Zvezda 1/2700 Imperial Star Destroyer

This kit was released in Dec 2016, but only in the Russian Republic, probably because of a licensing agreement between Disney and Zvezda.

It may be available on e-bay, from private purchases, and a future repop may be released by Revell. The photos are of a kit purchased by a modeller in Russia (G'Day Sergey) on my behalf for $US100 (home-delivered).

The kit is packed into a large sturdy colourful suitcase-type box. It is sub-divided into one large and two smaller cells to protect the 6 largest parts. On this kit, we found a couple of small wear points and light scratches 'cos it wasn't packaged for international shipment.

There are seven sprues (including two E-sprues) and six large parts in medium-grey plastic, each packed in separate plastic bags. The box states that there are 105 parts, but repeat parts all have the same number (eg, the 16 flanking guns). There are no decals, or PE bits.

Mouldings are very crisp (as you'd expect from a new mould). Uniquely, ALL knock-out pin scars will be positioned inside the model (except perhaps, for a couple on the stands.) Sprue-gates appear to be a standard 2 x 1mm on large parts, and about 1 x 1mm on smaller parts, but there are none of the large 5-10mm gates of other models. A few plastic flow marks can be discerned on the larger parts, but they should disappear under a coat of paint.

Panel lines are recessed, and they come in two different widths and depths. They should readily take a dark wash to accentuate them. Raised detail is part of the 3D nature of the surfaces. Small details will benefit greatly from either detail painting or dry-brushing. Larger surface detailing should be highlighted by a dark wash in the recesses and then a pale dry-brushing.

Dry-fitting some parts showed that the fit is very precise and that the details align beautifully across construction seams.  A careful search finally revealed a miniscule mould seam on the sides of the gun bases.

Negatives.

The instruction booklet is completely in the Cyrillic alphabet, so how's your Russian?

This may create problems with the painting guide.

Positives.

The very-clear pictorial instructions compensate for the language barrier.

The main paint requirement (Humbrol 129) is annotated on the side of the box. This supplements the instructions, though the modeller is naturally allowed to exercise his (or her) artistic license.

The kit comes with internal bracing pieces that will prevent the hull and tower from collapsing when the model is built, handled or flown around your room.

Four kit pieces make a stand of two separate supports, though some modellers may prefer to permanently fix the supports onto a single base, or even resort to a home-made stand (eg, a three-strut stand or a single pedestal under the model's Centre of Gravity) of clear acrylic rod/s.

With careful construction, even by a novice modeller will be able to build a very impressive out-of-box model from this kit. Its size and level of detail puts all previous Star Destroyer kits in the shade.

Some modellers will want to enhance this kit by replacing the kit barrels with after-market turned brass ones (you'll need 64). You'll have to plan ahead for storage space, because the completed model measures 600mmLG x 333mmWD x (est) 163mm tall. With its cavernous interior, this model is certainly suitable for illumination. Personally, I would have liked an in-scale Rebel blockade runner, Millennium Falcon and a Slave 1, to be included in the kit. Fortunately, they are available from a Shapeways.

George Oh

April 2017

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