Flankerman
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Everything posted by Flankerman
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In case anyone is looking ??? A bit of progress - but I must say that the kit breakdown seems a bit overly complex - not helped by being moulded in black plastic.... Anyway... the separate upper hull has a rectangular box added at the bow (the open torpedo loading bay) - plus four bulkheads and the two missile tube sub-assemblies.... Upper hull underside - the bow is top left. Upper hull on its side. Top view of the upper hull - the bow is now at bottom right - you can just make out the torpedo loading bay
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The five scimitar-shaped blades are 5mm-long separate parts that have to be attached to an 8mm-long shaft...... the assembly drawing makes it look easy.... First you attach the 'key' blade (part B1/B330 - then you attach the other four blades (each with a 'collar' that fits into place and establishes the pitch) All well and good - except... In the above photo - I have attached three blades to the shaft, the fourth is separated and the fifth is still attached to the sprue. Being moulded in black plastic makes the parts di
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The latest 1/350 scale submarine kit from Zvezda is the massive Delta IV (Delfin) class of Russian SSBN.... Moulded in black plastic, the lower hull is made up from three sections - two lower vertically split sides plus a top.... The twin five-bladed propellers each have to made up from a central shaft - to which are attached the five separate scimitar-shaped blades The missile casing is also separate - made up from two side panels (below) and a top section (above)... This complex hull construction would
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Just finished - the USS Growler from Micro-Mir...... I didn't get an exact straight line for the waterline... (the port side is better..) Colours are from rattle cans of Halfords Grey and Red Plastic Primers - with Humbrol Panzer Grey enamel for the non-slip decking. I've just realised - in my rush to get it photographed and on here - I've forgotten to weather it!!! (It's an age thing) Ken PS - WIP is here
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First Russian/Soviet Union Aircraft with Aerial refueling
Flankerman replied to FAR148's topic in Jet Modeling
'ere ya go........ Ken -
First Russian/Soviet Union Aircraft with Aerial refueling
Flankerman replied to FAR148's topic in Jet Modeling
I have a photo somewhere of a Tu-95MS being 'refueled' with Liquid Oxygen (LOX) from a USAF LOX cart. The incident occured at the Fairford airshow - where the Tu-95MS was parked next to a B-52. IIRC all Russian aircraft have NATO-compatible interfaces - fuel/electrical/LOX etc..... This was so that when they overran the defences in Europe, they could quickly use NATO airfields and infrastructure. Ken PS - I'll try to dig out my photo.... -
More.... MikroMir provide an etched handrail to go around the sail/bridge/conning tower - but the part is tiny and there are no locating holes. Far beyond my capabilities to fit - and anyway, the etched part pinged off into the ether when I attempted for use it.... - so I used a thin piece of plastic rod instead... Note the small step cut into the bottom of the sail - this is to get a better fit into the recess in the deck. The missile launch rail is made up from nine parts (two not yet fitted). The Regulus I Cruise Miss
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Progress.... The ill-fitting side panels had their gaps filled......... ....followed by sanding and a coat of grey primer.... which revealed the need for more filler/sanding/primer etc.... Until I was happy that the join was hidden...... Nine tiny bollards were added and a final primer coat..... happy so far. MikroMir quote Ocean Grey as the top colour - I'm going with the Halfords Grey Plastic Primer - which looks OK to me... Ken
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For a new kit, there is a lot of flash to remove - and the fit of parts isn't brilliant - but if you want a 1/350th USS Growler........ I want to display my model with one missle hangar open, the other closed (as she is on display in NY)... The domed covers don't fit very well - they kept 'falling' inside the hangar - so I added a disc of thin plastic card to cover the hole... ....then glued the dome in place... The port side panel is then fitted (again fit is a bit 'iffy')....... Some filler (an
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Many thanks VBB ..... Ken
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Excellent work on that Su-35 VBB - especially that bugbear of all Flanker models - the vari-hued titanium engine and tailplane areas. I must have missed Haneto's mention of the Pigma markers - so I just Goggled them - but what a bewildering array of pens and sets etc. on offer.... Can you please elaborate on exactly which pens you used (size, colour etc) - and how? Thanks in aticipation - and once again, Fabulous Flanker.... Ken
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I'm going in..... MikroMir provide a hangar for the Regulus I missile - so I plan to have one side closed with the missile on its launcher, and the other side open. showing the hangar bay... Here are the kit parts.... consisting of a UU shaped 'floor', a rear section, a dividing wall and a 'roof' (which is also the forward decking).... The instructions would have you fit the UU floor (part 31) and rear section (part 29) into the port hull half ........ ... then you fit the dividing wall (part 28), followed by the roof/de
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They are excellent - well printed with sharp detail. They went on without any fuss and not a hint of silvering. I used Microsol - but they didn't really need it. One thing to watch out for though is the orientation of the many sponsors logos along the fuselage. They are clearly printed - and readable - but they aren't all printed upright on the sheet - so take care when applying them and double check with the placement guide...... I chickened out when it came to applying the dozens of tiny stencil data all over the airframe.... Ken
