Jump to content

1/48 Su-30MKM Flanker-H (Hobby Boss Su-30MKK Conversion)


Recommended Posts

Hey everyone!

 

Well, I haven't done an in-progress thread in awhile, but since this project is my first real conversion (and one of my favorite aircraft), I thought I would do one for this... Besides, I may need some support and may have some questions along the way.  🙂

 

So the base kit for this is the Hobby Boss Su-30MKK, and I will be using the Naza Model Art Su-30MKM conversion set.  I also have Fishbone decals for this aircraft.  I will also be using a L'Arsenal Aero Damocles pod, AMUR Reaver Thrust Vectoring Exhausts, Master Model Pitot, and Neomega seats.

 

540267-16625-57.jpg

 

So pull up a seat and enjoy the show!

Edited by Fighting Eighty-Four
Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, Fighting Eighty-Four said:

So the base kit for this is the Hobby Boss Su-30MKM

 

Don't you mean the Hobby Boss Su-30MKK ???

 

You are starting with an MKK (Modified (updated), Kommercial (Export), Kitei (China)).... and ending up with an MKM (Modified, Kommercial, Malaysia).

 

Happy Flankering

 

Ken

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, rom said:

I would like to build the mkm prototype 04 with the colorful camo.

 

Rom, if it is the camouflaged '04 Blue' you mean - that was a pre-production Su-30MKI for India :- Sukhoi_Su_30.jpg

 

Although - the photo above shows it fitted with MAWS and LWS - so maybe it also served as a development machine for the MKM ?

 

AFAIK, the Su-30MKM (for Malaysia) were only painted all over grey on the top surfaces (unless you know different?).

 

The MKM is visually different to the MKI (apart form the different avionics)

 

I made a 1/72 scale MKI & MKM a few years ago - using the Heller Su-27UB as a staring point......

 

su-30_052.jpg

 

Indian AF MKI at left, Malaysian AF MKM at right - the MKM has lots of 'bumps' - for the MAWS (Missile Approach Warning System) and LWS (Laser Warning Antenna) fitted.

 

Happy Flankering

 

Ken

Edited by Flankerman
Link to post
Share on other sites

You are right dear Ken! 🙂

but on the 04 we can see an antena on his top fuselage. As on the mkm...

so im a bit lost between mki mkm... 🙂

cheers

Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, Flankerman said:

 

Don't you mean the Hobby Boss Su-30MKK ???

 

You are starting with an MKK (Modified (updated), Kommercial (Export), Kitei (China)).... and ending up with an MKM (Modified, Kommercial, Malaysia).

 

Happy Flankering

 

Ken

 

 

Oops, that is definitely a typo.  I did get it right in the title though!  LOL

 

I corrected it, thanks for the heads up!

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, rom said:

You are right dear Ken! 🙂

but on the 04 we can see an antena on his top fuselage. As on the mkm...

so im a bit lost between mki mkm... 🙂

cheers

 

Welcome rom!  Yeah, it can be a bit difficult to discern all the different details between these Flankers.  But specifically for the MKM, Berkut posted a fantastic pic that shows all the unique features of the MKM in a post awhile back, so I am going to steal it and post here since it will be rather relevant to this build and may be of use to anyone following along that is planning to build one of these in the future...

 

MKMDETAILA.jpg?fit=1024,682

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Whiskey said:

Ohhh this is gonna be awesome!!! I have the kit in my stash to build an MKI, just waiting on Cold War Studios to finish their upgrade conversion.

Welcome Zach!  Thanks, I hope I can do this awesome aircraft justice!

 

I too am waiting on the CWS conversion.  I will do a Su-30SM some day with it, unless some manufacturer announces a kit in the meantime... which is probably not likely.  LOL

Link to post
Share on other sites

Rom, we were both right about 'Blue 04'......

 

It was originally a pre-production Su-30MKI - as the picture caption in Yefim Gordon's Su-27 Flanker book says......

 

But then in the text he says..... "The Su-301-4 and Su-301-5 were further converted as the Su-30MKM prototypes"

 

So it was a Su-30MKI AND a Su-30MKM !!!!

 

Cheers

 

Ken

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

But does it include the MKM/MKI style cockpit displays? I've been following the Naza conversion development and know his builds have the cockpits on FB but they don't seem to be shown in the package contents.

 

I had to scratch some for my 1/48 MKI prototype.

QM51iGY.jpg

 

mvozevC.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites
13 hours ago, paulsbrown said:

 

But does it include the MKM/MKI style cockpit displays? I've been following the Naza conversion development and know his builds have the cockpits on FB but they don't seem to be shown in the package contents.

 

I had to scratch some for my 1/48 MKI prototype.

 

Sadly, it does not.  I have been thinking about what to do there, but I am not much of a scratch builder.  But I may see what I can come up with.  Thanks for posting those pics of your work, very impressive!

 

Another issue is the Thales HUD.  I can't seem to find any good pics of it.  The best cockpit pics of the MKM have a red cover over the HUD.  I wonder if it is similar to the one on the Su-30SM?  There are lots of good pics of that one, and from what I can see from outside shots of the MKM it looks very similar.  I do know Thales and Sukhoi did have some cooperation at some point...

Edited by Fighting Eighty-Four
Link to post
Share on other sites

I have started preparing for the cutting of the fuselage for the resin shoulders for the canards.  This is going to be fun.  LOL  I hope I don't screw this up!

 

540801-16625-37.jpg

 

540802-16625-44.jpg

 

540803-16625-58.jpg

 

I also am thinking about using the canards from a bad sprue (short shot) from my Kinetic Su-33, which was kindly replaced by Kinetic. It looks to be the same size and very similar riveting, although the shape is very slightly different.  Does anyone know if there is a difference between the Su-33 and Su-30 canards?  If not, I will use the Kinetic.

