Hi all, after so many reviews of the expensive white metal stuff, time to get some plastic figures a review, and I think it’s a shame for me not share this set which I just acquired.

Zvevda Russian Spetsnaz No.1 (no.3561)

Introduction
Quoted from the web ads “Russian special force Spetsnaz. These four figures set represent in their appearance and armanet modern Russian soldiers, belonging to the elite operational anti-terror units used mainly for releasing hostages and fighting against armed gang.”

Zvevda, one of the biggest Russian kit manufacturer produced some of the nice and rare Russian subject. There is no date printed on the box so I cannot tell how old is this kit. All other writings are in Russian. This is my first Russian figure and even my first ever modern subjects.

The box art is nice and it’s hard to get a nice box art from Russian manufacturer.


What’s in the box

Open up the box, I was surprised to find only one sprue molded in dark green without plastic bag. All of the parts are numbered (off course in Roman not Russian..)by each of them.



Each figure consist of a simple 7 parts which are the 2 legs, 2 arms, the body and the head and their riffles. All of the other personal gears are molded to the parts for example the ammo pouches and the radio. There are 4 figures in the set which are 3 standing figures and 1 squatting figure aiming his SV-98 sniper riffle. The molded-in details set looks ok and perhaps can make the process a lot faster. The details of these gears are good, an example is the nicely done button on all of the pouches and the tiny straps. But details on the uniform is a bit soft. The wrinkled on the uniforms is soft too on all of the figures.






When I compare the box art with the instruction manual and the sprue, quickly I noticed there’s a mistake. The box art clearly showed one figure with his right feet up on the ruins (see box art photo above) and there is none of this in the set. I wonder what happen. Usually we will get whatever that is in the box art (off course not the surrounding details and background items), but I guessed Zvevda probably forgot it or mistakenly put the other set (there is Spetsnaz set no.2 by Zvevda). The quality of the molding for all parts again are basic with many seam lines visible and some flash plastic.
Facial expression for the four of them is better compare to any DML sets. Only one guy got almost the same size of neck and head… The details of each eyelid is almost excellent. There are seam lines on each of the heads and flash plastics on some parts especially the ears. Two of the head have ears but the detail is a bit disappointed given that the face is done beautifully. Two guys are wearing helmet with a nice texture effects.
The lips part are also good. For the helmeted head, the straps and buckles are molded under the chin and the quality of this is better then any plastic figure that I build before.
Examples of some of the heads.






Weapons
Zvevda put 4 weapons for each of the spetsnaz team but there is no other spare rifles or pistol as well as grenades are supplied. 3 AKS-74U assault rifles were given in the set with one of them in basic configuration, one with 30mm BS-1 grenade launcher and one with Cobra silencer. One SV-98 sniper rifle is given for the squatting figure. The quality of the molding on the rifles is good but some parts are basic with soft details. No straps are given nor the indicator. There is a visible parting lines on each weapons and one may drill holes to open up the tip of the nozzle.
A shot on the AKS-74U (with silencer)


Instruction Manual



The ‘one-page’ colored illustration clearly tell where to put all parts just like that of DML instruction. The instruction is written in Russian text but the color codes are given both in Russian and Model Master colors. There is no camouflage pattern example given but the colored instruction will guide painting. The suggested illustrations are for the 3-tone Blue DPM (Russian Interior Ministry) camouflage. The box art only showed one guy wearing blue uniform while the other two are wearing the Russian DPM woodland camouflage and the sniper guy is wearing the non-camouflage Russian uniform with camouflaged ammo pouched. Now I wonder which figures get the right color. It’s up to one to choose which color to choose from. Russian Spetsnaz are issued with several cammo uniform as well as tactical suit.

Conclusion
This is a nice kit with I presume may require a bit cleaning during assembly. I dint test fit any of the part yet, so I don’t have any ideas how the fitting would be.
Recommended to more advance figure modeller. There are many possibility for dioramas and vignette for modern subject for example Russian anti-terorism excersice or the Chehnya or Kosovo conflitcs setup.

The kit is not available in LHS so far that I know. The kit is available in the net and in my case I got it from the UK with a cost of one DML Gen 2 figure set, in which I believe is worth enough.

Acknowledgment
..goes to my credit card.


Disclaimer
The views expressed here remain that of the reviewer and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of SFTPMS.

A most excellent and comprehensive review Sil. The closeup pictures are great as they will give any potential buyer an idea of the detail.

I've seen some of Zvevda's 1/72 figs and the details are very good for that scale and mind you they were samurais too with all their intricate armor. As for this kit I would say some of the faces are very good as you can even pick up the pupils of the eyes and its at 1/35.

Nice variation of weapons including a lovely Dragunov plus the AK's are uptodate with their plastic ammo clips with the bullet details visible. By all appearance a good buy and I tempted to get one myself.

