9K33 OSA / SA-8 Gecko
Ref: Trumpeter #05597 Russian SA-8 Gecko
The 9K33 Osa (NATO SA-8 Gecko) is a short-range surface-to-air missile system. Its development started in 1960. It entered service with the Soviet Army in 1971. The initial version only carried 4 missiles without the containers. Production ceased in 1989.
It was the first mobile air defense system with radars and missiles on the same vehicle. For the first time a single vehicle could detect, track and engage aircraft in all weather conditions.
The initial missiles had a maximum range of 10 km and maximum altitude of 5 km. The later production version of the launcher carries six missiles in containers. Maximum range increased to 12 km. Missiles have contact and proximity fuses. The 9K33 can detect and track aircraft while on the move however it cannot not fire missiles on the move.
The acquisition radar has a range of about 30 km. The tracking radar has a range about 20 km. On either side of the tracking radar there is a small parabolic dish antenna to track the missile. So two missiles can be guided simultaneously on a single target. Both of the missiles are guided on different frequencies. Reaction time from target detection to launch is 26 seconds. The 9K33 can stop from moving and prepare for engagement within 4 minutes.
Vehicle has a crew of five. The vehicle is fitted with NBC protection system. It is amphibious and air-transportable
There is also an associated reloading vehicle, which is based on a similar BAZ-5939 6x6 chassis. It carries 18 reload missiles in containers and is fitted with a crane. All six missiles are reloaded within 5 minutes.
Since its introduction the 9K33 was exported to a number of countries. Currently it is used by 19 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Greece (former East-German), India, Poland and Ukraine. It saw action in the Gulf war, in the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan and in the current war in Ukraine.
The kit
Released by Trumpeter in 2015, it features a high quality molding and a good level of details. It is composed of 6 light grey plastic sprues, 4 light grey plastic separate parts, 1 sprue of clear parts, 2 hull halves, 6 vinyl tires, 1 length of brass, 1 photoetched parts plate, 1 decals sheet and 1 notice with a color sheet for the decoration instructions. Several PE parts, of which the radar antenna, are duplicate and 2 are not used.
The cast is very good for the hull parts but requires a thorough cleaning work for the launch module parts. The missiles containers are warped and must be straightened before gluing the lower part.
The vehicle has a quite detailed interior of which few remains visible when the hull is closed. The launch module is snapped onto the hull which prevents removing it. With some care the wheels can be oriented and the target tracking and missiles tracking radars can remain mobile.
The notice comprises 16 pages and 14 steps. The instructions are overall clear. The painting instructions present 3 decorations: 2 in plain green (one is a vehicle in a museum) and 1 in a three-tone camo of green, tan and blue.
The build
The hull
The first two steps deal with the interior. You first need to paint the large consoles in light grey then apply the numerous decals. The panels present many raised details so I preferred to paint the details using the decals as models. The rest of the interior is painted bluish-grey which Trumpeter does not indicate.
Step 3 deals with the suspension. You need to clean thoroughly the mold lines. Parts D7 are not glued to parts D14 and D15 to allow the wheels to be oriented.
At step 4 you need to thin the axis of parts D24 and D25 so they can remain mobile if you intend to steer the wheels.
At step 5 the wheels are not glued yet. The dashboard is painted before the decals are applied. Trumpeter has designed three large decals. However it is advised to cut them in smaller sections to apply them more easily between the large raised details. If you don't open the flap E1, it is useless to assemble sub-assembly J-J.
Before gluing the details at step 6 the both hull halves are glued together (which is planned at the last step). The windscreens are masked with masking tape and glued with white glue. Hatch B1 is not glued yet. It will be glued in the open position later. Bases of parts C24 and B5 must be thinned. To represent the tow cable Trumpeter gives a length of brass and two eyes D5. In reality it is a cable long enough to be wrapped around the two supports on the hull. So the brass length is not used.
The launch module
The assembly begins at step 7 with the missiles supports. The handles of parts C73 and C88 are very fragile. To get a perfect alignment of the missiles containers it is advised not to glue sub-assemblies C44-C68 and C47-C67 to sub-assemblies K-K and L-L at this time.
At step 8 the both ends of parts F1 were warped on my sample. It is mandatory to straighten them before gluing parts A3 and A20. The acquisition radar structure requires a thorough cleaning work. The installation of the large PE part is easy. Beforehand you just need to give it its basic shape with a cylindrical object. Part A11 requires a thorough cleaning of mold lines.
At step 9 you need to really thin the triangles below part C51 and C56 to allow the setting of the radar antenna onto its base at the end of the step. Trumpeter gives the options to raise or fold down the antenna. For the latter you should not glue the ends of the jacks to the antenna. I haven't seen any jacks in all the actual vehicles pictures I've looked at. So it is advised not to use the jacks C86 and C87.
At step 10 it is possible to keep the missiles tracking radars mobile by not gluing them to their supports.
At step 11 you must cut the upper part of the tube molded inside parts B6 and B7 to install parts B9 and B8. Axis A10 should not be glued. This enables the tracking radar antenna to remain mobile. It is advised not to glue sub-assemblies T-T and U-U and make a dry fit test beforehand. Then sub-assemblies S-S and R-R could be glued.
At step 12 you have to study the second drawing to find how to glue part C71. The fins to glue part E14 onto the electric engine must be thinned.
Likewise at step 13 the fins of part E15 must be thinned. Stiffener C82 must be glued before the electric engine D1-E5. Attachment points of parts C11 and C12 must be thinned. The ones hidden behind the radars should not be glued if the radars are to remain mobile.
At step 15 you have to shape the PE headlights guards. To do so Trumpeter gives you part B11 as a jig. I did not manage to properly shape the parts which looked to be oversized. So I replaced them with 0.3mm styrene rods. It is not advised to put the launch module in place yet because the snap system designed by Trumpeter will prevent removing it. It will be easier to do it after the painting.
The decoration
The vehicle has been sprayed with Prince August 020 Vert allemand WWII. A dark brown wash has been applied over the whole vehicle. Then a pinwash has been applied around the details. The antennas were painted XF-64 Red Brown enlightened with XF-3 Yellow.
The vinyl tires are first rubbed with sanding paper to remove the shiny look. Then some earth paint is sprayed over the tread and partly the sidewalls. The tread is then rubbed with a finger to let the original rubber color appear again.
The markings come from the decals sheet. Those are generic numbers.
To weather the vehicle several layers of earth tones have been sprayed over the lower parts of the hull. With water pencils some streaking effects are represented on the sides. On the large horizontal panels some color variations have been made with the same pencils then highly diluted with water.
Conclusion
Trumpeter released an original vehicle which requires some care but above all a thorough cleaning work on some parts. The notice is clear and flawless which helps the build. It is a pity most of the interior cannot be visible because Trumpeter did a good job even though some elements are simplified.
Click on a thumbnail to see the full sized picture
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11/2022