Red 08 Lipetsk
AB
This model is a Hasegawa
1/72 Sukhoi 27 Flanker from the box except decals coming from Linden
Hill Decals. It shows the special scheme of a Flanker at Lipetsk Air Base
in Russia with two sharks one on each side of the fuselage. This aircraft
is from 4th Centre for Combat Application and Training of Air crew a Russian equivalent
of American Navy TopGun/NSAWC school or test USAF squadrons from Edwards or
Nellis AB. In one word this squadron is the elite pilots of Russian air force.
Decals come from LINDEN HILL decals (Item number 72-014).The upper and
lower camouflage is flanker light blue X-Tracolor X602 (would
be FS35526). The decals are easy to install, the film is strong but I added
some paint correction after decal application because the tail of the shark didn't
match with the body/teeth part. I used Mr Color 322 (Phythalo cyanine blue). As
is shown on pictures on the Linden Hill instructions the plane is very clean
because it was repainted so I added a little weathering to paint
scheme. This plane before it was repainted showed only one shark on one side on a
classical original 3 blue scheme.
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The front and main gears
internal doors are painted in Gloss Red Humbrol 19.
Engines are
in aluminium metallic Humbrol 56 and weathering in burnt steel
Humbrol 53. I also used Gold and blue colors to reflect the burnt
style. Engines on the flanker are really amazing with a lot of different steel
colors, I tried my best, but it's not easy to show the complexity
of colors. To make the model more realistic I decided to open the canopy and
show the ejection seat a resin model with seat belts engraved. The plane
is slick with no weapon pylons as on the pictures but I added a fine
tube for the mouth of the gun.
So this kit is easy
to assemble with a lot of accurate parts: white metal main and front gears,
photocut metal details (canopy mirrors, engines protection...). I
know that the nose doesn't have the correct shape, but I think it is the best
1/72 flanker kit for the moment.
DANGER SHARK ATTACK
Jean-Charles GODDET
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