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What would become known to the West as the Foxtrot class was a class of diesel-electric patrol submarines that were built in the Soviet Union. The Soviet designation of this class was Project 641. An actual 641 submarine was used in the filming of recent Jude Law film, Black Sea.

From Micro-Mir:

To replace the first post-war oceanic submarines of Project 611 (Nato name Zulu) in the late 1950s in the CDB-18, a new project, designated 641. The chief designer of the project was SA Egorov, then this post he held from 1958 ZA Deribin with 1974 N. Kormilitsin Project 641 was intended for the same tasks as the project 611: fighting for further communication, minelaying, reconnaissance, anti-submarine action. Compared with the previous project 611 project 641 boats had more autonomy and cruising range, greater depth of immersion, improved weapons and improved living conditions of the crew.

The project was considered successful. It was built 75 ships, including 17 for export to the Polish Navy, India, Libya and Cuba. Four boats of the project (B-4, B-36, B-59 and B-130) participated in Operation "Kama" (attempt to break Cuba is in a state of blockade) during the Cuban missile crisis.

In 1997, the division of the Black Sea Fleet of the USSR between Russia and Ukraine Boat Project 641 B-435 was transferred to Ukraine and was named U01 «Zaporozhye."

The boat was built in Leningrad Novoadmiralteyskom factory. Launched on May 29, 1970. The structure of the Soviet Navy came under the designation B-435 January 20, 1971 and in February 1971 included in the Northern Fleet of the Soviet Navy. Over 20 years of service with the Soviet Navy has made ​​14 long hikes. Submarine repeatedly patrolled in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Barents Sea, has been involved in large-scale exercises of the Soviet Navy, attended a friendly visit to Cuba, Morocco, Syria.

As of March 2014 was in the U01 ranks, being the only Ukrainian submarine and the only ship of the project 641 are still in service.

In 2014, while blocking Russian troops Ukrainian Navy submarine crew offered eight times to the side of Russia, but the proposals were rejected by the sailors. March 11 entrepreneurs of Zaporozhye support crew, by sending a minivan with food.

March 21, Russian troops seized as a result of the assault boat. March 22 seized boat with Russian sailors on board moved independently in the South Bay of Sevastopol.

At the moment the boat is still in occupied Russia Sevastopol.

Previous to this release, if you had wanted to add this boat to your early Soviet Navy submarine fleet collection you're only choice was the Admiralty Model Works resin kit. A very nicely done kit with a price more reflective of resin kits that are more manually intensive to produce.

This kit (No 350-19) is a multi media kit of injected plastic an PE details and is available at Free Time Hobbies for $24.95 (US) plus shipping.