Flankerman Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 A bit more progress...... I want to make the Su-33 'on the cat' ready to launch - so I have removed the flaps prior to modifying them.... Hasegawa Su-27 nacelle mods top ..... On the underside, the boxy side mounts for the horizontal stabs have been chopped and re-fitted and filler has been liberally applied... Comparison with Su-33 ....... The modified nacelles aren't quite circular - but they are now (more-or-less) the correct diameter - the discrepancy is hidden by the Aires resin nozzles...... The Quickboost resin nose fitted to the Hasegawa Su-27 (left) improves the shape tremendously.... (Su-33 on right)... The two kits compared.... Su-27 on left.... Ken - "Bodgeit and Fixit" - no job too big Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Shark Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 NICE!!!! The Flanker man is in the house! Looking forward to progress pictures. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 great work and comparisons Ken - very helpful! Will be watching this as well Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon Fitzgerald Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Top stuff and very educational! :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sharkmouth Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Ken is doing it! Living up to his name! Regards, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Inspiring work, for sure! You make beating the Hasegawa Flanker's big bum into shape look really easy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Thanks for all the compliments guys..... The saga continues..... Because of the way that the Airfix/Heller lower fuselage is inset into the upper, a lot of filler is needed along the chine underside - plus on the ill-fitting radome and its tip.... The topside view shows more filler around the rear tailplane mounts.... The way the wings are moulded means you need to pack out the upper part with scrap plastic to get the lower surfaces flush... Radome comparisons - Airfix/Heller (left), Hasegawa Su-33 (right) - you can see that the former is slightly too small.. Despite this, I still think the slimmer Airfix/Heller nose looks better... Tailplanes...... Hasegawa Su-33 is just about perfect..... Airfix/Heller is correct shape - but needs an additional fillet next to the jetpipe.... Hasegawa Su-27 is a bit too big all round - and has the same fillet problem.... (This all assumes that the Aviatsiya i Vremya drawings are correct - and I think the consensus is that they are the best) All three compared..... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 On to the intakes..... All three kits have a different approach to how the intakes are constructed - with the Hasegawa Su-33 having the best detail. But all three have ejector pin marks on the inside faces..... Hasegawa Su-33.... Hasegawa Su-27.... The Airfix/Heller kit has raised lugs to mount the incorrect solid anti-FOD ramp..... ..... as well as ejector pin marks (and a stray hair!! )..... All have to be sanded down before construction. The wingtip launch rails vary enormously...... the Airfix/Heller (top) is totally wrong, the Hasegawa Su-27 (middle) is too big according to the drawings, the Hasegawa Su-33 (bottom) is spot-on according to the drawings..... (but I'm not convinced).... I intend to scratch-build a pair of Sorbitsya pods for the Su-33 - so I might use that kit's rails on one of the Airfix/Heller models..... Whilst I consider the Airfix/Heller kits to be the best looking Flanker models, they are a pain in the bum to make.... They are ill-fitting, the plastic is very brittle and the moulds are getting on for 23+ years old. Because the wings are moulded separately, there is a large gap at the root that has to be filled - and then rubbed down - without losing too much surface detail The underside also needs filler..... Ho hum......... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hoops Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Great to see you in action again Ken! I'll be looking forward to seeing more updates on this thread, Cheers, Hoops Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 .... a bit more..... I reckon there are two 'pains' when making a Flanker - especially in 1/72 scale One is painting the titanium/heat treated engine nacelles (why can't Sukhoi paint them like on other aircraft??) The other is the intakes - the outer camo colour wraps round into the intake lip - so you have to paint them before assembly Note the excellent detail in the 'roof' of the intake on the new Hasegawa Su-33 - not present on the other two kits. Comparison of intakes - Airfix top, Hasegawa Su-27 middle, Su-33 bottom. The Hasegawa Su-33 has the correct side mesh detail for a Su-33, Airfix/Heller has the correct grilles for a Su-27 - the Hasegawa Su-27 in the middle has etched steel parts for the grilles - but there are no recesses and they stand proud of the surface!! (not fitted in the photo). Only Hasegawa provide parts for the compressor faces - Airfix/Heller have nothing - Su-33 top, Su-27 bottom. Both Hasegawa kits have separate shutters for the bottom of the intakes - the Hasegawa Su-27 (left) only gives you an open shutter, the Su-33 kit (right) provides alternate open or closed shutters. A Flanker at rest with the engine off would have closed shutters. The Airfix/Heller kit (left) has the shutters engraved into the bottom of the intake part..... Note the different widths of the respective intakes - the Airfix/Heller is narrowest - the actual dimensions are... Airfix/Heller....... 10mm Hasegawa Su-33...... 10.5mm Hasegawa Su-27...... 11mm AiV drawing......... 