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Just finished - the excellent 1/72nd injection moulded kit of the Russian Myasischev M-55 'Geophysica' from the Ukrainian firm of Modelsvit..... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myasishchev_M-55 http://www.geophysica-eeig.eu/10ym55/khattatov.pdf It isn't the best model I've ever done - due to my clumsy errors - no blame on Modelsvit.... Modelsvit is to be applauded for producing such an unusual subject ... may they long continue. The kit is superb - I just wish I could have done it better (don't loo
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That's what I meant Habu2 - I should have added 'via the KB-50 and C-97' Similarly, with the Bear - it was via the Tu-4, Tu-80 and Tu-85 bombers. Fascinating lineage all round..... I should have posed the question.. "what links the Super Guppy to the Bear?" Ken
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Going off at a slight tangent........ The Russian Tu-95 'Bear' has the same fuselage diameter as the B-29. Both the Bear - and the Aero Spacelines 'Superguppy' - are lineal descendants of the B-29 ..... Ken
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Itale-fix 1/48 BAe Hawk T.1a RAF Red Arrows 50 Display Seasons Scheme
Flankerman replied to haneto's topic in Critique Corner
Totally wrong! - completely inaccurate !! - a pile of rubbish !! It's missing that vital piece of equipment seen on all parked-up Hawks...... the PADLOCK !!! Seriously Yufei - that is some stunning work - both on the Hawk and the photographer.... Well up to your always high standards.... Stay safe and well during your countries current health crisis Ken -
Agreed re accuracy - and they should release them as separate 'Mini-kits'....... The only downside is that the moulding has a bit of flash on some parts - particularly the tiniest of parts that are difficuly to clean up. An example is the front 'grab handle' - it should be like a figure of 8 on its side - but the holes in the middle are flashed over... The grab handle is part number 2 on the plastic sprue (at the 8 O'clock position). ..... How stupid am I..??? I just noticed that the grab handle is included on the etched
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The decalling is now done....... .... apart from the trillions of tiny yellow 'hook here' symbols and stencil data etc... The decals are superb - perfectly readable and in register - they all went on with the minimum of fuss. I used Microsol - but probably didn't need to. A closer view of the dozens of sponsors logos along the fuselage.... Underside view.... A closer look at those logos - all individual decals a few mm in diameter...... I can't think of a reason why but n
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I wouldn't take that Su-33 in my pics (taken at MAKS 2007) as a guide..... AFAIK, it is a testbed retained by Suhoi - and tarted up for display pusposes - you can see the paint overspray onto the engine nacelles in this pic... I'm not even sure its airworthy??? On one of the occasions I saw it fly, Victor Pugachev did a neat trick on the runway in front of the crowd....... He taxied along the runway and entered a 360deg turn with the wings spread ..... and exited the turn with everything fold - much to the delight of the spectators !
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Another new arrival on the slips - the 1/350 scale injection-moulded kit of USS Growler from Mikro-Mir...... Box art... History and paint guide...... Instructions for the hull....... Regulus I Missile and conning tower..... Final assembly.... Vertically split hull - with excellent engraved detail..... Conning tower, decking and one half of the missile..... Minor parts, missile half, decals and etched-brass....
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Another new addition to the slipway - the Mikro-Mir injection-moulded kit of the experimental submarine USS Albacore... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Albacore_(AGSS-569) Box art.... Instructions..... The hull is split horizontally - with excellent engraved detail..... A second sprue contains the conning tower and dive planes etc... The package is finished off with a small decal sheet, etched brass propellers and a clear 'windscreen'.... This
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Just purchased from OKB Grigorov....... http://shop.okbgrigorov.com/ A resin kit of the Royal Navy submarine R10 - launched in October 1918 - just to late for the Great War. At just14cm (5.5in) long, the hull is a single superb resin casting - with a separate conning tower and etched brass parts for the diving planes, propeller etc.. The service from OKB was great - just a week from order to delivery - although the box with the hull/brass/instructions arrived first, followed a week later by the conning tower in a separate Jiffy bag!!!
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They adhered well - but they are semi-transparent (translucent brown) and I found them difficult to see to place correctly - probably due to my failing eyesight.... Re the nosegear - My instructions show the nosewheel bay inserted into the fuselage at stage 9 - the actual nose gear itself (with the 'Y' shaped strut) isn't installed until stage 33 - towards the end of the build (the same applies to the maingear btw). I hope I don't have any fit problems when I have to fit the undercarriage.... Ken
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Some little progress.... she's all painted up now - ready for the decals..... Trying to hold the model whilst applying the masking, then brush painting the blue, red and black was like trying to wrestle a set of bagpipes.... Modesvit provide self-adhesive masks for the blue areas around the cockpit and the black panel on the spine - but for the the rest I used Tamiya Kabuki tape..... My masking was not very successful - I had some ragged edges and bleed under the tape in places - it's OK if you don't look too closely...