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Hi everybody,

As mentioned in the title, I will be building a KP/Mastercraft Su-7BKL kit, which I will convert into a BMK variant (cut off the skis :thumbsup: ) in the colours of the Egyptian Air Force at the time of the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

I have started on the cockpit, adding some throttle controls and some switch panels (switches would be too small, may poke some silver dots on with a toothpick.) I've done some detailing on the seat and added straps. Once I have drybrushed it all, I'll post pics.

Edited by MiG Mongoose
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Ok everybody, just finished the cockpit yesterday, here are a few pictures

P1010141-1.jpg

The KS-3 Ejection seat was in 4 pieces and rather detailed,I detailed the footwell area and added some seatbelts.

P1010140-1.jpg

I added switch panels out of card and dotted silver switches randomly. I also added throttle controls (not visible) and other control sticks visible on the side panels. In spite of the dry-brush, they are rather hard to see.

Out of various pieces of sprue, I made the blue-grey drum thing near the gunsight, I have no idea what this is, nobody does poor visibility like the Soviet aviation industry!

P1010136_2.jpg

Here is a pic showing the ducting detail added forward of the IP. I made the hoses by coiling 5A fuse wire around 15A wire. I left them unpainted as I thought it looks more impressive.

Now to somehow cram this all in the fuselage :worship:

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No pics today, but I have painted and fittted the nosecone and the engine pieces. I had a hard time deciding whether to mount the cone in front or behind the ridge it is glued to. After some calculations I fitted it behind the ridge, It looks less desirable than the in-front alternative, but this isn't a MiG-21!! I continually need to remind myself of that.

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Out of various pieces of sprue, I made the blue-grey drum thing near the gunsight, I have no idea what this is, nobody does poor visibility like the Soviet aviation industry!

IIRC that's a gunsight camera to take pictures of what is shown through the gunsight/HUD, and you're right, nobody does... although the Brits might be good contenders.

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Thanks for that info Bonehammer73, I had guessed it might be a HUD projector, but I knew that wasn't very likely.

Anyway, a few more pics quickly taken

P1010145.jpg

The two fuselage halve are together now, I added weight behind the cockpit and added nose gear bay walls made from card. The pieces do not fit that well, a huge ridge is present on the underside, I've got some scraping with the craft knife ahead, bye bye raised panel detail!!

P1010144.jpg

The cockpit wasn't as much of a squeeze as I had anticipated, fitting rather snugly in the inner fuselage. I did no detailing on the rear decking as I couldn't find a reference, plus the canopy will cover most of it anyway. The nose will need some levelling btween the fuselage halves and filling in the joint with the nose ring.

Not the most brilliant of kits, but still having much fun anyway!! :bandhead2:

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Thanks Ryan, now for another update:

I have now fitted the wings to the fuselage. The top halves had warped, but by banding them with the lower halves while being glued together, the wings are now straightened out. There is a large gap in most of the wing/fuselage join which will be assaulted with filler soon. Unfortunately this 'Fitter" isn't really fitting!! ;)

In bad news, the carpet moster has scored its first kill for 2010, claiming the gunsight :cheers:. With my vast reserves of acetate sheet, I was able to make an adequate replacement that you can actually see through!! :woo:. It isn't covered in spatters of paint, frosted from nearby CA on the gunsight camera and is a more appropriate scale thickness.

;) Plus I bought a Badger 350 airbrush the other day, I hope to paint the Su-7 camouflage with it. :worship:

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Hi again,

After much scraping, all the rubbish filler was removed and a new batch, which I mixed better was added. As it dried quickly, I had to pile it on to fill what was necessary. Unfortunately that involved a lot of sanding, meaning more panel line casualties.

P1010153-1.jpg

The wings had huge gaps to fill and most of the venting detail was sanded away, it was raised too much anyway I am led to believe after checking a picture of an Indian BMK. The card hoop above the cockpit is to protect the Gunsight from breaking off again if placed upside down, a bit like the rollover hoop of a convertible car.

P1010154-1.jpg

A plan view of the Fitter. "Filler" may have been a more suitable NATO codename considering how much it used :thumbsup:

Picture002.jpg

My camera ran out of batteries, so I used my decade-old backup to take this poor quality shot, it doesn't show the large filler join that exists on the underside wing/fuselage joint.