10mm Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 If UNESCO will ever set up a World Heritage Internet Thread programme, this, along with several other Ken's Flanker builds should be the first candidates to be included since WIP threads like these offer enormous amount of information for the modeling community. Keep it coming, Ken! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mikoyan29srb Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Awsome work Ken! I will be watching this as well Good luck! Regards, Stefan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted September 21, 2011 Author Share Posted September 21, 2011 I do wish the Flanker manufacturers would mould the dorsal airbrake in the closed position. It is rarely seen open on the ground - and it's a bu**er to fit and blend in..... As expected - the new Hasegawa Su-33 is a reasonably good fit..... The Hasegawa Su-27 has a few gaps..... .... and, surprise, surprise, the Airfix/Heller one only fits where it touches..... The Hasegawa Su-27 intakes are not a bad fit - the problem at the rear is where I've played with the nacelle... The Airfix/Heller inttakes need lots of filler..... .... and the Hasegawa Su-33 is best of all..... The new Hasegawa Su-33 has a small dimple on the wing leading edge slats - this represents the RWR fitted as part of an upgrade and is correct for a Su-33 in the last year or so. As I am modelling a Su-33 from a few years back, I sanded it off.... I also nearly forgot to add the IFR probe recess to the Heller Su-27UB (which I am converting into a Venezuelan Su-30MK2). I should have done it before cementing the fuselage halves together - as it was I had to carefully gouge it out. Once I fit the head of the retracted probe, it will look better...... B) Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon Fitzgerald Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Great progress Ken! Could you explain what the RWR is and what purpose it serves on upgraded su-33s? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 Great progress Ken! Could you explain what the RWR is and what purpose it serves on upgraded su-33s? I can't find the exact designation just now - but RWR means Radar Warning Receiver - and warns the pilot when he is being 'painted' by radar. The new land-based Su-27SM has the 'dimples' fitted to the leading edge slats...... If you look at recent photos of Su-33's you can see the same dimples on them. This photo on on Airliners.net shows them - note also the strengthening plates on the undersides of the tailplanes. I found this on the Scramble website...... A 1999 Sukhoi/KnAAPO/Rosvooruzheni brochure described a Su-33 Upgrade configuration, though there is no real evidence that any such programme has been funded. The cockpit is to gain two large colour LCD multifunction displays, with a modernised flight control/navigation system and enhanced air-to-ground capabilities. The upgraded Su-33 is to be compatible with the R-77 (AA-12 “Adderâ€) AAM and with a range of air-to-ground PGMs, including TV-guided Kh-29, Kh-59N, KAB-500Kr and KAB-1500Kr and laser-guided Kh-29L, KAB-500L, and KAB-1500L. The use of the Kh-31P will give the aircraft an effective SEAD capability. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon Fitzgerald Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Thanks Ken much appreciated! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 More..... Ventral fins compared. The Hasegawa Su-33 is spot on, the Airfix/Heller ones aren't too bad, but the Hasegawa Su-27 fins are way too big.... Just to be different, I am replacing the wingtip launch rails on the Su-33 with 'Sorbtsiya' ECM pods - so they have to be scratchbuilt from 4mm dia plastic rod with square-section plastic rod for the mounts and other bits from scrap.... The port side is fitted - together with a thin plastic card strengthening strip... I'm also deploying the flaps on the Su-33 - to show the difference between the double-slotted flaps and the plain flaps on the Su-27. Here the port side one is cut up ready for re-assembly in the drooped position...... I'm also correcting the Airfix/Heller tailplanes - using the Su-33 ones as a benchmark.... That's all for now ...folks. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mario krijan Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Ken this thread must be pinned Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jon Fitzgerald Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Great job on those pods Ken! I'm glad my blog could help in that area! :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted September 24, 2011 Author Share Posted September 24, 2011 The Hasegawa Su-27 tailplanes are a bit too long chordwise - but removing a bit of the trailing edge soon improves them (right)... It's the same with the ventral fins..... A bit of a flap on the Su-33 ...... component parts of the starboard double-slotted flaps modified and ready for re-assembly.... .... and attached to the starboard wing of the Su-33....... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Berkut Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Wow, the flaps looks great. You make it look so easy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mario krijan Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Flaps looks fantastic... i will never do something like that Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rom Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 impressive work Ken!!! ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Most impressive! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nazar Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Ken, may be useful Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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