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10 hours ago, Pappy121 said:

Does the M-55s  variant of the K-36 differ much from other fighter versions (K-36DM?)

 

The parts sprue for the ejection seat has two different head boxes - parts P1, P-16 & P17 as used here and parts P-22, P-9 & P-11 which I think are for a K-36DM.

 

I must admit to putting the side panels on wrong - I had to prise them off and re-attach them further forward - hence the gaps.

 

So, to try and answer your question Pappy - yes, the M-55 uses the earlier style K-36 - at least that's what the instructions indicate (I think?)

 

Are the same sprues used in Modelsvit's later Su-17M3/M4 kits ?? Anyone??

 

Ken

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14 hours ago, Flankerman said:

 

The parts sprue for the ejection seat has two different head boxes - parts P1, P-16 & P17 as used here and parts P-22, P-9 & P-11 which I think are for a K-36DM.

 

I must admit to putting the side panels on wrong - I had to prise them off and re-attach them further forward - hence the gaps.

 

So, to try and answer your question Pappy - yes, the M-55 uses the earlier style K-36 - at least that's what the instructions indicate (I think?)

 

Are the same sprues used in Modelsvit's later Su-17M3/M4 kits ?? Anyone??

 

Ken

 

G'day Ken,

 

Cheers, that helps a lot. Unfortunately I cannot help you with your Su-17M3>M4 question but I am sure someone will supply an answer shortly,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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  • 1 month later...

Some little progress.... she's all painted up now - ready for the decals.....

 

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Trying to hold the model whilst applying the masking, then brush painting the blue, red and black was like trying to wrestle a set of bagpipes....

 

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Modesvit provide self-adhesive masks for the blue areas around the cockpit and the black panel on the spine - but for the the rest I used Tamiya Kabuki tape.....

 

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My masking was not very successful - I had some ragged edges and bleed under the tape in places - it's OK if you don't look too closely......

 

Holding it whilst applying the fuselage decals without damaging anything is going to be interesting....

 

Ken

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Wow! Impressive work Ken. It is looking really good.

 

Did the kit supplied masks work well, do they fit and stick well?

 

I am looking at my instructions and your kit and noticed that the destructions would have you install part of the nose gear mechanism (the 'Y' shaped bit and its hydraulic actuator) inside the nose gear  bay before installing the nose gear bay tub into the fuselage. I Think this would be very fiddly to install after the fuselage is all closed up but in your WIP it doesn't look like you followed that step.

Have you already done this or do you have 'a cunning plan' ?

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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You are really the bible of Russian planes, I follow your construction with interest, these planes really have a very different appearance compared to the other American planes that we all know, Bravo for the build but I won't build the 72, it's so small for detailling. 48 is better for me.

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2 hours ago, Pappy121 said:

Did the kit supplied masks work well, do they fit and stick well?

 

They adhered well - but they are semi-transparent (translucent brown) and I found them difficult to see to place correctly - probably due to my failing eyesight....

 

Re the nosegear - My instructions show the nosewheel bay inserted into the fuselage at stage 9 - the actual nose gear itself (with the 'Y' shaped strut) isn't installed until stage 33 - towards the end of the build (the same applies to the maingear btw).

 

I hope I don't have any fit problems when I have to fit the undercarriage....

 

Ken

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The decalling is now done.......

 

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.... apart from the trillions of tiny yellow 'hook here' symbols and stencil data etc...

 

The decals are superb - perfectly readable and in register - they all went on with the minimum of fuss. I used Microsol - but probably didn't need to.

 

A closer view of the dozens of sponsors logos along the fuselage....

 

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Underside view....

 

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A closer look at those logos - all individual decals a few mm in diameter......

 

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I can't think of a reason why but not all of the decals were oriented vertically - which led to a couple of mistakes until I spotted it...

 

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Once you know about it, the decal placement artwork is just about good enough to see which way up they go.....

 

And.... confusingly(at least to me!), the decal placement guide is not in numerical sequence - left to right it's decals 6,5,8,3,2 etc

 

A minor issue that isn't really a problem....

 

Here's a couple of pics I took at MAKS 2013 - showing the real thing......

 

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This shows how good the Modelsvit decals really are...

 

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Now to tackle all those stencil decals.....

 

Ken

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On 12/16/2019 at 5:29 PM, Flankerman said:

. . . So, to try and answer your question Pappy - yes, the M-55 uses the earlier style K-36 - at least that's what the instructions indicate (I think?)

