janman Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 (edited) So, this has obviously been a long project and during the build I've described the kit with many negative words. You can read the WIP thread here http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/234466-172-tupolev-tu-22m3-backfire-by-trumpeter/ , but to make a long story short, the basic outlines on the kit - fuselage, wings, tails - are pretty accurate. I know there is one area that could have benefited from reshaping and that's the area around the engines on the rear fuselage, which on the real aircraft is, well, more bootylicious. 😎 The problems mostly lie in the details and I tried to correct everything I found, especially if it was feasible. The cockpit is entirely fictitious, but the excellent Neomega resin set corrected this. The windshield didn't look right either. The landing gears needed a lot of attention and again some aftermarket stuff came to rescue. The kit gears stayed, but the wheels and tires are from Equipage. The decal sheet (from Authentic Decals) had a known problem and I really had to struggle to avoid silvering. The exhausts were lengthened and a lot of details added, including PE burner rings. Every single probe and aerial was scratch built and all the smaller inlets either scratched or modified. The intakes were mere gaping holes so some ramp details were added there. The bomb bay was hideous so the interior details and the bomb racks were scratched. The kit designers had never seen one live. The bomb bay doors were basically started from zero as well. The FAB-250 bombs come from Advanced Modeling and the additional AS-4 Kitchen missile from Amodel. The kit one... again hideous. Here you are, folks! I can't describe the feeling seeing it finally here. After all the troubles - including the near hull loss accident - I'm quite happy with it! Edited October 14, 2018 by janman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 14, 2018 Author Share Posted October 14, 2018 With Kh-22 (AS-4) which wasn't normally carried when Tu-22M3 was used as a free fall bomber. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 14, 2018 Author Share Posted October 14, 2018 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Slartibartfast Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Very nice to see this finished. Fantastic weathering and small detail work. What strikes me the most is the nose profile, it looks something like the T-38 used for sonic boom studies. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 14, 2018 Author Share Posted October 14, 2018 Thanks! Really had to Google that sonic boom study T-38. And you're right! 😀 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LyIgor Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Wow! Superb! Great work! Well done! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 14, 2018 Author Share Posted October 14, 2018 7 minutes ago, LyIgor said: Wow! Superb! Great work! Well done! I see you come from Russia so it's very nice to hear you can approve my build. Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stephen Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Fantastic work Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Wow! Impressive all around.....magnificent details and a fantastic build. It's been an epic journey from start to finish. Outstanding! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
modelguy2 Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Dang, one more year and you could have nailed it! Nice work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crackerjazz Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Masterpiece! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Specter1075 Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Very fine work for a very cool aircraft! I'm in awe! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 15, 2018 Author Share Posted October 15, 2018 10 hours ago, Stephen said: Fantastic work Thank you! 8 hours ago, Aigore said: Wow! Impressive all around.....magnificent details and a fantastic build. It's been an epic journey from start to finish. Outstanding! Epic. Even I myself can relate to that. Thanks, Janne! 7 hours ago, modelguy2 said: Dang, one more year and you could have nailed it! Nice work! 🙂 2 hours ago, Specter1075 said: Very fine work for a very cool aircraft! I'm in awe! My favourite bomber. Had to give it some special luv! Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ryan Hothersall Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Nice build. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ViperZero Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 OUTSTANDING!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rocat Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 Impressive! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainObvious Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 Congratulations on crossing the finish line Janman!!! Fantastic work all around. The final bit of weathering really seals the deal! She does look especially impressive armed with the Kh-22s . -co Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 16, 2018 Author Share Posted October 16, 2018 Thanks, guys! 5 hours ago, CaptainObvious said: Congratulations on crossing the finish line Janman!!! Fantastic work all around. The final bit of weathering really seals the deal! She does look especially impressive armed with the Kh-22s . -co Thanks for the kind words! What comes to the Kh-22, I fully agree. It's a menacing looking thing. It was only a month ago when I chose to include it as an optional ordnance and I think it paid off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted October 16, 2018 Share Posted October 16, 2018 What an epic and unique build! Your patience and attention to detail really paid off. Great job! Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Lost for words, mate! I am really glad I've had a chance to see it last month! So in the end you've just put the cockpit doors on, or did you end up gluing them? They look really flush. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 17, 2018 Author Share Posted October 17, 2018 1 hour ago, Sebastijan said: Lost for words, mate! I am really glad I've had a chance to see it last month! So in the end you've just put the cockpit doors on, or did you end up gluing them? They look really flush. I'm obliged for your words, mate. The (resin) cockpit doors needed some extra care when I worked with them. I added some plastic strips for a better fit back then. Now when I put them on last weekend, I noticed some of them needed a bit of sanding for good fit. I was going to use tiny amounts of white glue to keep them in place but just got carried away with the photo arrangements and skipped that. The doors just are there.🙂 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Fantastic as always Jan! -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 21, 2018 Author Share Posted October 21, 2018 Thanks, Gregg! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Berkut Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 I have been quietly following your thread all those years Jan and it has been a pleasure to see the progress. Congrats on finishing the beast! Now, unto 1/72 Tu-160? 😛 (i have one, no idea why, reasons, i guess) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
janman Posted October 21, 2018 Author Share Posted October 21, 2018 Berk, Blackjack is certainly one my favourites and I think we talked about it with Sebastijan when he and his family were here on August. But the unevitable conclusion was: Where the heck can we store such a gigantic bird!? The answer was: nowhere.😐 I still haven't figured out how the display my Backfire. It doesn't fit into my IKEA cabinet, that's for sure. Thanks for your appreciation! It was a long and winding road. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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