In Box Review of Italeri 1/35th Scale
Soviet Cavalry WWII Cossacks
Kit no. 352
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1995
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1995
Out of production
HISTORY:
The Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic-speaking Orthodox Christian people, who became known as members of democratic, self-governing, semi-military communities originating in the steppes of Eastern Europe (in particular the Dnieper, in the Wild Fields)
They inhabited sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper, [date missing] Don, Terek, and Ural River basins, and played an important role in the historical and cultural development of both Ukraine and Russia.
After World War II, the Soviet Union disbanded the Cossack units in the Soviet Army. During the Perestroika era in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, descendants of Cossacks moved to revive their national traditions. In 1988, the Soviet Union passed a law allowing the re-establishment of former Cossack hosts and the formation of new ones. During the 1990s, many regional authorities agreed to hand over some local administrative and policing duties to their Cossack hosts.
In the 2002 Russian Census, 140,028 people claimed Cossack ethnicity, while 67,573 people identified as ethnic Cossack in the Russian Census of 2010. Between 3.5 and 5.0 million people associate themselves with the Cossack identity in Europe and across the world;[citation needed] Cossack organizations operate in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, and the United States.
The Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic-speaking Orthodox Christian people, who became known as members of democratic, self-governing, semi-military communities originating in the steppes of Eastern Europe (in particular the Dnieper, in the Wild Fields)
They inhabited sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper, [date missing] Don, Terek, and Ural River basins, and played an important role in the historical and cultural development of both Ukraine and Russia.
After World War II, the Soviet Union disbanded the Cossack units in the Soviet Army. During the Perestroika era in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, descendants of Cossacks moved to revive their national traditions. In 1988, the Soviet Union passed a law allowing the re-establishment of former Cossack hosts and the formation of new ones. During the 1990s, many regional authorities agreed to hand over some local administrative and policing duties to their Cossack hosts.
In the 2002 Russian Census, 140,028 people claimed Cossack ethnicity, while 67,573 people identified as ethnic Cossack in the Russian Census of 2010. Between 3.5 and 5.0 million people associate themselves with the Cossack identity in Europe and across the world;[citation needed] Cossack organizations operate in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, and the United States.
THE KIT:
Italeri is an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows two Cossacks charging on horseback with their swords raised.
They both wear black uniforms and hats and black jack boots. Their jacket cuffs are light –grey and they have flowing red scarfs.
The horse in the foreground is white, with a black mane, tail, nose and lower legs.
The horse in the background is light-grey with grey spots, black mane , tail, nose and lower legs.
On the horse’s saddles there is a canvas pouch and rolled canvas tarp. The riders have bayonet and sword scabbards on their belts, along with anno bandoliers across their chests, pistol holsters and a canvas sack.
One side panel begins by saying : There are alternate poses provided in 5 languages, including English. Followed by 6 white line drawings of the Cossacks on horseback against an all black background.
Italeri is an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end opening type box. I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
The box art shows two Cossacks charging on horseback with their swords raised.
They both wear black uniforms and hats and black jack boots. Their jacket cuffs are light –grey and they have flowing red scarfs.
The horse in the foreground is white, with a black mane, tail, nose and lower legs.
The horse in the background is light-grey with grey spots, black mane , tail, nose and lower legs.
On the horse’s saddles there is a canvas pouch and rolled canvas tarp. The riders have bayonet and sword scabbards on their belts, along with anno bandoliers across their chests, pistol holsters and a canvas sack.
One side panel begins by saying : There are alternate poses provided in 5 languages, including English. Followed by 6 white line drawings of the Cossacks on horseback against an all black background.
The other side panel begins by saying: The kit is not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. In multiple languages, including English. Over the 1995 copyright date for the kit. Kit is intended for modelers age 10 and over. Parts were made in Italy and Russia and assembled in Italy. Italari’s address is provided.
The bottom of the box serves as the assembly instructions and painting guide. It shows a 2-view of each of the horses with their riders. On the right side there is a listing of paint colors to use by Model Master brand of hobby paints, in 4 languages, including English
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 3 medium-grey trees in a sealed clear cello bag and a sheet of IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS KIT in 20 languages, including English, printed on both sides of a single-sheet that is 4 1/8th x 7” format.
Two of the parts-trees are alphabetized.
The large medium-grey tree is not alphabetized. It holds: the parts of the horses, 4 saddle bags, 2 rolled tarps, and 2 base plates etc. (22 parts)
The kit contains 3 medium-grey trees in a sealed clear cello bag and a sheet of IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS KIT in 20 languages, including English, printed on both sides of a single-sheet that is 4 1/8th x 7” format.
Two of the parts-trees are alphabetized.
The large medium-grey tree is not alphabetized. It holds: the parts of the horses, 4 saddle bags, 2 rolled tarps, and 2 base plates etc. (22 parts)
The smaller letter B tree holds one of the figures (divided into separate head, torso halves, arms and legs), an ammo pouch, scabbards for the sword and dagger, sword with right hand molded to it, pistol holster, scarf (13 parts)
The small letter C tree holds the other figure’s parts and same equipment (13 parts)
This is a neat diorama waiting to happen. I think it would have been suicidal for these guys to have attacked German tanks during Barbarossa, but there are some reports that they did so.
Highly Recommended if you can find a kit.