Flankerman Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 (edited) Following the 'comparison' thread - I have made a start on building the Trumpeter 1/72 scale Su-34..... I won't post pics of the sprues - they are available elsewhere and here - just progress photos of the build. The cockpit is quite comprehensive - with a separate door in the rear bulkhead..... but note those ejection pin recesses in the structure behind the seats. Similarly, the nosewheel bay looks accurate - complete with two-parts for the sliding access hatch..... The K-36 ejection seats are quite simplified - I would replace them if the cockpit was open - but they are acceptable given the closed cockpit... Trumpeter even provide the rudder pedals and very nice control collums - decals are provided for the front and side instrument panels - although the starboard panel curled up on me and I couldn't get it straight... Note the rear door - which I have posed open. The nosewheel bay in place - although not mentioned in the instructions, the front access hatch can be clicked in place and made to slide open..... Open.... Closed.... View into the wheel bay.... note the sliding front hatch. Top and bottom fuselage halves glued together..... I have made an attempt at re-profiling the nose to make it sharper - with moderate success...... It isn't 100% - but it looks much better - I might shave a bit more off to make the 'beak' sharper - but without going through the plastic!!... Re-shaped Trumpeter nose compared to the Italeri nose.... More later... Ken Edited July 20, 2017 by Flankerman sink marks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gremlin Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 keep going Thanks for all your comments for future builds. regards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Raptor01 Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Hi Ken I am building the 1/48 HB version now too. (Z-5 blog). A question that I do not think was asked is: Some pics of the Su-34 show the radio transparent composite nose cone as being roughly finished, almost like a bodged fiberglass job. Are the nose cones smooth & up to industry standards or are the roughly finish ones outliers. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mario krijan Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Ken inspiring work!!! You are not at MAKS?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Some progress...... The aperture for the APU intake has to be drilled out..... not something you should have to do on such an expensive kit! The mesh grille part is fitted. Note that Trumpeter haven't included the APU outlet though. I used a short length of scrap plastic to stop the mesh part falling inside.... There is a join to fill where the tailboom attaches.... .... and try as I might, I could not get the tailboom to go forward far enough - leaving gaps on the underside. The good news is... the fins are cleverly designed with side panels to eliminate a joint - they fit perfectly. More later... Ken PS... On 20/07/2017 at 8:54 PM, mario krijan said: You are not at MAKS?? No not this year - but I am going on a river cruise in September - from St. Petersburg to Moscow - but the application form for a Russian Visa is a nightmare!!! Enough to put me off going to Russia forever!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kotey Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 2 hours ago, Flankerman said: but the application form for a Russian Visa is a nightmare!!! Enough to put me off going to Russia forever!! Ken, great work as usual. Do you know in russian modellers forum you have unofficial nickname "адский дед" - infernal grandfather? You were build 10 models in time when someone made at best one. PS about visa - when few year ago i'm applicated to UK visa - i'm collect regiestered copies of official papers, that shown i'm have appartment, car with garage, countryside home and money deposits in two banks. And after that i'm also visit UK visas center in my town and have 20 minutes interview with visa officer from Moscow by videoconferece (thank you, god blessed UK government that i should'nt went to Moscow for this). So, i think its street with both sides direction from Russian and UK government. In same time applicate EU visa in my pasport - easy way, just prolongation multivisa for next year, i hope in this year it will be first 3 year visa. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Helmsman Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 5 hours ago, kotey said: "адский дед" - infernal grandfather? :))) I'd rather translate it as "infernal old man" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Google translates it as 'Hellish Grandfather' - another on-line translator gives 'The Hellish Santa' I'm not sure whether to be flattered or insulted!!! Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kotey Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 In means of russian modellers of coure flattered - you were already built more model, than dozen average modellers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pappy121 Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 On 19/07/2017 at 8:07 PM, Flankerman said: Following the 'comparison' thread - I have made a start on building the Trumpeter 1/72 scale Su-34..... I won't post pics of the sprues - they are available elsewhere and here - just progress photos of the build. The cockpit is quite comprehensive - with a separate door in the rear bulkhead..... but note those ejection pin recesses in the structure behind the seats. Similarly, the nosewheel bay looks accurate - complete with two-parts for the sliding access hatch..... The K-36 ejection seats are quite simplified - I would replace them if the cockpit was open - but they are acceptable given the closed cockpit... Trumpeter even provide the rudder pedals and very nice control collums - decals are provided for the front and side instrument panels - although the starboard panel curled up on me and I couldn't get it straight... Note the rear door - which I have posed open. The nosewheel bay in place - although not mentioned in the instructions, the front access hatch can be clicked in place and made to slide open..... Open.... Closed.... View into the wheel bay.... note the sliding front hatch. Top and bottom fuselage halves glued together..... I have made an attempt at re-profiling the nose to make it sharper - with moderate success...... It isn't 100% - but it looks much better - I might shave a bit more off to make the 'beak' sharper - but without going through the plastic!!... Re-shaped Trumpeter nose compared to the Italeri nose.... More later... Ken G'day Ken, I shall be following along to watch you weave your magic. ref the nose re-profiling, could you not chuck a blob of Milliput (or similar) inside and then shape as required? No problem if you sand through the plastic as the Milliput will allow you to continue to profile instead of resulting in a void, cheers, Pappy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted July 26, 2017 Author Share Posted July 26, 2017 2 hours ago, Pappy121 said: ref the nose re-profiling, could you not chuck a blob of Milliput (or similar) inside and then shape as required? No problem if you sand through the plastic as the Milliput will allow you to continue to profile instead of resulting in a void, That was my first thought too - but I think I have got away with the re-shaping without going through the plastic. I have gently shaved a little more since the above photo - it isn't perfect, but it is much better than the original. No doubt there will be resin replacement along soon..... Quickboost? Aires?? etc - you listening ?? Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pappy121 Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Righto, on with the show then! :P Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted August 8, 2017 Author Share Posted August 8, 2017 The Trumpeter intakes really capture the complex internal shape - but they are overly complex and the plastic is very thin. It took me a long time to work out how the parts went together from the instruction diagram - lots of dry fitting to figure them out - but I got there in the end.... I also painted the insides before assembly - you can't get at them afterwards......... The fit isn't brilliant either - filler needed along one seam. When it came to fitting the assembled intakes to the fuselage - there was another problem. The mating surface on the fuselage bottom was slightly bowed - so the intakes only made contact at either the front or rear - they could see-saw in the middle. I think this is due to the main undercarriage bay walls not fitting flush - I had to first clamp and glue the intakes at the front first - and when the glue had set, then clamp and glue the rear ends..... Fronts glued in place..... .... followed by the rears..... .... but it still needed filler on the rear join.... If I were to make another Trumpeter Su-34, I might try to fit the intakes to the lower fuselage moulding BEFORE glueing the upper and lower fuselage halves together - at least that way would make it easier to clamp and glue (and probably eliminate the 'bowing') The whole fuselage assembly is very flexible and feels unusually delicate. Ho-hum..... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Some more..... Cockpit coaming, wing fences, flaperons and rudders added - although they are separate parts, the rudders and flaperons are not 'posable' - unless the mounting tabs are modified. Underside view showing the small amounts of filler needed - note the straight-edged fillet added to the LERX on production Su-34's. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
su27rules Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Very nice!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Major Walt Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Absolutely superb! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted August 17, 2017 Author Share Posted August 17, 2017 The latest production Su-34 has a very visible set of blinds that roll up and down inside the side windows - with a semi-circular blind that folds up from the top of the instrument panel.... Trumpeter make no provision for this prominent feature - so, to be really accurate, they need to be added. I'm using hoops cut from plastic card fitted inside the clear canopy ......... Once they are painted I'll add the blinds - made from thin white plastic card. I did the same on my Italeri Su-34 update....... Also missed by Trumpeter are the fillets between the leading edge wing tip and ECM pods when they are fitted......... Small additions - but they are there if you know where to look. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skyhawk174 Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 Ken this is really nice work. Even though I don't build 1/72nd it is good to see such crisp building. As an aside, I have the Italeri kit and I really want to build that one. Do you think it is worth it or should I just get the Trumpeter version, with its wonky nose, and use that instead? I normally build in 1/48th but still debating that too. Thanks for any input. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted August 24, 2017 Author Share Posted August 24, 2017 The Italeri kit was good - in its day - I updated it ..........here The Trumpeter kit represents the latest configuration (Chines on the LERX, APU in tail etc) and is much more modern. Apart from the (semi-fixable) radome, it is a good kit - better, IMHO, than the old Italeri kit. It has loads of weapons (some say TOO many!) - a neat clear plastic Platan targetting box, open door in cockpit etc etc. Although it still needs some fixes (fillets on wing tips, APU exhaust etc) - plus those prominent window blinds. Yer takes yer money........ Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 9, 2018 Author Share Posted February 9, 2018 I've just resurrected this one - from a few months ago........... Canopy fitted and masked with Tamiya tape. Why can't Trumpeter provide self-adhesive masks like Modelsvit ?? Final primer coat - now ready for painting. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mario krijan Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Great work Ken ☺☺☺ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 25, 2018 Author Share Posted March 25, 2018 Meanwhile.... back at the Su-34 ..... it has now emerged from the paint shop.... I used the AKAN Su-34 set - and I am pleased with the resluts. There are a few areas in need of a touch-up - and I broke off the port upper wing fence..... Underside view. Next up is the decals, undercarriage and weapons. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Nicely done, it is a good looking scheme :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.