Cooperativa 1/72 BM-13 Katiusha
KIT #: R72007
PRICE: $9.99 when new
DECALS: None
REVIEWER: Scott Van Aken
NOTES:  

HISTORY

The Katyusha (Russian: Катю́ша) is a type of rocket artillery first built and fielded by the Soviet Union in World War II. Multiple rocket launchers such as these deliver explosives to a target area more intensively than conventional artillery, but with lower accuracy and requiring a longer time to reload. They are fragile compared to artillery guns, but are cheap, easy to produce, and usable on almost any chassis. The Katyushas of World War II, the first self-propelled artillery mass-produced by the Soviet Union, were usually mounted on ordinary trucks. This mobility gave the Katyusha, and other self-propelled artillery, another advantage: being able to deliver a large blow all at once, and then move before being located and attacked with counter-battery fire.

Katyusha weapons of World War II included the BM-13 launcher, light BM-8, and heavy BM-31. Today, the nickname Katyusha is also applied to newer truck-mounted post-Soviet – in addition to non-Soviet – multiple-rocket launchers, notably the common BM-21 Grad and its derivatives.

THE KIT

I picked up this kit many years ago when I had a local shop. The price was right and it looked like a nice kit. In a standard flimsy box typical of Soviet/Russian kit makers of the time, there are three light grey sprues. No clear sprue is provided, the windows of the truck to be made from clear acetate sheet from wherever it can be sourced. Also not included are decals, but from what I've seen, these vehicles were devoid of standard markings, though I don't doubt that at least some had patriotic slogans on them.

Though a short run kit, the molding is quite nicely done. One does have to do a bit of trimming and cutting to modify the ZIS-6 truck but it is minimal and within the capabilities of those used to short run kits.

You are provided with a full chassis that fits onto the frame. There is no full engine, but a lower section so the engine bay won't look empty when looking from the underside. The cab area has a bench seat, dash, and steering wheel. The door pieces are the ones that will need trimming. There is a reinforced area for the roof to deal with the rocket blast.

Once the actual truck is done, then attention can turn to building the rocket launcher. This is a rather complex looking construct so one would be advised to take it slow when building this up. The kit also includes the required rockets. On the back of the truck are braces which I have to assume would be able to be folded up for transport.

Instructions are a folded sheet with history and painting info on one side and the construction steps on the other. For colors, the chassis black and the truck and rocket framework are green with silver rockets.

CONCLUSIONS

While probably not a kit for a beginner, those with some short run experience should have no trouble building this one.

REFERENCE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha_rocket_launcher

November 2024

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