Hi
everybody,
Here is my
Trumpeter 1/48 SU-30MK Flanker.
The Flanker has
been my favourite aircraft for long time. It looks so cool!
In one review of 1/48 Academy Flanker I read that the Su-27 is "the
most sexy looking modern jet". Well, I would not go that far, but … most beautiful?
Definitely.
From the
beginning, my plan was to build an Indian Flanker. (So far I have not found any
pictures of a scale model of flanker wearing Indian colors on the Internet).
The
Model
When
I saw this model in my local hobby shop, I was impressed by low price
(about the half of the price of the Academy Flanker). Furthermore, the box
cover boasts that the airplane inside is Su-30 and Academy produces
Su-27UB which has not been exported to India. The result: I bought the
model instantly.
Only
later I gradually started to realize what I brought home. In an Internet
review, I read that this Trumpeter Flanker is a “poor copy” of the
Academy 1/48 model. |
Click
on image below to see larger image |
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And
... well, it really is just that: a poor quality
copy without fine detailing, with crude recessed panel lines. The worst
thing about the model is its fit – a nightmare. |
I also
discovered that Trumpeter "Su-30" is in fact only Su-27UB without
refinements that were added during the development of the type.
Real Su-30MK
differs externally from the Su-27UB:
-
Su-30MK has
a refueling probe installed
-
Su-30MK has
the IRB mounted on the right side of the windscreen
-
the
windscreen has a different shape
None of these
features can be found on Trumpeter "Su-30".
I did what is
within my skills to make a refueling probe and reposition the IRB, but decided
not to try to replace the windscreen (I can live with this error).
The
construction was torture at some stages – tons of putty and many square meters
of sanding paper had to be used.
Markings
My model
depicts a machine serving with No.24 Hunting Hawks Squadron of Indian Air
Force. First Flankers (Su-27MK-1) entered the service with the IAF in 1997.
(In
September 2002, brand new [canard equipped] Su-30MKIs entered the service with
the IAF. All older Su-27MKs in service are supposed to be upgraded to Su-27MKI
standard over the couple of following years.)
The Indian
Su-30MK-1s carry standard Russian flanker three colour camouflage. (the new Su-30MKIs are all grey) The markings
consist of Indian roundels, aircraft number and squadron insignia.
As
far as I know, there is no decal sheet for the flankers in Indian service on the
market (at least here in Prague). So I had to design my own decals using Adobe
Photoshop. After the design was done (in 200% of actual decal size), I took it
to my local copyshop and had it printed. First I printed the decal sheet from
file to normal paper, and then copied it from normal paper to decal paper in 50%
size.
(If
somebody is interested, write me an e-mail and I will send you my artwork
for decals by e-mail) |
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on image below to see larger image |
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Conclusions
Now I
know that the best thing for me to do at the early stage would be to scrap
the kit and go for Academy Flanker. However, given the quality of the
model, I think my flanker does not look that bad. And… it gives me good
feeling that I have this rarely modelled, big, bad & beautiful Indian
fighter on my display shelf.
Jan |
Click
on image below to see larger image |
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P.S. I
plan to build another "exotic" Flanker, so If somebody can give me
tips where to find pictures of flankers in Vietnamese or Eritrean service (I
could not find any on the internet so far), I would highly appreciate it.
Thanks.
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