Pukguksong-2 Medium Range Ballistic Missile Launcher

Hobby Boss, 1/35 scale

Reviewed by Zack Sex

North Korea has been firmly committed to the indigenous production and deployment of ballistic missiles since the late 1950s. Having survived the Korean War largely due to Chinese intervention, the Kim family leadership understood that they could neither defend themselves from external attack nor hope to invade the South without first developing conventional—and later nuclear-capable—ballistic missiles such as the Frog and Scud series.

Although the Soviets supplied both tracked and wheeled Frog missile systems, they were reluctant to provide the larger Scud missiles to North Korea. As a result, in the mid-1970s the North Koreans turned to allies in the Middle East to obtain examples for reverse engineering. In a deal with Egypt, North Korea reportedly exchanged large quantities of artillery shells and spare parts for copies of the MAZ-543 Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) and a number of R-17 Scud missiles.

Reverse engineering such a complex weapons system—and then establishing domestic production lines for what became the Hwasong (North Korean Scud) series—was undoubtedly a major learning process for North Korean engineers. In the decades that followed, the regime poured millions of dollars in hard currency into an ever-expanding missile programme. Much of this funding reportedly came from illicit activities, and it was achieved at enormous cost to the country’s often impoverished population. Over time, North Korea has also shared missile technology with nations such as Iran and Pakistan, and more recently has strengthened ties with Russia.

The Pukguksong-2 medium-range ballistic missile launcher represents one of the newer tracked systems intended to replace the earlier Hwasong/Scud platforms. First publicly displayed during a military parade in Pyongyang in 2017, the system reportedly entered active deployment around 2019. North Korean state television has since shown the launcher firing its powerful two-stage solid-fuel missile, often with the country’s “Dear Leader” observing the launch from a safe distance, apparently delighted with the proceedings.

From a modelling perspective, the launch vehicle itself will likely appeal to fans of the T-55 and T-62 tank families, as the chassis is essentially a stretched T-62 hull fitted with eight T-55-style road wheels and corresponding track runs. HobbyBoss also includes rubber track pads, which are fitted during parades to prevent damage to Pyongyang’s carefully maintained roads.

The KN-15 missile is housed inside a large protective launch canister topped with a prominent cap that separates just before firing. The driver’s compartment is only sparsely detailed, though it’s hard to blame HobbyBoss here—accurate reference material on these vehicles is understandably scarce, and few modellers are likely to have had the opportunity to inspect one up close in Pyongyang.

The model itself is simple and straightforward to assemble. It can be displayed either in transport mode or in the fully erected launch position, which makes for a dramatic centrepiece.

Recent reports have suggested that North Korean military equipment—including Pukguksong launchers and Koksan M1989 self-propelled guns—has been transported through Russia by rail, possibly destined for the Ukrainian front. This opens the door to a speculative Russian or North Korean service option, in addition to the two camouflage schemes provided in the kit for standard North Korean vehicles.

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Once completed, this model will certainly stand out—whether on a competition table or parked alongside a collection of Soviet-era armour such as the T-55 and T-62.

Highly Recommended

Zack Sex

Purchased by the reviewer