The R-5, designed by Sergei Korolev, was built as a lower-risk development of the earlier R-2 (itself an improved version of the German V-2) in 1953. It used a motor fueled by alcohol and liquid oxygen, again a development of the V-2 motor. Initially armed with a conventional explosive warhead, it was soon followed by the R-5M with a nuclear warhead. With a range of 1200 km, this missile was based in western borders of the USSR, threatening the UK, and was given the NATO designation of SS-3 Shyster. It entered service in 1956 and was replaced by the SS-4 Sandal (Belcher Bits kit BL-13) in 1967.
The SS-3 was launched from a portable launch table, similar to that used by the V-2, with a six-sided blast deflector, a hexagonal support ring, a triangular levelling ring and a circular orientation ring. This is supplied in simplified form in this kit.