Russian naval cannon in about 1:25 scale from an unknown model company in China through AliExpress. The gun and fittings are metal and the carriage and base are wood. There is a selection of photo etch brass parts. I cut the base down from being a massive circle to something which will more easily fit in a cabinet. The instructions leave a lot to be desired. I started this kit maybe four years ago and abandoned it because of the two large metal sprue attachment points under the barrel which would show up in the finished model. I was unable to grind them off with a power tool so stopped work. Then last week I thought to just use a metal file, and within ten minutes the points were gone, so I sprayed it with Tamiya metal primer then a DIY store satin finish black. The imperial crest on the cannon is well done, and was brought out by sanding and scraping the paint away to reveal the goldish brass beneath. The water in the bucket is blue paint later covered with a drop of epoxy cement which dries like a layer of water. John Clearwater
