Along with my recent post of the Type-86A IFV, I’ve also built the Hobbyboss 82473 “PLA ZSD-90” kit in tandem. It’s always my tendency to build rare breeds of common subjects on offer, so I’ve converted the ZSD-90 into a NORINCO YW-309 IFV.
Brief history on the YW-309 IFV, this is a development of the YW-531H APC which is derived from the Type-63 APC. Additional roadwheel/lengthened chasis/more angular front hull/NBC protection etc. are the distinguishing features. The YW-531H entered PLA service as the Type-89 APC, with official type designations ZSD-89 and ZSD-90 (Manned Machine gun turret/Unmanned cannon turret) versions. In between when NORINCO obtained examples of the Russian BMP-1, they decided to transplant the turret from the BMP-1 to the YW-531H to form a YW-309 IFV, armed with the smooth-bore 73mm gun and HJ-73 ATGM (Sagger). As other more advanced types entered service with the PLA, only a handful of prototypes were made, so it doesn’t have the WZ# designation nor the service "“Type-#” as other Chinese armour vehicles.