1/700 Gorshkov Frigate 417, Project 22350 - Russian Navy by Gwylan Models 
Reviewed March 2018
by Ayala Botto
History:

Designed and built by the Severnoye Design Bureau / Severnaya Verf (Saint Petersburg, Russia), the Admiral Gorshkov class Frigates (Project 22350 according to the Russian nomenclature), are designed for ASW and ASuW duties and represents the backbone of the modern Russian Navy. Based on the Project 11356 frigate built and exported to the Indian Navy, the Project 22350 frigates can operate in support of blue water operations and features stealth technologies as well as the Uragan/Hurricane (automatic air defence interception system) and the Medvedka-2 ASW weapon system.

Like most Soviet/Russian warship, it’s heavily armed and well equipped with a powerful weapons suite like the P-800 Oniks (SS-N-26) supersonic missile, the Kalibr (SS-N-27) cruise missile, the long  range SAM S-400/9M96 VLS missiles or the short range SAM S-350/9M100 VLS missiles that together with A-192M 130 mm gun and the Palash CIWS 30mm as well as a Ka-27/Ka-31 helicopter, provides a superior fire power for these platforms.

Between 10 and 20 ships are intended to be built for the Russian Navy's Baltic, Black Sea, Northern and Pacific fleets although only 2 ships have been completed until now (Admiral Gorshkov and Admiral Kasatonov).

Specifications:

  • Length: 135 m (443 ft.)
  • Beam: 16,40 m (54 ft.)
  • Draft:  4,50 m (15 ft.)
  • Displacement: 4,550 tonesPropulsion: CODAG (Combined Diesel and Gas)
    • 2x 10D49 Diesel Engines 5,200 hp (3,900 kW)
    • 2x M90FR Gas Turbines 27,500 hp (20,500 kW)
    • Total Power: 65,400 hp (48,800 kW)
    • 2x Shafts with fixed pitch propellers
  • Speed: 29,5 kn; (54,6 km/h; 33.9 mph)
  • Endurance: 4,850 nmi (8,980 km; 5,580 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
  • Autonomy: 30 days
  • Crew: 180 to 210
  • Flight deck and hangar for one Ka-27/Ka-31 Helix medium helicopter
Radars, Sensors, Sonar and Communications:
  • Furke-4 5P-27 Air/Surface Search Radar
  • Poliment 5P-20K 4 faced active phased array search, tracking and guidance radar
  • Monolit 34K1 surface radar
  • Puma 5P-10 fire control radar
  • 3x Pal-N Navigation radars
  • Zarya M hull mounted sonar
  • Vinyetka towed array sonar
  • Vigstar Centaurus-NM/Tsentavr-NM-1 Satellite Communication System
Armament:
  • 1x Arsenal A-192M 130mm gun
  • 2× Palash CIWS 30mm (2x guns each + 8x Sosna-R SAM each)
  • 2x MTPU pedestal machine gun 14.5mm
  • 16× UKSK VLS cells fitted with P-800 Oniks (SS-N-26) and/or Kalibr (SS-N-27) missile system;
  • 32x Redut VLS cells housing S-400/9M96 series long range SAM or S-350/9M100 short range SAM (quad packed)
  • 2x Quadruple 330mm torpedo launchers
Electronic Warfare & Decoys:
  • PU KT-308 (2x) and PU KT-216 (8x)
  • Pket-NK anti-torpedo decoys
  • Prosvet-M EW suite
The new edition of the upgraded Gorshkov kit from Gwylan Models includes:
  • Single piece waterline resin hull
  • Sprue with all resin parts for the hull (1x)
  • Sprue with two resin helicopters (Ka-27 and Ka-31)
  • New 130mm brass barrel
  • Complete PE sets (2x)
  • New decal sheet for the first two ships of this class
  • Instruction sheet
Hull:

The model is cast as single waterline resin hull piece with accurate and complete moulded details, namely (among many others) the watertight doors, the vertical ladders, the life canisters and the air vents as well as the VLS cells, the PU KT-308 and PU KT-216 decoys or even the VDS Sonar at the stern.

