Flankerman

Having trouble with posting images.... Here's the second photo....

One thing that has always puzzled me is the cutout in the inner wing fence..... I used to think it was so that the pilot could see the undercarriage down indicator - until I took these two photos at Xiaotangshan in 2013...... .... which clearly shows that the U/C spigot is not in line with the pilot's line-of-sight. Is there also a 'flaps down' spigot as well?? - that would line up with the cutout... Ken

Wow !! - what a change to the museum since I was last there in 2013 :- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/mos2013_day07.html (scroll down about halfway). In 2013 most of the exhibits were outside and the museum was shrouded in scaffolding. Looking at 94lipo's photos it has had a major makeover - and in the 4th image it looks like the nose of a Harbin H6. Is that new 94Lipo ?? - it wasn't there when I last visited.... My pics from a previous visit in 2010 are here:- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/china2010_day01.html Ken

I can't comment on the kit - but here's a photo of the real thing - wot I took in 2010..........

I didn't see you there..... .... and I'm jealous as hell....... Great model BTW Ken

It's a pity they can't float it up to Khimki in Moscow to join the A-90 Orlyonok. Ken

The Aleksayev Lun ekranoplan ..... has been moved from its dry dock in Kaspiisk ( https://igor113.livejournal.com/51213.html?page=1) to a new location ........... http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=/language_tools&u=https%3A%2F%2Fzen.yandex.ru%2Fmedia%2Flanasator%2Fekranoplan-lun-proekta-903-v-derbente-udalos-oboiti-ohranu-i-popast-vnutr-5f30e9b9bbe8572b801cebe9 Interesting story of a fascinating machine.... Ken

Just being mischievous........ but the canopy latches look a bit ill-defined.... (ignore the handsome jet jockey...) And..... will the decal sheet include a map for the beautifully rendered map case??? Sorry - it's hot and I'm bored... Kyen

Great details Gabor - it looks fabulous - although not my scale. I see that it has the rails for the blind-flying canopy.......... .... will there be instructions on how to make the folded curtain (if the modeller chooses to fit it ???). My attempt in 1/72 scale is less than stellar...... Ken PS - I'm not trying to be awkward - just fascinated by the level of detail you have incorporated - it's just stunning.......

That's nuthin............. Yours truly has actually SAT in a Flanker....... (Me at Kubinka in 1993..) (Note the ejection seat arming chord at top left - a small detail often missed - does the new GWH kit have it? .... and again at Zhukovski in a Su-33 (IIRC) ..... (arming chord there - but not attached) Ken

Be my guest Andy.... If you PM me you email, I'll send you them in the original hi-res size - let me know which ones (I've done K4, K-12, K-22 & K-26)........ Ken

The Soviets did similar rough-field experiments with a tracked landing gear on an Il-28.... They also fitted a ski landing gear to a Su-7......... Maingear..... Nosegear.... A system of a retractable ski attached to the main landing gear of a Su-7BKL actually went into production... Ken

How about the Soviet Nikitin-Shevchenko IS-2 Biplane/Monoplane ??? Not only did the main landing gear retract into the lower wing - but that lower wing could then retract into the upper wing - morphing from a biplane into a monoplane. That's pretty goofy. Then there's the Fairey Barracuda.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Barracuda From Wiki...... The hydraulically-actuated main landing gear struts were of an "L" shape which retracted into a recess in the side of the fuselage and the wing, with the wheels within the wi

It's all very confusing - this is from 'Sukhoi Su-30 Flanker in Indian Service' by Phillip Camp with Simon Watson...... About the Su-30K....... It talks about the first 8 delivered....... then .... "These were supplemented in June to December 1999 by an additional 10 Su-30K (SB009 tp 018) .... These aircraft arrived with Russian avionics and were an improvement over the first eight aircraft, having updated electronic warfare systems and precision-guided weapons capability" and later............ "The first eight aircraft were very emasculated, lac

The first batch of 8 (SB 001 - SB 008) - later supplemented by an additional 10 (SB 009 - SB 018) - were visually the same as a Su-27UB - with the addition of an offset IRST and IFR probe. They were designated as Su-30K and wore Russian - style camouflage. The fins were the same as the Su-27UB - only the later, definitive Su-30MKI with the canards had a fin with an increased-area rudder. Four of the Su-30K's were painted in a special commemorative scheme representing the Indian flag..... Happy Flankering.... Ken