OKB Chelomey 16KhA Priboy

Brengun, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by David Couche

Eduard's 1/72 Avia B.534 IV serie Weekend Edition is available online from Squadron.com

The shortened history of the model is similar to the V-1. In response to reports of German attacks on London in the form of V-1 winged missiles, Stalin responds with an order to launch in June 1944 a program to develop the Soviet equivalent. Vladimir Nikolayevich Chelomey, who worked on pulse jet engines, was assigned to the project in October 1944 and was given control OKB-52. The program was helped by the partial restoration of V-1 missiles found at the test range Blizna in Poland by Soviet forces. The initial copy of V-1 was called 10Ch and later Izd?lije 10 . Serial production was scheduled to start in March 1945 with a plan of 100 pieces per month, which later increases to 450 per month.

By the end of 1944, the development of the D-3 pulse engine, which powered 10Ch, was in the prototype phase, and the first mass-produced 10Ch was ready on February 5, 1945. Since no launch pads were built, the first missile test was carried out bomber Petlyakov Pe-8 on March 20, 1945 near Tashkent.

In 1945 the Chelomey OKB had completed the advanced development project of the 16Kh winged missile. At first this was basically the airframe of the 10Kh mated to a D-6 engine; later, however, the project was significantly revised to feature two D-3 englnes on outward-canted pylons. The Tu-2 bomber was chosen as the delivery vehicle. A number of this version were used as air targets by the Russians which gives us the version for this kit.

In early 1947 plant No.51 (the Chelomey OKB) was tasked with developing a whole series of winged missiles, the air-launched 16Kh, the naval 15Kh and 17Kh to be launched from surface ships, and the 18Kh.  Very soon, however, the government had to curb its appetite, limiting the order to the revised 16KhA Priboy (Surf) missile and the 10KhM target drone (M = mishen' - target).

Brengun continue to release some very interesting subjects in their 1/72 range. This kit is another of these rarely heard of and seen aircraft. This is the second boxing of the just previously released Chelomey 16KhA Priboy, this time as drone targets is some bright red and white schemes. These aircraft have a close resemblance to a twin engined German V-1.

There is only one sprue holding 27 grey injected parts for this kit. Detail is a mix or recessed panel lines and some raised detail as required by various panels and details. There are only 17 parts used to make this model aircraft, making this a simple straight forward build. Certainly it is a good beginner’s kit.

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Nearly half of the kit parts are used to make a trolley for the actual missile to sit on.

The instructions are a double sided A5sheet with only 8 simple steps in the construction process. The kit offers you 4 aircraft schemes but has no details on where the schemes were used. Two of these schemes are a more challenging paint schemes of red and white slabs in 2 different patterns.

The other schemes offers a black bodied version and a green bodied version.

Brengun has given us the second boxing of a rare aircraft in the Russian Air Force, this time as target drones.

This is a nicely moulded, easy build for beginners and experienced alike, with simple schemes for beginners and complex schemes for the more experienced modeller. If you are looking for a cheap, quick, interesting build between big projects, then this may be exactly what you are looking for.

Thanks to Brengun for the review sample.

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2019 by David Couche
Page Created 30 September, 2019
Last updated 30 September, 2019

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