Flankerman Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Look what the postman just delivered....... First impressions.......... Very restrained (almost too restrained!) engraved surface detail. The fuselage has a central 'barrel' - which is probably their injection-moulding limit - with separate forward and aft fuselage sections - indicating future versions. Although it is a missile-armed Tu-22KD version, 3 'variants' are catered for - a standard free-fall bomber with flush weapons bay doors, an example with the Kh-22 fitted retracted in the bay with gap-filling doors around it - or one with the Kh-22 detached on its own dolly about to be loaded. The wheeled dolly and missile are included - as are 4 X JATO bottles fitted under the wings and different bay doors for each variant. The cockpit is reasonably well detailed - given that you can't see much - with three 13-part ejection seats. No provision is made to have them shown extended for boarding - but it shouldn't be too difficult to 'convert'. The central 'beam' in the weapons bay that carries the Kh-22 missile is retractable - so the missile can go up and down in its bay. The wheels are in two halves - and moulded in black plastic - but need painting anyway. Full depth intakes and exhausts are provided Canopy masks are included - and the two decal sheets provide full stencil data, instrument panel decals and markings for three schemes..... A Soviet machine - bort 63 - of the 341st TBAP based at Ozernoe in the 1980's The same machine in Ukrainian markings at the same base in the 1990's The same machine at the Poltava museum in the 2000's with a dragon logo on the forward fuselage. This is one of those 'drop everything and start building' kits that come along occasionally - which is what I shall be doing. Ken Although the kit wheels seem perfectly adequate, I have already ordered some resin replacement wheels from Armory. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sharkmouth Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I await your build! It is on my shopping list once someone releases the decal for this scheme: Regards, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Thanks Ken! Yeah, she's a real beauty! I'm stoked... In all my time in USAF intel in the 80s, I never saw a Tu-22 flying (or at least that we knew of). I think they must all have been based in the eastern USSR. Now if we could get A-Model/Modelsvit to give us a Bear B/C/G and a Bear D, we'd be in high cotton! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 Sharkmouth, you'll have to wait until Modelsvit releases a new variant first.... that is a Tu-22PD ECM version with a slimmer nose radome ...... plus other bumps and aerials. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
flybywire Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 (edited) Hi Ken! is this plane painted silver or just in natural metal (aluminum) color in real life? And are those selected individual panels simply white? Edited November 21, 2015 by flybywire Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 (edited) That does look nice. I think one could do an Iraqi Tu-22K/KP with this - someone set me straight please if I am incorrect. Sorting out the camouflage pattern, colors and cobbling markings together would be the only issues. Any chance, Flankerman, that you can post a scan of the 3 schemes illustrated in the instructions? Cheers, Tom Edited November 21, 2015 by Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sharkmouth Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Sharkmouth, you'll have to wait until Modelsvit releases a new variant first.... that is a Tu-22PD ECM version with a slimmer nose radome ...... plus other bumps and aerials. Thanks twice Ken! First for a photo I didn't have, and another for letting me know that another variant is coming. I've never been afraid to modify kits when needed. I will wait patiently then for the correct variant but follow along as it will let me know what to expect in terms of fit, plastic quality, and engineering. Also, it will give some time for Andrey (Begemot Decals) to come up with a sheet or two for this release (hopefully with the shark included)! Regards, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Hi Ken! is this plane painted silver or just in natural metal (aluminum) color in real life? And are those selected individual panels simply white? Hi flybywire, Looking at period photos of Tu-22’s it is clear that they were plain natural metal. As always it would have been covered with clear varnish for corrosion protection. This would have been the early period after production. I would expect that just with any other natural metal aircraft they would have applied varnish mixed with 7-8% of aluminium powder after general overhaul. This depended on the level of surface damage during operations between overhaul periods. Particular panels on bombers (not only the Tu-22) were covered with white “anti flash” white paint. So yes, it is white paint and not only a faded out panel from any other colour due to its museum years. Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Cool, Ken! Been waiting for a WIP report! Shame about the shallow surface detail. Some work ahead if one wants crisp panel lines. I kinda expected this. Okay, so no hatches for lowered bang seats? You have to scratch both the rails and the hatches (and cut out holes for them), right? The part count on the seats promises some kind of accuracy and I like that. I'm eager to see more! Hopefully the fit is good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 What variant(s) did Libya and Iraq fly?? There's so much misinformation and incomplete information out there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 As you say - it is difficult to say for certain what variants were sold to Libya & Iraq. Some sources say that big-nose KD variants were used - but others dispute that. I have no idea.... 'ere ya go Tom......... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jabba29 Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 That does look nice. I think one could do an Iraqi Tu-22K/KP with this - someone set me straight please if I am incorrect. Sorting out the camouflage pattern, colors and cobbling markings together would be the only issues. Any chance, Flankerman, that you can post a scan of the 3 schemes illustrated in the instructions? Cheers, Tom I am too hoping that an Iraqi aircraft can be built with this kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted November 21, 2015 Author Share Posted November 21, 2015 I just posted these pages on Britmodeller (trying to keep two separate threads going....) :bandhead2:/>/>/>/>/> They are pages of the instruction sheets showing the weapons bay doors and missile fit..... There is no internal weapons bay detail - just the structural beam with a retractable rack for the missile.... The, you either fit flush closed doors (for the non-missile variant) - or contoured doors that fit around the missile... You can then attach the missile to its retracted rack..... or have it on its dolly, with the rack extended, ready to take the missile.... Ken PS - Sharkmouth - I have no proof that Modelsvit will release other versions - I'm just assuming that they will. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Petarvu Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Awesome looking kit. Tu-22 is such a sleek design! I hope aftermarket cockpit and downward sliding seats will be available soon. P Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 What variant(s) did Libya and Iraq fly?? There's so much misinformation and incomplete information out there. Hi Jennings, The best thing to do would be to read this two part article by Tom Cooper. Cheers, Tom http://www.acig.info/CMS/?option=com_content&task=view&id=247&Itemid=47 http://www.acig.info/CMS/?option=com_content&task=view&id=249&Itemid=47 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoFo Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 (edited) I've been trawling through various Blinder references lately, and my take on what *seems* to be the case: Tom Cooper - somewhat controversial Middle Eastern aviation expert - says Iraq used Tu-22KD, the missile carrier that Modelsvit just released. Yefim Gordon - somewhat controversial Russian aviation expert - says that Iraq DID NOT use Tu-22KD. I haven't found definitive evidence one way or another. There are obvious reasons why both sides would want to spin the truth - Cooper's accounts paint Russia's (then) marquee weapons system in a *terrible* light, so they are easy to dismiss as Western propaganda; Iraq's experience with the bombers was *terrible* and they certainly *wanted* missile carriers (and Backfires), so it gives the Iraqis a chance to trash what was Russia's marquee weapons system in a terrible light. It's clear from reading the thread linked below, that Russians place *very* little credibility in Western sources, which likely skews research on the matter. That's not to say whether Iraq did or did not fly Tu-22Ks, just that there seems to be a lot of nationalism at play in their vetting of information. Both Libya and Iraq DID fly Tu-22B. Tu-22 Б These were ex-Tu-22P (EW jammers) that were overhauled, reverted back to bombers, with all nuclear capabilities stripped out. They were definitely called Tu-22B, however - both former pilots and ground crew refer to them as 'B'. Variant breakdown and history: http://www.tu22.ru/index.php/zarozhdenie-i-osvoenie/60-ispytaniya-i-modifikatsii-tu-22 Russian forum thread that attempts to document the history of every airframe: (TONS of great info and original pics. Tough