The Soviet Project 1125 river armored cutters

In 1931 November 12 the leadership of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Fleet (RKKF) approved the conditions for the creation of two types of armored river cutters. A large armored cutter, intended for navigation on the Amur River, was to be armed with two 76 mm guns in two tank turrets, and a small armored cutter with one 76 mm gun in the turret. It was also planned to install two light turrets with 7.62 mm machine guns in armored cutters. The draft of the large armored cutter was to be no more, than 70 cm, and the small one - no more, than 45 cm. Ships transported by rail on the platform, had to correspond to the dimensions of the USSR railway. In 1932 June 22 an order for a technical project was issued to the "Lenrechsudoproekt" organization. The T-28 tank turrets and GAM-34 gasoline engines were chosen for the armored cutters. In 1932 in October "Lenrechsudoproekt" finished designing the ships. The large armored cutter was named "Project 1124"; the small one is "Project 1125". These ships were of similar construction. The chief designer of "Project 1125" was Benua Julius Julievich. In mid-June 1941 there were 85 cutters of the 1125 project in the lineup and another 68 under construction at the factories of the Council of People's Commissars of the Shipbuilding Industry and the Shipyards of the river fleet. The cutters were designed to operate in the limited combat zones of river fairways, as a rule, close to the coasts, occupied by the enemy. Therefore, vital areas - control post, engine room, fuel tanks, ammunition shafts - were armored. A large part of the hull was welded and the armor was riveted. The tank towers installed in the cutters did not completely satisfy the sailors, because the tank cannons usually have to fire directly, and the ships' artillery - from closed positions. The elevation angle of the cannons was too small for ship artillery - only 26 degrees. Single or double machine guns in turrets of various types and designs were installed on cutters during the war. In order to improve the overview, they were usually open from the top or large hinged covers were installed. After the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, most of the companies were evacuated to the East and the industry of the USSR could no longer equip the cutters under construction with tank towers, so some of the ships stood almost finished at the piers of the factory without armament. The solution came, when tank turrets were replaced by open artillery systems, mainly "Lander"-type anti-aircraft guns, copied from other ships. Later, the shortage of tank turrets was eliminated and the cutters began to be equipped with T-34 tank turrets, which were equipped with 41-caliber cannons, which fired at a greater distance and had better ballistic data. Some cutters are equipped with "Katiusha" salvo fire systems, which have significantly increased the destructive power of fire.

Moderately complex, well designed and detailed WW2 ships models. The models, although small, are quite complex, but not so that, working under the supervision of a more experienced colleague, even an advanced beginner, who has glued several more complex models, could not glue them together. From the publication You can glue together two complete models of cutters with several weapon options of your choice. Where necessary, details are double-side printed.