That's all for now...

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I just couldn't bear to leave this on page 2 so another update. I have started using my airbrush, requiring two sessions to get the underside blue on. One session on the underside, the other on the fences and pylons and knocking off one of the guns and one of the "odd rod" antennae. I am tolerant of the finish, it appears a little rough in some areas, but overall is better than my usual brushed alternative.

I will post more pics once I have made more progress...

Edited by MiG Mongoose
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Today the Tan is down on the Sukhoi, Coverage is questionable in some areas. There are "tan lines" near the wing fences, which must be the most effective masks I have ever seen. The tone of the colour is a bit off, but I feel it captures the spirit of an EAF SU-7 very nicely.

I have started on the landing gear and wheels, I'll post pics of those when they are done.

&

Guess who found the gunsight 2 weeks after he had lost it... MEEEEEEEE!! :worship: Darn shame it is not good enough to go on the model :monkeydance:

Now for a question about the Iron, the reason I'm allowed here. What colour are the FAB-250/500 series of bombs? The instructions say XF-1 black, but I cant trust that, I was expecting more of a gunmetal/burnt iron colour.

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As promised, I have finished the camoflauge

P1010153_2.jpg

My masking had a few failed areas, where green and brown had reached, I brushed some of my excess thinned paint to cover these areas. Those areas have dried to a different sheen, but I hope the addition of a gloss coat will remove this.

P1010154_2.jpg

I used an Americo Maia colour profile as a reference for this scheme. Overall, as a first attempt at airbrushing, I am very happy with the result.

P1010155-1.jpg

Feedback about the result of my airbrushing is welcome.

Edited by MiG Mongoose
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Hi all,

I have been busy with all the clear coating I can do now with my airbrush. I laid down a gloss coat over the camouflage, then added the kit decals and my custom decals, sealed those with a gloss coat, highlighted the panel lines with a pencil and some brushed smuding.

P1010136_3.jpg

Overall, I am content with the pencil technique, If you look at the base of the fin on the port side, you will notice that it is too heavily weathered. I now know to clean the brush I use to smudge the pencil more often if I want to achieve a more subdued look.

P1010138-1.jpg

Here is a view of the underside of the model. The kit decals gave me a bit of grief, one of the roundels losing a chunk, looking like Pacman. I added some white paint and cut out a section of the Czechoslovakian roundel to complete the red outer ring.

P1010137_2.jpg

The better half of my Su-7.

P1010139_2.jpg

The landing gear is completed, the smaller gear doors came off when I glued them onto the model.

The clear coats came out successfully and my "first" real attempt at shading the panel lines to create a weathered look was a good result (my first attempt involved scratching the paint out of the panel lines of a Hobbycraft Su-22, but I will neither confirm or deny if this actually happened!!! :lol: :doh: :) )

The finish line is now in sight...

Edited by MiG Mongoose
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Indeed it is!!!

After adding the landing gear and LG doors and the ordinance to the model, it is now complete. The main gear was a struggle and has angled inwards :D. Don't expect to see a picture of it here though!! ;)

Anyway, here are the photos

Su-7_6.jpg

Su-7_5.jpg

Su-7_4.jpg

Su-7_3.jpg

Su-7_2.jpg

Su-7_1.jpg

This was very much a build of firsts for me. First airbrushed paint job, first panel line weathering and first clearcoating. Given that, I am very satisfied with the result and I look forward to furthering what I have learned on projects of the future.

Now to indulge in some IDF tank trashing!! :touche:

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  • 5 months later...

Su-7_6.jpg

Su-7_5.jpg

Su-7_4.jpg

Su-7_3.jpg

Su-7_2.jpg

Su-7_1.jpg

MiG Mingoose,

I obviuosly missed this thread/build as I was working away when you posted this thread...

Just had a look and it is truly a MAGNIFICENT build.

Your air brushing belies the fact that you used it for the first time, FLAWLESS work Sir.

The photos are EXQUISITE too..

LOVELY job all around...you should be proud of this one... KUDOS !!!

HOLMES :thumbsup: :unsure: :wasntme:

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