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Academy Su-27S 1/48 - Eritrean splinter "608"


  

208 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you stretch this Academy Flanker to proper length, if you could?

    • Yes, I want an accurate model in scale
      80
    • No, it's a small error - only 3.5% in length
      129


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It's me again with a new built and new poll !

A310 is on hold at the moment - there's not so much to do without painting, and my as* is very grateful for keeping it inside in warm instead of painting on a cold balcony. There will be one or two updates, but that's it then.

So, I started a new built as a part of our local GB ...

Plan is simple: Academy Flanker + lots of stuff + stretching to proper length + some smaller scratchbuild details to be added (wheelbays mostly)

Fact is that Academy's Su-27 is the best on the market, but still 16 mm too short.

But if you had all the resources you need like: kit, styrene sheets, tools, drawings, plenty of time and will to do it ... Would you do it?

I'll explain in my next post this "plastic surgery" with some references ...

I know there was a similar attempt here recently, but I don't know how it ended ... Pics were deleted from Photobucket ... :)

The list from the photo below:

Academy 2131 Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker-B

Aires 4262 Su-27 Flanker B cockpit set

Aires 4264 Su-27 Flanker B exhaust nozzles

Quickboost 48125 Su-27 Flanker B Pitot tubes

Quickboost 48129 Su-27 Flanker B Antennas

Eduard 48507 Su-27 Flanker B exterior

Begemot 48-009 Su-27 Flanker family full stencil

Begemot 48-005 Su-27 Flanker family 2

L&M resin nose replacement (2 pcs)

New book from Gordon

+

Linden Hill Decals 48020 Post-Soviet Air Forces Special - Ukrainian Su-27 Flankers (patiently awaiting to be printed !)

IMG_6676.jpg

Edited by supergru
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I've downloaded drawings from airwar.ru and "digitalized" them in Illustrator ...

Here are views from top and bottom, together and lined up ..

Clipboard01.jpg

and printed in 1/48 scale on three A4 sheets ...

IMG_6948_2.jpg

And top and bottom views printed separately in 1/48 ...

IMG_7038_2.jpg

IMG_7037_2.jpg

I added some additional lines to ease measuring.

These are still drafts, not the finished version. I still want to combine them with side view to be sure.

Since Academy splitted fuselage horizontally, I've checked top half separatelly from the bottom half.

IMG_7040_2.jpg

Those blue lines mark future cutting planes with the following rule:

When looked from left to right, number X before panel line indicates that X milimeters need to be added before that panel.

Inverted rule is valid, too.

If I would check every single panel line, this "web" would be thicker, and I would finish it in 100 years. Maybe.

So I made some shortcuts to simplify all the cutting and not to lose all those fine details that Academy made.

Close-ups: stinger ...

IMG_7041_2.jpg

Wing top 0 mm, wing root +3 mm! I would leave wing trailing edge where it is and stretch the wing in forward direction, but I still need to cut it away, to access fuselage ...

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Middle fuselage ... Engines are good...

IMG_7044_2.jpg

Air brake and cockpit aft ...

IMG_7045_2.jpg

With replacement nose I gain 2 mm already ...

IMG_7047_2.jpg

Now if you count all those mm ... you get 14 mm in total .. For the rest of 2 mm, tail stinger and nose cone need to end very pointy (sharp)

Bottom side to follow!

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Bottom side in total ... This is more complex since here are wheelbays and air intakes ....

IMG_7048_2.jpg

Stinger .. Did anyone made those flare housings on the upper stinger side as a PE ?!

IMG_7049_2.jpg

Intakes, wheelbays ... still need to confirm these numbers ... :monkeydance:

IMG_7050_2.jpg

Forward wheelbay ... A battery niche would be nice here... What do you think?

IMG_7052_2.jpg

And the nose again ...

IMG_7053_2.jpg

When looked from profile ...

IMG_7054_2.jpg

And THE SAW is already on the way from Japan ... (Tamiya Thin Blade Craft Saw something)

41ucwCYOL_SS500_.jpg

I can feel it in the air .. There's some blood to be spilled ... :)

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Any chance of posting those Illustrator files? Pretty please?

Well, from my point of view I would like to share it in a PDF form with all of you, once they're finished (in about month or two). But I don't know which file share service to use since I'm a newbie in this field ... (free, easy to use, ...)

