubes to fire through and then place the SSN-25 on that new deck and leave room for a single RBU forward.

Hopefully the paint will arrive today so I can sort out the stern do some of the nooks and crannies before whilst they are accessible and possibly the amidships section if I'm to plate over it.

The important part is that I'm enjoying the build and getting inspired again 

[Thorvic]

Please provide as much photographic evidence as possible so I can blatantly steal...um...I mean, make an homage to your work. 

*totally not kidding, the Krivak 3 has been on my "to do" list for decades now*

To do a Krivak III you would from the looks of it cut off the rear of the bridge upper deck and the walk ways and build a new small block behind the bridge.

I'll revise that, I had a look at the drawings last night and to do the Krivak III you would cut the bridge section off form the rest of the upper superstructure block and raise it up half a deck height so that it becomes stepped then build a new smaller Deck block above it and fit a shortened mast structure on top of that.

You would need to do the same at the bows as I am doing but the weapons layout of the SAN-4 and RBUs remain as per the kit. The sensor superstructure amidships needs to be modified, the after deck needs to be built up in a similar manner to how I did it but without going flush to the hull sides and the hanger tapers down towards the bows for the funnel.

So yes using a standard Krivak it should be possible to do the Krivak III ships 

[Captain Canada]

That's coming along nicely ! Great to see her beside the other ships for reference.

[Thorvic]

A bit of slow down now, have got one delivery of the paints (the Greys) from Hobby Paint N Stuff in Finland but still awaiting the fleet paint sets I had ordered off eBay before them, which includes the hull and deck colours which are due in today.

Have my brother staying over for a couple of nights as he's in Manchester with business tomorrow, so won't be building for the next couple of evenings, I did manage to add and extended deck over the torpedo tubes last night however so I may have a location for the SS-N-25 launchers now, but again this area will need to be painted before I can carry on.

I need to do the aft deck painting so I can fit the flight deck and blend that in before I can fit the hanger and the additional superstructure on either side which is why I'm eagerly awaiting the paint  .

The other delivery I got yesterday was a Shapeways 1/700 Buyan M corvette, these are the new corvettes replacing the old Grisha and Patya classes, however these are not ASW ships but General Purpose patrol ships with a 100mm gun, CIWS SAM and Gun Systems plus VLS tube for Surface Attack cruise missiles - (these launched at targets in Syria from the Caspian Sea and the Med !).
The moulding looks great but I will need to add a plate to the waterline as its looks a tad too low and then I will need to prime it to see the printing blemishes so they can be cleaned up. The kit has no gun barrels or fine masts so some after market stuff will be required to finish it off but its a nice little addition to the Russian Fleet and one I've not seen done in resin or plastic yet.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buyan-class_corvette

[Thorvic]

Quite impressed with the Akan paints good coverage with the brush on the bits of the Krivak that needed doing even on the raw white plastic card. Will be spraying the majority of the ship once assembled.
Still need to paint the aft deck after doing the superstructure grey so will do that in the morning and let it cure. Then I can crack on with the build again