Many thanks for that most excellent review, comrade and may I say Xopownn (the last n with the little tick over it, unfortunately SMM fonts are not russian friendly).

Sil..

I got my in S'pore for SGD 8.9........ :P

BTW, I think those weapon is a bit to the thin side, it is batter be replace with the DML Ak set...

At Thomas purchase of SGD 8.9 which roughly works out to around RM 20 its definitely a good buy. These little guys will fit beautifully in a small vignette featuring some ruins given their poses. Plus their urban camo will look really unique.

beachbum,

what's Xopownn?? hehehe....so now u speak russian?? i'm impressed by your multi language skills...hehe

this set indeed have some good details (especially the face and weapon) but some basic and poor detaisl which i forgot to mention. The legs are all basic with poorly wrinkled effect...

but like i said, this is a nice set to have..since i already tempted you, pls get one and we can share the building misery. I already prepare my self with russian construction misery syndrom...hehe

Thomas, u lucky ^&*&)()... do u got from online s'pore shop or u went down to sg yourself... i was unlucky...after trying on the net for several months, that the best price that i got..of course the price is with shipping...the kit alone cost about GBP 3

this kit will be a nice addition to my BTR-70....

Actually I meant to say "Good Job" in russian but since SMM fonts can't recognize russian unlike german, it came out like cakar ayam.

As for posing them next to your BTR-70 how about next to a Ka-29 combat-transport helicopter or one of the Mi range of transport choppers about to dust off after unloading the Spetsnaz. :rolleyes:

the commander on the boxart gives a commanding body language(even pointing finger)... but the commander figure just give a language like... "WHAAAT LA U...!!" like that... no pointing finger...

actualy it's kinda let down to me when "Product shape and boxart may varied" kind of thingy...

thanks tauke...
Ka-29 is an ugly looking monster..i would prefer them jumping from the Hind.....remember the secret project?? syyyyyyyyyyyyhhhhhhh..it's should be secret...that's why spetsnaz are deployed

koo,

haha..what la u
in fact i always attacted to the nice box art and it's one of the X-factor for me to buy kits

when i read you post, quickly i check the figure...the real figure actually dont really show the command finger but more to calling type signal..like "come over here guys" rather then "you, cover the left flank, you, cover the right flank" type...

i will post some more photos after the break.........
thanks koo for bringing this up......

I got mine when on my business trip there earlier this year...there is also a part 2 with a guy firing AGL.. this one cost more at SGD 11.9. But I didn't get it lah.



OK, Sil, we can definitely share the building misery, I actually plan to mix this kit with the ICM Spetnaz kit for a vignette like some of the photos below....

http://pvo.guns.ru/weapon/rifle.htm

Wooah....Thomas that's another very nice set. Maybe you can do a review if you can spare the time. The photo link was good too. I like the chap with the cowboy hat, it really defines Special forces all over the world, a bit crazy but deadly serious and always professional.

Thanks for the photo link. I look forward to seeing the vignette.

koo,

these are the photos of the 'commander'..

the instruction


and the arm...look at the finger


compare that to the box art, u can see clearly that zvevda is 'cheating'..hehe

Thomas,

i didnt have the second set and i think i didnt interested in the setting. I got the other spetsnaz kit that u mentioned, but i got the Alanger kit, not the ICM but they are the same. ICM also made the same set and box with 4 afganistan figures. Alanger also made the same set with a truck.

Have u started this kit?? if yes then share la the misery..hehe

tauke...
if u love the dude with cowboy hat,

here's for you



quick, click here
it's on sale

Sorry Ck, I didn't have the second set too...

Sil, I have started mine, very initial stage, not up to painting yet. I will post some photo later. There are so many uniform pattern to chose from, I haven't make the selection, but I will most properly paint one with blue camo and another with gray camo..

good...so how was the fittings?? i can tell there will be hell a lot of clean-up...

for all the gangs, DML also have one spetsnaz kit in which it's OOP but the posing is not as good is what Zvevda have done...

Sil,

As the attached photo, I only partially assemble the sniper figure, the other 2 guys are from ICM. so far the fitting is so.. so.. some putty needed to fill the celah kangkang..

This project was in my to do list, so with this topic initiated by you, may be I will give it a jump Q .. ;)

thanks for sharing the misery....
how was the ICM kit plak?? i have the one made by Alanger but I haven't carefully inspect the quality. Ehh, why is your sniper dude's color is a bit on the light green..mine was dark green.......

keep it up thomas

Haa.... the ICM kit is also 2 X 5, sama saja. but have a lot of sink hole... :angry:

My kit also dark green color lah, but I mist it with dark yellow to check the join. B)

Are you gonna build yours soon?

of course i will build it..but this soon la..lepas the tamiya com, i will prepare for the F-14 stuff and then some others unfinished bussiness...after that maybe i will start on this kit
probably next year la...