1/600 INS Arihant SSBN (Kokoda Trail Models)
|
by Kieran Griffith |
1/600 INS Arihant SSBN (Kokoda Trail Models)
The INS Arihant is an exotic ship and this is probably the reason it is only available in a resin printed miniature from Shapeways and designed by Kokoda Trail Models. It is the first domestic nuclear-powered submarine of the Indian Naval Service and carries four small ballistic missiles so it is technically a SSBN. Four subs are planned and two are in service. The professionalism of the Indian navy is a source of national pride for the Indian people (They do have the Indian Ocean.) and the navy itself is proud of its origin as part of the Royal Navy (You only have to look at the naval ensign.). The INS is also far less corrupt than other parts of the Indian military and even the government with only 3% of the Naval Budget disappearing due to corruption (About the same as USA.). I had a friend from the UK who was working on the Indian Navy Nuclear Program known as the Advanced Technology Vessel project. She was very impressed with her job and they were extremely impressed with her, but, I have not heard from the girl in a long time. She is a woman now and her and her lesbian wife might even have a child (They certainly were planning on one last time we communicated.). But I’m pretty sure she is still working for the ATV project in Visakhapatnam.In previous years I built very detailed complex model kits. Nowadays my hands shake a bit and I find it is difficult to build (Paint) anything more than single component models 3D printed almost exclusively by Shapeways (Even then my hands shake enough I can only paint on good days.).
