Flankerman

Just finished - after a bit of a fight - the latest 'BIG MiG' from Modelsvit........ the MiG E-152-1.... Usual fare from Modelsvit - excellent panel detail, large sprue gates, superb decal sheet, canopy masks and etched fret - a complete package. I had trouble getting the fuselage halves to close up around the cockpit/intake trunking - but won in the end. The dummy K-9 missile are painted to look like AIM-7 Sparrows. Business end of the massive Tumanskiy R-15-300 turbojet. This latest MiG joins my others in this range of huge MiG interceptors from Modelsvit.... More photos and the parts sprues are here.. Ken

If you don't have a local distributor, Modelsvit have an e-shop here :- https://www.modelsvit-eshop.com/ Ken

Some early trials J-15's were very grubby looking - as I tried to replicate on my Trumpeter 1/72 scale model...... Ken

Modelsvit are the sort of premium arm of Amodel - same team AFAIK, but with better packaging, instructions etc. A bit like Lexus to Toyota - or AMG to Mercedes They are typically short-run with excellent detailed parts - but large sprue gates. Each part usually needs a bit of 'fettling' to remove the large sprue gate and scrape mating surfaces straight etc - old style modelling skills. Their kits are usually complete - with good decals, canopy masks and etched parts - but they need some skill to complete - but each new kit improves on the previous. Their latest kit - the Sukhoi T10-10 Flanker prototype was excellent. Links to some more of my Modelsvit builds... MiG I-320 :- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_mig-i-320.html MiG Ye-152M - http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_e-152M.html M-17 'Stratosphera' :- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_m-17_modelsvit.html Bartini VVA-14 :- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_vva-14_modelsvit.html I have more - but you get the picture. Ken PS Ya-Gabor rates their MiG-21 kit as the best Fishbed model out there.

I'm not from either - but if you are visiting Tallin (Estonia) take a trip out to the old olympic complex and go aboard the 'Lembit' - a pre WWII sub that saw service with the Estonians and the Soviets. Well worth a trip. Ken

Arriving too late to be used on my Trumpeter Su-34 - this latest set from Begemot covers all variants of the 'Fullback' - from the second prototype (Bort 43), through the early production machines and right up to date with the types deployment to Syria. Colour schemes range from the early Flanker-style camo, through the recently abandoned 'Eggplant/Aubergine' single colour uppers, right up to latest green/blue colours - FS Numbers are provided for all the colour schemes.. A full stencil sheet is included - and there are hundreds of them - plus a host of stencils for the weapons. This latter set alone is worth the asking price as it gives the correct designation and colours for the variety of ordinance used by the Su-34 A new feature is the printing of the instruction 'booklet' in colour - which is very welcome.... Note the inclusion of a decal for the underside Chaff/Flare dispenser. Stencils More stencils - including weapons. Addendum sheet including black outlines for the Bort numbers - note the new 'VKS Russia' titles. The decals are superbly printed and, from past experience, they go on to the model with the minimum of fuss and give excellent results. It looks like I will have to purchase some more Trumpeter kits to make use of this new set! Ken PS - The sheet is also available in 1/48 scale for the Kittyhawk and Hobbyboss kits.

Wow! - it looks like a fabulous place - with lots of operational types (unlike Monino which is mostly prototypes and one-offs). How easy is it to get to ?? - public transport from Moscow?? Are foreigners allowed in - can you just turn up and get access?? Great photos - thanks for sharing. Ken

Apparently it is a 'Channel Wing' design - according to Wiki :- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handiwork_181 Ken

The brain said 'Mi-1' - but the fingers typed 'Mi-2' Now corrected. Ken

Another great museum of Russian/Soviet aircraft is the 'Oleg Antonov State Aviation Museum' at Zhulaniy, Kiev. I've been a few times in previous years, but visited again in early August 2018 to see the latest exhibit - the Antonov An-71 'Madcap' AWACS aircraft recently moved in from Gostomel.... Other exhibits include..... Yak-40, Il-76 and Il-86... Mil Mi-1 - still in Russian markings!......... ....as is the Mi-6 The world's largest single-engined biplane.... the An-2 'Anushka' Tu-142 Bear ASW aircraft.... Zhulaniy has examples of all three Tupolev Backfire variants - the Tu-22M0 prototype, the Tu-22M2 and Tu-22M3........ Yak-38M VTOL .... MiG-25 .......... Yak-28U.... Kamov Ka-26 co-axial helicopter.... Su-15TM.... Experimental Antonov ducted wing design.... View from the entrance.... Images from a visit in 2010 are here.... http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/ukraine2010_day03.html (scroll down).... and here ..... http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/ukraine2010_day06.html Enjoy... Ken

Check out their official website :- http://www.monino.ru/ It's a bit clunky - and in Russian. Click on the 'Ekspositsiya' link for some great views of the 'Exposition' (2nd link under the red star) http://www.monino.ru/index.sema?a=pages&id=3 Have fun! Ken PS - Not to hijack Dawestsides post - but some photos of my many visits to Monino are here :- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/mos2013_day06.html (scroll down the page a bit)

Great photos dawestsides..... Good to know that stories about the demise of Monino are untrue - it still looks great. Ken

Begemot has a sheet(s) 'In the Design Stage' - http://begemotdecals.ru/showpos.php?lang=2&id=70 Kotey might be along shortly to say more..... Ken

They have been discussing it over on Britmodeller since March........ https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235035811-1144-tupolev-tu-22kd-blinder-b-by-mikromir-3d-renderspruesbox-art-release-september-2018/ Ken

Whistle........... But it still begs the question - why on the Su-34 and not other Flankers ???? And....... Why are the topside titanium nacelle areas painted in camo colours on the Su-34 and not on other Flankers?? Is it just a devious Russian plot to confuse us poor modellers ??? Ken