Jump to content

Any accurate (and high q) 1/48 su-27 out there?


Recommended Posts

Hey! I was wondering if there are any accurate and high quality (e.g. panel lines not crappy, fit acceptable, etc) renditions of the Su-27 in 1/48? To my knowledge, the best one so far is the Academy kit, but due to mis-measurement, the overall length of the aircraft is 16mm shorter than what it should be (from an ARC thread). Any variants of that one too - e.g. Su-27M, su-33, etc...

Thanks guys!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Nope. You will not get better than the Academy Su-27 period. And no go on anything with canards unless you're willing to spend three figures on a SOL resin conversion.

Now, go down to 1:72, and then you have both the Airfix/ICM Su-27, as well as the Heller Su-27UB.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Mike! I DO hope someone comes out with a decent quarter scale, or both (in 1/72 too - w/ fine rivet detail to go). Its kinda sad the problem with the Academy kit isnt lack of detail that aftermarket parts can usually address - but its scale length, which makes fixing one a scratchbuilding project of its own. The canopy shape too (quoting the other ARC thread). For the moment, i'll keep an eye on this segment, and the 1/72 icm too.

OT: Anyone tried out that hobbyboss 1/72 su-47?? thx!

Link to post
Share on other sites

In 1/48, the Academy kit is indeed the only option, it has a few smaller issues with the shapes, but I was not aware that it was 16mm too short. Which thread are you referring to regarding the length and other issues?

Note that ANY other kit available in 1/48 is a crude knock-off of the Academy kit, so do not be fooled that there are other options out there.

The biggest issues (for me) with the Academy kit are (1) the shape of the nose and (2) the depth/scale of the cockpit. Fortunately both issues are easily corrected with any number of commonly available aftermarket detail sets.

It builds into an impressive model when finished.

Regards,

Paul

Edited by pcotcher
Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry didnt paste the link, here it is:

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=132790

16mm/456.9mm is a 3.5% difference - for the casual modeler it might not matter.

Apparently the newer nose from either Quickboost or Pisco (i believe i spelled it right.. ??) corrects for part of the length. Interesting thread though, above.

Link to post
Share on other sites

From my Flanker Models Survey re the Academy Su-27.......

Span is absolutely correct and the overall wing shape is very good with separate flaps and slats. The length is 16mm too short - which is exactly the length of the nose probe. The quoted length of a Su-27 WITHOUT NOSE PROBE is 456.9mm in 1:48 scale, but Academy’s kit is that length exactly INCLUDING the probe - an error that crops up in a lot of the models reviewed here. Nonetheless, the overall shape of the fuselage is correct and it captures the curved-down look very well. The dorsal airbrake is separate with its own actauating ram.

The length of a Flanker seems to have given most kit companies a problem - as they assume that oft-quoted length is overall - but it isn't, it excludes the nose probe.

So they make their model the quoted length (in scale) - but they include their noseprobe in that length - hence the model is too short.

FWIW, there is not a single, accurate, Flanker kit currently available IN ANY SCALE.

They all have errors - some major (Trumpeter 1:32), some middling (Academy 1:48) and some minor (Airfix/Heller 1:72).

The nearest one to being accurate is the 1:72 scale ICM Su-27 - and that is a re-working of the 25+ year old Airfix kit !!!!!!! :thumbsup:

Ken

Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting reading - I'd trust Flankerman's dimensions before I trusted any one set of drawings. Sounds like they just scaled incorrectly and didn't account for the pitot. For my money the model looks right, particularly if you correct the nose with one of the commercially available radomes (Quickboost, Pisco as you noted, and then Miniarm as well). The cockpit is a much bigger issue for me than the length issue, as it is vastly undersized, but again, it is easily corrected with available aftermarket details - Aires is the best IMO, NeOmega's is also good.

Just one modeler's opinion.

Paul

Link to post
Share on other sites
OT: Anyone tried out that hobbyboss 1/72 su-47?? thx!

Dunno about HobbyBoss but Italeri/Zevezda/Revell of Germany sold one. Sparse panel line detail, rather rudimentary cockpit and landing gear bays (plus the gear struts themselves are too long) but shapewise very good and the fit is almost perfect.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...