"Akula" – the USSR nuclear submarine of project 971

Project 971 submarines – the USSR multi-purpose nuclear-powered submarines. In the NATO code these ships are designated as "Akula" ("Shark") (USSR designations "Shchuka-B" and "Shchuka-M"). According to this classification, three versions are distinguished: "Akula I", "Akula Improved" and "Akula II". This type of ship was designed as a cheaper alternative to the excellent, but expensive submarines of the 945 project (NATO code "Sierra"). Instead of a titanium hard hull, a hull made of non-magnetic steel was used, which significantly reduced the cost of materials, labor costs and allowed the abandonment of equipment and installations for titanium processing. In order to reduce the noise, generated by the ship, a special system was used in ships of this type, separating the engines from the hull, as well, as using a special hull coating, great attention was paid to the hydrodynamics of the hull and superstructure, and a low-noise propeller design was used. The armament of ships of this type is equivalent to that of ships of the 945 type, they can also fire more powerful maneuvering shells from larger caliber torpedo tubes. The hull of newer ships of this type, designated as type 971M (NATO code "Akula II"), is longer due to the placement of low-speed engine transmission equipment, which was supposed to reduce the noise, generated by the ship. Work on this type of ship began in 1976. Initially they were also planned to be built with titanium hulls, but the lack of the necessary infrastructure and the high cost led to the choice of a steel hull. The building of the first type 971 ship K-284 "Akula" began in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on November 11, 1983, launched on July 22, 1984, and entered service on December 30, 1984. These ships can dive to a depth of 500 m.

A medium-complexity, well-designed and excellently detailed model, that will suit modelers of any experience. However, advanced beginners and modelers with little experience should work under the supervision of a more experienced colleague, don’t rush, work patiently and carefully. Excellently detailed hull, propulsion - steering complex, small parts, superstructure and its equipment. There is a small reserve of colors, but only black is quite a lot. The textual instructions in Polish are small and contain only general notes and a description of the assembly of the most complex components. But they perfectly complement the medium-sized, but quite detailed, informative and easy-to-read graphical instruction.