Subject: Re: 1/72 Italeri Su-33
From: "Steve Bamford ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Denis Belyanin" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2005 23:58:03 -0700

Hi Denis,
I just wanted to let you know your Su-33 article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.
Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Denis Belyanin 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 10:09 AM
  Subject: 1/72 Italeri Su-33

    
  "1/72  Italeri Su-33 (Converted from Su-27B) " 

  by "Denis A. Belyanin"
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here  

  The source kit is an Italeri Su-27B (aka Su-27K) that is mostly different with Su-33. While doing this kit i used as a reference Ken Duffey Flanker Page and his recomendations. Ken used Airfix kit but i couldn't find it and bought an Italeri one. It is further from the real Su-33 than Airfix but there was no alternatie for me:)

  First thing i've found - is drawings (blue prints). I used Aviation and Time Ukrainian Magazine with very good drawings of Su-33 and Su-33KUB inside. After comparison with the drawings i have found a lot of mistakes. I divided my future work into some main groups:

  - wings (on a real plane wings are wider and longer than in the kit and also have a large flaps):

  - vertical fins (on a real plane it is shorter and a slightly different shape);

  - tail fin (Su-33 has ultimately different tail fin - is is shorter a quarter, wider and positioned above the underside of the center-section);

  - front wings sections - kit parts also are far from original and places for them to clue on are wrong too;

  - jet intakes - they are smaller than required;

  - and of course - the main problem of Italeri kit - is the nose. It is more bulbous than original one.

  Other mistakes are not so obvious or and can be repaired without a lot of work. 

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  First of all i corrected vertical fins - corrected shape and cut off part to make them looking like on my drawings. Then make some scribing job according to the photos and drawings. Wings were put to a lot of tranformation - i cout off small flaps, cut the wings onto 2 pieces, made folding unit. Large flaps were build from old Nakotne Su-27 wings and were glued to a new wing in parking position. Also i made a large slats on the leading edge of wings.

  On the wings fins i glued two "Sorbtsiya" ("Sorbtion") ECM pods that are istalled on some Su-27/Su-33 fighters.

  Tail fin was build from a plastic rod  and epoxy putty, Place between engine nacelles was cut and made from the beginning, After that i used a lot of sandpaper a patience:)

          
        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here  

  To make shape of jet intakes more closer to original i used plastic too inserting some triangle pieces between intakes and center section. A lot of time on this stage took a smoothing lower surface and a whole shape between the intake and engine nacelle. After this i made scribing works on this section. 

  Concerning front wings section and shape of nose are not so difficult-to-make stages - rather time-taking ones. But i did everything i could:)

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        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 06.jpg   Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 07.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 07.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 08.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 08.jpg  

  Well, i corrected nose gear and made mud scraper for it. Wheels are from Russian firm "Equipage". For decal set i used Linden Hill set - Flankers on Patrol, Part I (as for my Su-27 and my Su-30K). 

  After all that i painted and weathered model.

  Missiles and pylons were improved too. Hope You' ll like the model. Perhaps it looks further from real Su-33 than some of kits on the ARC and some sites - i don't know really:)

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        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 09.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 09.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 10.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 10.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 11.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 11.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 12.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 12.jpg 

  Photos and text © by "Denis Belyanin"