Flankerman

Nino, The landing system (similar to the US 'Fresnel' lights) is called 'Luna'. A search turned up this image.... I hope it helps.... Ken

Just arrived - the latest kit from the Ukrainian enterprise of Modelsvit... the Myasischev M-55 'Geophysica' high-altitude observation aircraft. With each new release, Modelsvit are raising the bar for moulding quality - the crispness and engraved surface detail is simply stunning. Page 3 of the 12-page instruction booklet - note the 22-part K-36 ejection seat construction. Page 10 showing the painting and decal-placement guide. The superbly printed decal sheet - those sponsors logos are all perfectly readable! The parts are crisly moulded in light grey plastic - with stunning engraved surface detail. Modelsvit have captured the shape of the double-curvature laminar-flow long-span wing superbly. Open or closed canopy options are included - note the parts for the K-36 ejection seat. Self-adhesive masks for the canopy and wheel hubs are provided - as is this etched-brass sheet of parts. More photos of the rest of the sprues are here:- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_m-55_modelsvit.html This close-up photo shows off the delicate engraved panel detail perfectly... Finally, to whet your appetite, here's the real thing I photographed at MAKS 2012.... I can't wait to get started on this kit - it will make an interesting companion to Modelsvit's previously released M-17 'Stratosphera'... Ken

Except for the F-104 and SAAB JAS-39 Gripen - both of which are boarded from the RH (starboard) side........ Talking of Knights - that's why we (in the UK) drive on the left - so that we would face an oncoming horseman on our right (with our sword arm).... That's also apparently why we shake hands - to show that we are unarmed. Meanwhile..... Ken

BWDenver...... note the winch in the two photos you posted - on the port side. Russian helicopters are flown from the left hand (port) seat - like airliners - hence the winch position. Western helos are flown from the RH (Starboard) seat - with the winch on the stbd side. An interesting difference... Ken

More.... The gap betwen the lengthened radome and fuselage is filled in with scraps of plastic card.... .... followed by filler and a first sanding.... people of a nervous disposition look away now.. I've also made the new tailboom - using an 8mm plastic knitting needle cut and carved to shape - More butchery to follow... Ken

Care to elaborate Mario??? Ken

Thanks Janne... more butchery.... I'm happy with the joint lines - they are now eliminated.... So it's onto that problematic nose...... Published dimensions give the T10 (Su-27) and T10M (Su-37) as having the same overall length - but the Su-27 length includes the nose pitot. That means that the Su-37 (which doesn't have a nose pitot) must have the nose / radome lengthened by the same length as the pitot (11mm in the kit) The radome is also slightly wider in diameter - and without the slight double curvature of the Su-27 radome...... I'm lengthening the kit radome by inserting a length of 15mm dia plastic knitting needle between the fuselage nose and radome - I'll fill in the recess with scraps of plastic later....... I'm not 'fattening' the radome - the difference is minimal in 1/72 scale - but I'll try and re-shape the curvature to an approximation of the Su-37 shape. Ken

Progress...... The first application of filler along the joins....... I used the Su-33 cockpit tub - but with the Su-30SM decals as they have MFD screens - not 100% accurate for a Su-37 but with the canopy closed..... Zvezda provide the sliding throttle control on the left - but the Su-37 was fitted with a sidestick controller (right) - so I used the kit control column cut down...... Su-33 front end, married to the Su-30SM rear end.............. .... with the complete Su-30SM lower fuselage attached - and it all fits..... Now for some sanding/filling/sanding.... Ken

I think that Zvezda is the only Hind kit manufacturer (in any scale) to get the correct offset rear fuselage so unique to the Hind family. Ken

FWIW, I took this pic of a MiG-21SMT at Ledovo, Moscow in 2009 - you can just see the perforations... Is this the cone fully extended Gabor? - and if so, should'nt it be retracted when at rest? Here's another one..... Ken

Inspired by a discussion about building a Su-37 - The discussion suggested combining the back end of the 1/72 scale two-seat Zvezda Su-30SM with the front end of the Zvezda Su-33 to make the single seat Su-37. A new longer (and slightly fatter) nose is needed - along with taller, square-tipped fins - plus a few other minor changes - but the whole thing looks do-able. I have both kits in my stash, so I got both out for comparison - and liked what I saw.... so here goes.... As they are both from the same manufacturer, the panel lines match up - the Su-30SM is on the left - with the Su-33 on the right. The fuselages butchered / separated....... Note how the airbrakes differ. .... and swapped over (the left hand one will be the Su-37, the right-hand one will become a Chinese J-17/J-15D) Plastic card strips used the strengthen the joint. Now, I just need to work out how to do the fatter/longer Su-37 radome. More later.. Ken

Blimey Andrew - that's a blast from the past!!! The answer is no - the much-modified Revell Flanker isn't in that group photo - it didn't make the cut. Regards Ken

Just finished - the Modelsvit kit of the record-breaking MiG E-166...... It's really a MiG-152M............. ....... .but the designation was changed for the FAI record-breaking flights - to fool the west. The three stars representing the record-breaking flights...... It is a typical Modelsvit kit - highly detailed, but with large spue gates and every part had to be 'fettled' to clean them up. The decal sheet is superb - as are the instructions, etched brass parts and canopy/wheel masks. It fought me all the way though - but I won in the end. More pictures of the build here :- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_e-166.html The real thing resides at Monino..... The E-166 completes my collection of Modelsvit 'BiG MiGs' ........ Ken

There was an LPG-powered Mi-8 - I photographed it at Lukovitsy many years ago. This one has extra fuel tanks, not gas powered. It serves with the Russian Customs Service......... https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/6554908 Ken

T10M-3 (703), T10M-12 (712) and 86, 87 & 88 ended up with the Russian Knights flight demo team - painted up in their colours as Borts 1,2,3,4 & 5. They never flew a display with the team and were last seen languishing at the team's base at Kubinka. Ken