The quick works (immersed part of the hull) are not represented given the fact this is a waterline model.

 

Gorshkov-021
Resin Parts:

The main resin sprue includes the necessary parts to apply on the hull, namely:
  • Stealth mast and detail parts for the Stealth mast
  • Different types of Domes
  • Arsenal A-192M 130mm turret
  • 2× Palash CIWS
  • Ship Boat + RHIB
  • Handling cranes to load and recover the RHIB and Ship Boat
  • Etc.
Gorshkov-022
A second resin sprue includes the frame of the Ka-27 and Ka-31 helicopters with an amazing level of detail. Gorshkov-019
Brass Parts:

For the first time ever, Gwylan Models decided to include a brass barrel for the A-192M 130 mm gun!
Photo Etch Set for the Hull:
  • Small mast on top of the Hangar
  • Safety nets
  • Railings
  • 14,5 mm MTPU pedestal machine guns (A masterpiece!)
  • Whip antennas
  • Etc.
Gorshkov-020
Photo Etch Set for the Ka-27 and Ka-31 helicopters (one of each is included):
  • Folded Rotor Blades
  • Unfolded Rotor Blades
  • Landing gear set
  • Vertical Tail stabilizers
Gorshkov-018
Decals:

The decal sheet provides hello deck markings as well as the pennant numbers and the hull ship names in Cyrillic for the first two vessels of this class, namely Admiral Sergei Gorshkov (417) and Admiral Kasatonov (431), both former commanders of the Soviet Navy.

The red star close to the anchors (Port and Starboard) as well as the patch located at VDS door and the Load Lines to be applied In multiple locations across the hull on top of the water line are also included.
 

Gorshkov-017
Instructions:
As usual with other recent kits released by Gwylan Models, the instruction sheet is a fairly simple spartan style page, that nonetheless provides a clear guide to the correct location of all parts whatever they are (resin, photoetch or decals). Gorshkov-016
Painting Scheme:

The WEM Russian Baltic Fleet Grey M20 is the correct option to paint the hull and “vertical” surfaces of this model as well as the vast majority of the decks.

Although no independent and reliable information is presently available, some footages show the deck close to the bridge windows (where the 14,5 mm MTPU pedestal machine guns are installed) painted with a red brick coat (old school soviet style). For these decks the Russian Deck Red M13 produced by WEM Colour Coats is the right choice.

The Vallejo Colour 982 Cavalry Brown is my suggestion to paint the red colour below the white water line. Due to thickness of the water line I strongly recommend the use of a very thin white decal stripe.

I used this method on all my Soviet/Russian warship models and I’m very impressed how they look.
 

Gorshkov-001 Gorshkov-002 Gorshkov-003 Gorshkov-004 Gorshkov-005
Gorshkov-006 Gorshkov-007 Gorshkov-008 Gorshkov-009 Gorshkov-010
Gorshkov-011 Gorshkov-012 Gorshkov-013 Gorshkov-014 Gorshkov-015
Conclusion:
This is a is pretty straight forward to build model with fantastic, accurate and richly detailed casting.

The Ka-27 and Ka-31 helicopters include the PE main rotor blades (folded and unfolded configuration) a feature that is always much appreciated and welcomed by the modellers not to mention the brass gun barrel!

Undoubtedly another essential model in any 1/700 modern fleet (or stock pile) and another welcome and long-awaited model by all Russian Modern warships fans.

Due to the new techniques developed and equipment invested in recently, all resin parts are more consistently good across all their range of kits.  Gwylan Models is indeed working hard to make quality a more consistent high standard.

Already an invaluable and crucial player among the modeller ship community, Gwylan Models keeps feeding the modellers dreams producing fantastic models at a great price and quality, providing hours of enjoyment to the modellers willing to build modern warships models in this scale, regardless the skills required.




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