And.... Once you get them, don't spam my PM with "This is worse than I thought, ... bla, bla, bla..." I needed about 2 weeks with 6-8 hours per day to make the first ones, and you'll get them free of charge. So I'll ask all of you for some respect in advance.

You still have a possibility to finish your Flanker without them, or according to some other references.

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I can feel it in the air .. There's some blood to be spilled ... :thumbsup:

Well, just so long as it's not your finger that is being separated from the rest of your hand. Try to hack plastic. OK? supergru...

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Well, from my point of view I would like to share it in a PDF form with all of you, once they're finished (in about month or two). But I don't know which file share service to use since I'm a newbie in this field ... (free, easy to use, ...)

And.... Once you get them, don't spam my PM with "This is worse than I thought, ... bla, bla, bla..." I needed about 2 weeks with 6-8 hours per day to make the first ones, and you'll get them free of charge. So I'll ask all of you for some respect in advance.

You still have a possibility to finish your Flanker without them, or according to some other references.

I'd imagine someone would have to be a terrible jerk to complain--I know enough about vector graphics to recognize you did some amazing work there, and I can assure you in advance I'd very much appreciate them!

Have you thought about reducing the number of cuts? It looks like seven cuts on top and 5 on the bottom? Making straight cuts and putting the jigsaw puzzle back together and keeping it all lined up and smooth looks pretty challenging. I would consider fewer cuts, bigger extensions, and rescribing detail. With that many joins, you are sure to lose surface detail as you blend the extensions in, meaning you'll have to rescribe anyway. BTW, I voted for the accurate job, so I'm with you on this. It just looks like there might be an easier way to get the length needed.

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Sacred grass muncher! :whistle:

When you´re done with the corrections you cast the correct aiframe and sell!!! $$$

Agree with Mark about the number of cuts...would simplify life for guys with butterfingers, like me.

Awesome project! Academy themselfs should follow the WIP!

Good luck! :monkeydance:

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  • 1 month later...

Update for the past month ...

Final prep 'fore cutting ... Say "Goodbye Su-27 and see you soon!" :monkeydance:

IMG_7090_2.jpg

Starboard wing as first cut with Tamiya saw ... Cut itself is not as narrow as I hoped for ... Light saw and lack of experience ...

DSC01316_2.jpg

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Needed some 5-10 min. for cut. Seems that the saw itself is dull (!?). After that I proceeded with port wing and stinger...

You can search for them on the pic...

DSC01335_2.jpg

I'm doing other stuff in parallel ... Like canopy ... Front canopy after sanding and Future treatment ...

IMG_7115_2.jpg

The rear one .. Well, that didn't go so well ... Cracks already started to appear in the rear end, after I tried to repair it for 3-4 times... Damn ...

Wings with cross cut ... Some styrene strips added for joint strengthening and inside hollow wings to act as spars and ribs ...

DSC01350_2.jpg

DSC01395_2.jpg

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I've added plasticine (?!) to act as a support for both upper and lower halves prior to cutting ...

DSC01354_2.jpg

DSC01352_2.jpg

IMG_7108_2.jpg

IMG_7110_2.jpg

A new handy selfmade saw ..

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You can't even see the cutting line ... This is the first upper cut (+1 mm) just in front of the engines ... I moved it 2-3 mm to front when compared to plan.

DSC01359_2.jpg

IMG_7131_2.jpg

2nd upper cut ... Made with Tamiya saw .. (+2 mm)

DSC01369_2.jpg

DSC01372_2.jpg

3rd upper cut (+1 mm) ... Last upper cut made with smaller PE saw because of bigger curvature in cutting line ...

DSC01380_2.jpg

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Last update for today... 1st lower cut (+3 mm) ... Made with smaller PE saw. Moved again against plan, 'cause I wanted to keep main wheelbays intact.

IMG_7118_2.jpg

IMG_7121_2.jpg

IMG_7129_2.jpg

And stinger ... +3,5 mm instead of 3 mm as planned, due to wide cut with Tamiya saw ... And it got new, sharp & pointy end ...

Flare housings were filled with putty (this time I'm using sprue melted in acetone in parallel with Mr White and Italeri putty)

DSC01389_2.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall... Can he put it back together again.....

