I’ve ranted before about the piss-poor representation that the Soviet VVS has in the modeling world, particularly in 1/48 and 1/32 scales.

While things are still bad, I have to admit a certain tide seems to be turning. Around the time I came back to the hobby, Zvezda made some major waves with its wonderful Lavochkin La-5 and La-5FN. After that, the world went back to Mustangs and Spitfires and Bf 109s, until the summer of 2012, when Tamiya surprised everyone with an epic Ilyushin Il-2M3.

Around the same time, a new player, Xuntong Model, came out of nowhere (well…China) and made its debut with a 1/48 Tupolev Tu-2T (read the review).

In 2013, it looks like the VVS love is continuing! While the company appears phenomenally poor at communicating new releases, Xuntong has wasted no time in rolling out the really appetizing Tu-2s – the Tu-2VS and the ASh-82FN-powered Tu-2S. If the Tu-2T is anything to go by, these should be very solid kits, and bargains for the $30 or so they’re going for over at Lucky Model.

But wait…there’s more!

In addition to the two new Tupes, Zvezda is heading back to its Russian roots with an honest-to-goodness new-tool 1/48 Yak-3. As one who’s build the Eduard/Gavia kit, I’m flippin’ over the moon about this!

All three Ruskies are currently heading my way by various shippers, so stay tuned for some reviews in the near future!