 

540805-16625-10.jpg

 

Also, here is a pic of the small bits included in the Naza set...

 

540804-16625-21.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, Janissary said:

Looking forward to this build!

Thanks Janissary, it's good to have you here!

 

Well, got the cutting done and sanded strategically to fit the shoulders.

 

541880-16625-78.jpg

 

541881-16625-18.jpg

 

 

The left side is done and the fit is going to be quite good, should only need a little bit of filler up top and a bit more on the underside. Still working on the gun side, the shape is a bit more complicated on that side so I still have more sanding to do to get a consistently good fit top and bottom, but I will get there.

 

541882-16625-57.jpg

 

541883-16625-46.jpg

 

This has gone quite well so far, not the monster I was fearing LOL. Actually, this has been kinda fun to do, almost like a puzzle that I need to make fit.

 

So I do still need to do some cutting of the exhaust area for the AMR nozzles, and still need to figure out what I will do with the cockpit IPs and HUD.  I might try to do some scratch building of the IPs.  

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/27/2018 at 9:28 AM, Matt Walker said:

So I inquired with Mr Naza bout buying one of his sets. $26US for the set, fine. $12 postage, okay, $6 Paypal fee OUCH!!! For a total of US$44.  Haven't decided if I need it "that" badly.

 

Just an FYI.

 

M

Hmmm, I don't remember paying that $6 fee, but my memory sucks sometimes.  LOL 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, took a break from the cutting, sanding, and fitting and worked on the cockpit. It is mostly done, but have a few little areas to touch up. A couple things of note about the cockpit:

 


1. Well, my attempt at scratch building the IPs was an abject failure.  I was so unhappy with what I came up with I just decided to go with the kit supplied parts, despite the fact they are not right.  Much props to you Paul for pulling off such awesome IPs!  It appears I will just never be very good at sctachbuilding nor scribing...

2. You might wonder why the pit is dark gray. Well, from looking at pics it appears that the Malaysian version has this color as opposed to the normal Sukhoi blue-gray. I just used Gunze Aqueous Dark Seagray, which looked close.

 


I used the kit supplied decals for the cockpit, but painted the MFD screens black because I am building a powered down aircraft. The decals show displays on.

Still not sure what I will do about the Thales HUD, as it is different from what is in the kit, and I cannot seem to find any good pics of it. All the close up pics I have found have a red cover over the HUD, which I am considering trying to replicate.

 

Anyway, here are some pics of the cockpit so far:

 

542791-16625-30.jpg

 

542792-16625-46.jpg

 

542793-16625-21.jpg

 

542794-16625-27.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Cockpit looks great, nicely done! 

The fit of the canard shoulders look good and good to know too as I noticed on Naza's FB page he used the 1/48th Academy when designing the conversion. I still have some Sol conversions which I was thinking of using on a HB.

Also, I got a set of etched metal Airscale Cockpit Details and Modern Cockpit Instruments decals which will make scratch building a new cockpit a lot easier, I wish I had them on my MKI.

Edited by paulsbrown
Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice work so far. Kinda reminds me of my SOL Su-35/37 conversion from many years ago with the shoulders and all. The resin looks more refined by the photos. The pit looks great, with or without the correct layout. You're a brave man Michael......keep rockin the kit!

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/29/2018 at 1:12 PM, paulsbrown said:

Cockpit looks great, nicely done! 

The fit of the canard shoulders look good and good to know too as I noticed on Naza's FB page he used the 1/48th Academy when designing the conversion. I still have some Sol conversions which I was thinking of using on a HB.

Also, I got a set of etched metal Airscale Cockpit Details and Modern Cockpit Instruments decals which will make scratch building a new cockpit a lot easier, I wish I had them on my MKI.

 

Thanks Paul!  I am thinking it is his older conversion that uses the Academy, the cut points line up pretty perfectly to the HB kit, so I would be inclined to believe that is the case.

 

Ah, I never thought of that.  Yeah, that would make things much easier.  I think for me though, I will wait until someone comes out with a kit some day before I try this again.  If you do another I will be sure to follow along!

 

On 11/29/2018 at 5:51 PM, Mr Matt Foley said:

Nice work so far. Kinda reminds me of my SOL Su-35/37 conversion from many years ago with the shoulders and all. The resin looks more refined by the photos. The pit looks great, with or without the correct layout. You're a brave man Michael......keep rockin the kit!

 

Thanks Matt!  Yeah, the resin is pretty nice, actually.  I am impressed.  

 

Still plugging away at the kit, slow but steady!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Took a little time to work on fitting the AMR TV exhaust...  I cut the nacelles back a decent amount to get the diameters to match.  I am going to cut out a little bit more as I have a little more room to get it perfect.  I am not going to cut all the way back to the panel line that it should go to, because the diameter of the nacelles won't match at that point (nacelle opening will be too big).  So instead of doing major sanding and fitting at that point, I am going to just go to where they line up.  This will result in the end of the nozzle being a bit further back then the actual aircraft, but that will not bother me too much and will not be too noticeable.  The difference will not be too major as I have removed about 3/4 of the area that needs to be removed already.  Sorry I kinda babbled there, so I apologize if that doesn't make sense... LOL

 

543055-16625-88.jpg

 

543056-16625-34.jpg

 

543057-16625-38.jpg

 

543058-16625-64.jpg

 

 

got the fuselage halves together recently, the fit of the HB kit is quite nice, but I do have a little seam work and clean up to do...

 

543059-16625-89.jpg

 

543060-16625-28.jpg

 

543061-16625-47.jpg

 

543062-16625-86.jpg

 

I have started working on the shoulders, so I should have an update soon!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...