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall:

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the King’s horses and all the King’s men

Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty in his place again.

:thumbsup: Yeah, right ...

I'm already posting this subject to two other forums, so I think it's about time to update this thread, too.

This is from official Sukhoi's brochure, back in 1993. Yes, the measures are without nose probe.

DSC01550_2.jpg

So, Mr. Ken "Flankerman" Duffey is right. Although, I think it would be easier to say this is 1/50 scale, and continue with that ... And war less mess around ...

As for the nose probe, it ain't 16 mm... At least not this Quickboost replacement.

DSC01447_2.jpg

Front canopy with some details added. Starboard side suffered some mistakes ...

DSC01475_2.jpg

DSC01476_2.jpg

DSC01478_2.jpg

Rear canopy ... Recovered from Future disaster ....

DSC01467_2.jpg

DSC01471_2.jpg

DSC01469_2.jpg

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4th and 5th upper cut ... +2 mm each... 4th cut wasn't planned, but while I was cross-checking the model with drawings, after and before each new cut, this cut was inevitable.

DSC01482_2.jpg

6th and final upper cut ... This time I cut 4 mm strips to avoid interference with Aires cockpit ... I also lengthten cockpit spine ...

DSC01491_2.jpg

Rear canopy cannot be closed properly anymore, due to pins added to the front canopy.

DSC01502_2.jpg

DSC01503_2.jpg

Final dryfitting ... Replacement nose and nose probe, lengthen upper fuselage and stinger...

All-in-all I added some 20 mm styrene for 16 mm difference... As said earlier, some cuts were unplanned (meaning more cuts needed), and the rest ate Tamiya saw ...

There were 7 cuts (6 for fuselage and 1 for stinger).... + new nose

DSC01521_2.jpg

Edited by supergru
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Lower side ... 2nd cut ahead of main wheelbay ... +2 mm added here ... Actually, I moved the cut planned at the start of intake boundary layer splitter ...

DSC01524_2.jpg

I lengthen intakes with 4 mm strips and melted sprue ...

DSC01462_2.jpg

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I also reopened 1st lower cut and added additional 0.5 mm insert, so now main wheel intake reduction is well aligned with the appropriate opening on the lower fuselage half.

DSC01531_2.jpg

Actually, the intakes need another cut, as seen below (1-2 mm are missing), but cutting line would be too complex even for me, IF details are to be avoided.

DSC01532_2.jpg

3rd lower cut is at the rear end of front wheelbay ... +1,5 mm added here ...

DSC01533_2.jpg

Since intakes inside is not so presentable, I decided to make intake covers ... First I lowered the supersonic shockwave ramp ...

DSC01535_2.jpg

DSC01537_2.jpg

And made some details from 0,5 mm styrene.. This is still unfinished, but I think I'll try it once again from scratch ..

DSC01539_2.jpg

DSC01540_2.jpg

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You're insane,supergru!

So will you rescribe all the panel lines/rivets?

Most of them on the original Academy kit are wrong...

Keep up the nice work!

Cheers,

Yufei

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Impressive work, superguru :trolls::bobby::cheers:

I can't wait to see it finished.

Like I have been saying for 25 years now.....

There is still no accurate Flanker kit IN ANY SCALE.

Not one, zilch, zero, nada..... :whistle:

Why is it so difficult for manufacturers to make a decent kit that at least looks like a Flanker ????

It isn't as though it was such a secret machine any more.

I've been modelling Flankers for 25 years now - I haven't got much time left.......

Please, someone, come to our rescue. :pray:

Ken

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Impressive work, superguru :worship: :worship: :woot.gif:

I can't wait to see it finished.

Like I have been saying for 25 years now.....

There is still no accurate Flanker kit IN ANY SCALE.

Not one, zilch, zero, nada..... :)

Why is it so difficult for manufacturers to make a decent kit that at least looks like a Flanker ????

It isn't as though it was such a secret machine any more.

I've been modelling Flankers for 25 years now - I haven't got much time left.......

Please, someone, come to our rescue. :pray:

Ken

Ken,

I feel your pain, I too have been waiting for an accurate model of the MiG-29 in 1/48th scale for a very long time.

Brad

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