read, though) Post from thread with former (Russian) ground crew that served in Libya: http://aviaforum.ru/threads/reestr-tu-22.20954/page-34#post-1294026 New (to me) Libyan photos: http://aviaforum.ru/threads/reestr-tu-22.20954/page-46#post-1390527 (the wreck is apparently ca. 2011; there's a shot a few posts down, of what look to be Libyan crew training on Russian jets?) Intercept from the other side: http://aviaforum.ru/threads/reestr-tu-22.20954/page-20#post-1177479 Libyan squadron badges: http://aviaforum.ru/threads/reestr-tu-22.20954/page-21#post-1183380 Tu-22 in Iran (no idea what they're saying, but find it hilarious how similar the production is to Western shows like Wings): https://my.mail.ru/mail/grif313/video/_myvideo/34.html French write-up detailing the shoot down (SAM) of a Libyan Blinder in Chad: http://cdn.aviaforum.ru/images/2013/04/582952_813f7be5c6404f2b205a4e4830a60bb7.pdf (English starts on pg. 9) And another mouthed jet for Sharkmouth: http://cdn.aviaforum.ru/images/2011/12/509246_202a33999dc8beea7c71ee0697c348df.jpg (not sure I'd call it a shark mouth...) Edited November 21, 2015 by MoFo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 Ту-22I am a spammer, please report this post. Really? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoFo Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 PS - Sharkmouth - I have no proof that Modelsvit will release other versions - I'm just assuming that they will. I could have sworn there was something 'official' in the original Greenmats thread announcing the kit, but I can't see anything now. :( Man, I *hope* they do some other versions! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 I'd be surprised if they don't do a basic bomber/recce version. The way the fuselage is broken down it makes sense, plus (from what I can find) it appears the Iraqis and Libyans flew those versions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sharkmouth Posted November 21, 2015 Share Posted November 21, 2015 PS - Sharkmouth - I have no proof that Modelsvit will release other versions - I'm just assuming that they will. If the sales do well, I'd be surprised if they don't. And if they don't, I have a knife and am not afraid to use it! And another mouthed jet for Sharkmouth: http://cdn.aviaforum...e0697c348df.jpg (not sure I'd call it a shark mouth...) Smiling shark! :D Thanks! Regards, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 If the sales do well, I'd be surprised if they don't. And if they don't, I have a knife and am not afraid to use it! It's going to take more than a knife I'm afraid if you want to do an Iraqi or Libyan Tu-22A Blinder B or Tu-22B, whichever is the correct designation. Pictures of the built kit show it to have the long-nozzled RD-7M-2 engines, not the older, original, short-nozzled VD-7M engines. And, according to the book, Tupolev Tu-22 Blinder by Sergey Burdin and Alan E. Dawes, the nacelles had to be modified to accept the newer engine. Cheers, Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sharkmouth Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 It's going to take more than a knife I'm afraid if you want to do an Iraqi or Libyan Tu-22A Blinder B or Tu-22B, whichever is the correct designation. Tom, my interest is the Tu-22PD variant. Regards, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
flybywire Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Hi flybywire, Looking at period photos of Tu-22’s it is clear that they were plain natural metal. As always it would have been covered with clear varnish for corrosion protection. This would have been the early period after production. I would expect that just with any other natural metal aircraft they would have applied varnish mixed with 7-8% of aluminium powder after general overhaul. This depended on the level of surface damage during operations between overhaul periods. Particular panels on bombers (not only the Tu-22) were covered with white “anti flash” white paint. So yes, it is white paint and not only a faded out panel from any other colour due to its museum years. Best regards Gabor Many thank Gabor for that information!! :) Just waiting for the kit to arrive at my doorstep..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 Ken..NOICE one Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Great looking kit. Can't wait for mine to arrive. The Armory wheels look like they may be a good investment, but I think an aftermarket cockpit would be of little value since you can't see much through the windows. Similarly, the kit seats are probably good enough for the up position. If someone does aftermarket seats, I hope they include the rails and hatches so the seats can be displayed in the lowered position. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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