Zvezda joins Meng and RPG-Model with a 1/35 scale plastic model kit of Russia’s Typhoon K-4386 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) 4x4 vehicle. This is part of a large family of MRAP vehicles Russia has been developing in the 21st century based on a suite of common components, like the engine and suspension. Zvezda’s offering features the remote-controlled 30mm cannon in a turret.
Interestingly, assembly starts with the turret, which falls together due to the well-engineered parts, before moving to the passenger cabin. Zvezda does not include any prominent seat harnesses for the eight seats. There are also some missing details on the rear walls of the compartment based on photos I could find. However, once buttoned up, not a lot of the interior will be seen.
I can’t complain about how the chassis assembles, and Zvezda’s engineering allows the front engine compartment, passenger compartment, and rear storage modules to neatly click into place. When building the suspension, be careful, given the similarity of the different parts for each wheel. The model is curbside, meaning there’s no engine, which really isn’t a problem because you wouldn’t be able to see it without cutting open the hood. The front wheels are not posable.
Finally, I attached the fuel tanks, running boards, bumpers, and other odds and ends. The windshield wipers attach to a shroud that fits the front of the roof over the windshield. I could not get it to fit without cutting away at the base of each wiper blade. Fortunately, this surgery was hidden by the shroud when I finally got it to fit as needed.
There are only two marking options for the vehicle: one for the annual victory parade with an all-green paint scheme and another for the Western Military District in a three-color camouflage. However, the decal sheet also included two VDV (Russia’s airborne force) emblems that aren’t mentioned. I found a picture of this vehicle using just these two emblems with the plain green scheme and finished my kit. I chose Tamiya paints that were called out in the instructions, with some Vallejo colors for small details.
I would heartily recommend the Zvezda 1/35 scale Typhoon VDV 4x4 K-4386 plastic model kit
for anyone interested in modern Russian military equipment. I spent 35 hours building it, mostly because of the addition of painting the interior and the many small, detailed parts. Since it hasn’t been put into full-scale production, documentation is very limited, and due to the conflict in Ukraine, purchasing it from retailers in the U.S. is difficult and expensive. With the complex suspension and many small, delicate parts, it is appropriate for modelers with at least intermediate skills.