SebastianP Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 (edited) How good is the interchangeability of the parts of the Zvezda 1/72 Flanker kits? I know some of the sprues are identical between the Su-27K and Su-27SM (the weapons sprues most obviously), but how feasible is it to for example put the larger folding wings from the Su-27K on the Su-27SM fuselage - or, more relevantly, on the forthcoming Su-27UB fuselage? I just ordered a pair of the Su-27SM kits off of Amazon (Revell boxing), and one of those is definitely destined for two-tone blue scheme (Red 06), but the whiffer in me is chomping at the bit to make a navalized Su-30 with US Navy decals. Or at least get someone else to. :) Also, while I'm at it, which decal sheet is the better between Zvezda and Revell, and is it worth it attempting to trade a Revell sheet for a Zvezda sheet so I can build Red 04 to go with Red 06? Edited March 11, 2018 by SebastianP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, SebastianP said: how feasible is it to for example put the larger folding wings from the Su-27K on the Su-27SM fuselage Very hard I'd say - the parts breakdown is totally different..... Su-27K (Su-33)....... The Su-27SM has a separate upper forward fuselage......(presumably to facilitate a new Su-27UB upper forward fuselage) Anything is do-able - it just depends on how much work you are prepared to do? Ken Edited March 3, 2018 by Flankerman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SebastianP Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 2 minutes ago, Flankerman said: Very hard I'd say - the parts breakdown is totally different..... [snip] Anything is do-able - it just depends on how much work you are prepared to do? Ken Thanks for the reply. Looks like the surgery might be a little out of my comfort zone for now, I'll stick to the OOB experience for now. *Maybe* do an insignia swap on the second Su-27SM just for fun. Let's hope Zvezda keeps going with the Flanker variants though, I want an MKI and an MKM at some point. And a Su-35S... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SebastianP Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 (edited) Changed the title because I've received my kits, and now I have questions. So many questions. The plastic of the kit has the option of opening locator holes for the inboard stores stations found on the Su-30, Su-33 and Su-35 variants, but the instructions didn't say to open them and doesn't give any hints as to which of the many, many options for hardpoints adapters would be installed there if you did open them. And it didn't look from the first half hour of googling as if the Su-27SM actually used the inboard hardpoints anyway, so I was going to leave them off. And then I found this picture: This is not a Su-35S. It has a nose pitot, it has the extended boxes on teh stinger, and it has a single nose-wheel. The Bort number is one I know is used on the Su-27SM, and the tail appears to have the "VVS Rossiya" markings of the latest Flankers. But it has the inboard hardpoint. Is this an "SM3" only thing, or do all Su-27SMs have this? Second, a lot of the pictures I've found of recent Flankers appear to be loaded up with only the top half of the hardpoint - no missile adapter. A lot of the Su-35S pics appear to show these empty hardpoints on all three under-wing stations, like this: I assume that in order to replicate this, I basically have to carve off the lower part of the kit-provided hardpoints (C15, C17, C18, and B38/B40) along the line where the instructions says to paint it in the airframe bottom color, and then drill out the triangular holes in the front? Also, is this a Su-35S thing only or do older models also do this? Next question: While it's not germane to the currently available Zvezda kits, the Su-27UB is coming, and I'm sure I'm not the only person drooling over the potential for turning it into a Su-30K or any of its derivatives. To do so, I'd need to know how to attach the Russian Multiple Ejector Racks to the Flanker, as I don't think attaching them directly to a missile rail launcher would be appropriate. Most pictures I've seen of the Flanker with bombs have been from directly underneath, or so grainy you couldn't make out the details of the hardpoint adapter. Am I on the right track in assuming that starting with the mods outlined above (carving off the missile rails from the stores stations) is the proper approach to this? Another question - where's the easiest way to get the rocket pods and other offensive stores for the Flanker family aside from the Kh31 in plastic? Does anyone sell an injection Russian ground attack weapons set in 1/72 anymore, and *is it any good*? I'd rather not have to buy an expensive jet just to loot it for weapons if it's avoidable. (Not really a high priority anyway, Flanker-chan is going to be loaded out for air-to-air...) Final question - since I busted the seat on one of my Flanker kits (there was a huge sinkmark in the headrest; and then I lost one of the armrests to the carpet monster. And I don't have a carpet), I've been thinking of doing some radical westernization of the beast - ACES-II or Martin-Baker ejection seat; NATO missile rails, missiles and bombs from the spares box, and decals from either Revell's F-22 (since I have two that crashed and burnt before decal application started) or Revell's Typhoon (same story, basically). Discarding the political factors, would such a thing even be technically possible in real life? I *will* be doing it anyway, but I'd like an opinion on exactly how barking mad I am for considering this... :) Edited March 11, 2018 by SebastianP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SebastianP Posted March 13, 2018 Author Share Posted March 13, 2018 (edited) On 2018-03-03 at 8:02 PM, Flankerman said: Very hard I'd say - the parts breakdown is totally different..... Su-27K (Su-33)....... The Su-27SM has a separate upper forward fuselage......(presumably to facilitate a new Su-27UB upper forward fuselage) Anything is do-able - it just depends on how much work you are prepared to do? Ken OK, so I've been staring at these pics for a bit, as well as my in-hand Su-27SM... You haven't by any chance done a comparison of how well the panel lines on the top of the Su-33 fuselage line up with the split in the Su-27SM top half? If it's possible, with very careful cutting along the panel lines, to split the Su-33 fuselage along the same panel lines and get something where both combinations match up, and then do some similar grafting of the bottom half, it should be possible to pull off a Su-27M (original Su-35), as well as a twin-seat, but canard-less Su-33 with the full carrier kit, modified tail stinger and all, to paint up in a Tomcat scheme like your old Flankercat using the forthcoming Su-27UB kit :) I just don't want to be the first to try this, because my experience at grafting kits together like this is nil, and I have enough trouble as it is with kits that have factory-made split upper fuselages to accomodate multiple versions (Looking at you, Revell F-16. And of course this Flanker kit, though that was relatively painless in practice.) ...Who am I kidding? The moment the Su-27UB kit is out, I'm going to go "hold my beer and watch this" aren't I? Edited March 13, 2018 by SebastianP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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