MiniArt 1/35 USV-BR 76mm Gun Mod.1941 w/Limber and Crew Kit First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | January 2016 | Manufacturer | MiniArt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | USV-BR 76mm Gun Mod.1941 w/Limber and Crew | Scale | 1/35 |
| Kit Number | 35129 | Primary Media | Styrene, Photo-Etch |
| Pros | Beautiful detailing | Cons | Nothing noted |
| Skill Level | Experienced | MSRP (USD) | $48.99 |
First Look
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The Soviet Army took delivery of a new divisional artillery piece in the late 1930s designated as F-22. The F-22 was 76mm gun with split trail carriage and was intended to replace the M1903/30 gun in service, but commanders were not happy with their new guns and the designers went back to the drawing board. The resulting redesign became the USV-BR which entered production and was in service at the start of the Great Patriotic War in 1941. With approximately 10,000 examples produced, the USV-BR remained in service until replaced by the ZiS-3. Hundreds of these guns were captured by the Germans and used also as indirect fire weapons or modified into the PaK 39(r) anti-tank gun.
Here is a new field piece from MiniArt which will please many modelers. The USV-BR is an artillery piece we haven't seen in injection-molded 1/35 scale kit-form until now. Molded in light gray styrene, this kit is presented on 14 parts trees plus one fret of photo-etched parts (duplicate trees not shown). According to the kit specifications, there are 329 parts in this kit. Among the features and options:
- Highly detailed gun mount and movable split carriage
- Highly detailed gun and recoil buffers
- Detailed operator controls
- Gun is movable in elevation and traverse
- Gun can be posed in transport or firing position
- Detailed limber
- Ample supply of ammo boxes and individual rounds
- Five-man firing crew figures included
Markings are provided for six examples in Soviet Army service circa 1941-45. Painting instructions are provided using MIG paint colors which are fine for those that use MIG paints. MiniArt used to provide painting instructions for many different paint brands and it would be nice to see MiniArt return to that solution for those modelers that do not have or do not use MIG paints.
Here is another work of art from MiniArt Models. This model will look great straight out of the box as you have the makings of a nice vignette or diorama, or you can add a Jeep, Gaz, or horse train to depict this piece in travel mode. Whatever your choice, this is a detailed model that will make even the AMS modeler happy.
My sincere thanks to MiniArt for this review sample!