OKB Grigorov 1/700
US Submarines

Another two new kits on the Retrowaves site are US submarines USS Skipjack, and USS Sturgeon. Both are priced at 11 Euros.

These are both 700 scale full hull resin kits, and come with parts to complete the coning tower fins, and screw (in photoetch) assembly. Also included is a resin stand to display the model in the full hull version.

The instructions are therefore very straight forward to understand, and a 3 dimensional perspective view is shown of the hull, and parts assembly, with a side elevation, and picture of the subject at sea together with a short history.

The casting is similar to the OKB Grigorov Fort Drum kit using the same sandy coloured resin to produce a flawless hull with some detail included.

There are no painting instructions, however, a quick Google will provide some ideas, and we think the “black” hull at this scale should be WEM tyre black with a rust colour to the underside of the hull.

Periscopes are not provided but these should be easy enough to manufacture if required, and painted in the recommended camo schemes – again net reference should be the key to any queries.

USS Skipjack SSN-585 was the first true nuclear attack submarine to be in service with its distinctive teardrop shape and was therefore the template on which further submarine progress was based. There were six in the class from 1956 – 1961. With the loss of Scorpion in 1963 the rest were scrapped in the early 1990’s marking the end of the “cold war”.

USS Sturgeon SSN 637 is the larger of the duo and is noted as the “workhorse” of the US Navy’s attack submarines from 1963 – 1975. 37 of them were built, and they are distinguished by there “side” mounted torpedo tubes with the entire bow being dedicated to sonar technology. She was decommissioned in 1995.

All the details, and further reading are available on the net.