 

Are the same sprues used in Modelsvit's later Su-17M3/M4 kits ?? Anyone??

 

Ken

 

Hi Ken,

 

Sorry for a late reply but just seen your question about the seat version.

 

In the Su-17M3 kit (№ 72047) the ejectionseat sprue is named O. It has parts ONLY for the K-36 DM Series 2 version of the seat. This is the later version with the smaller headbox used by most Russian fighters (Su-27 and MiG-29) apart from late Fitters.

 

Looking at your sprue photos there is a difference for this version in the Geophisica kit. And yes, the seat you have built is the early version of the K-36DM seat.

 

To make understandable the seat versions and naming.

  The earlier K-36 version was initially the K-36D then K-36DM versions. They had a bigger headbox which is easy to identify from the drop shaped reinforcements on the sides. Typical user of this seat is the Su-24 bomber aircraft apart from several other types.

  For the fighter aircrafts the designer NPP Zvezda (not the kit producer : ) ) reduced the headbox to ease for the pilots view over the shoulders. The reinforcement on the sides of the headbox is much smaller and of rectangular shape. This version is identified as K-36DM Seria 2.

 

The Su-17/22 aircraft versions are interesting since both types of seats were used on them (just to make life easy for us modellers  : )  ) including the Sukhoy’s own designed KS-4 seats as a third version used on Fitters. The later seat is included in the Modelsvit Su-17 kit (№ 72011).

 

Best regards

Gabor

Edited by ya-gabor
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On 1/28/2020 at 7:07 PM, ya-gabor said:

 

Hi Ken,

 

Sorry for a late reply but just seen your question about the seat version.

 

In the Su-17M3 kit (№ 72047) the ejectionseat sprue is named O. It has parts ONLY for the K-36 DM Series 2 version of the seat. This is the later version with the smaller headbox used by most Russian fighters (Su-27 and MiG-29) apart from late Fitters.

 

Looking at your sprue photos there is a difference for this version in the Geophisica kit. And yes, the seat you have built is the early version of the K-36DM seat.

 

To make understandable the seat versions and naming.

  The earlier K-36 version was initially the K-36D then K-36DM versions. They had a bigger headbox which is easy to identify from the drop shaped reinforcements on the sides. Typical user of this seat is the Su-24 bomber aircraft apart from several other types.

  For the fighter aircrafts the designer NPP Zvezda (not the kit producer : ) ) reduced the headbox to ease for the pilots view over the shoulders. The reinforcement on the sides of the headbox is much smaller and of rectangular shape. This version is identified as K-36DM Seria 2.

 

The Su-17/22 aircraft versions are interesting since both types of seats were used on them (just to make life easy for us modellers  : )  ) including the Sukhoy’s own designed KS-4 seats as a third version used on Fitters. The later seat is included in the Modelsvit Su-17 kit (№ 72011).

 

Best regards

Gabor

 G'day Gabor,

 

Thank you very much for a great and usefel explanation,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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You are welcome.

 

The K-36 ejection seat family is a source of lot of confusion for many including kit manufacturers. Most simply say it is a K-36 seat sprue and use the same set for any aircraft which is supposed to use this seat type.

 

Not speaking of aftermarket manufacturers where in most cases even less knowledge/research is used to make the “correction” / “super detailed” resin seats. The best joke was by DreamModel who made a seat with a dualheadrest: from left side it supposed to represent the later smaller unit while on the right side it shows the early big headrest. I guess they only had a photo of one version from one side, and the other from the opposite side. But even on home ground, the Russian NeOmega produced a resin seat which apart from the K-36 name has absolutely NO resemblance to the real seat!

Sad.

 

The Modelsvit seats are the best on the market and can even compete with resin aftermarkets!

 

Best regards

Gabor

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1 hour ago, ya-gabor said:

The Modelsvit seats are the best on the market and can even compete with resin aftermarkets!

 

Agreed re accuracy - and they should release them as separate 'Mini-kits'.......

 

The only downside is that the moulding has a bit of flash on some parts - particularly the tiniest of parts that are difficuly to clean up.

 

An example is the front 'grab handle' - it should be like a figure of 8 on its side - but the holes in the middle are flashed over...

 

M-55_16.jpg

 

The grab handle is part number 2 on the plastic sprue (at the 8 O'clock position).

 

:doh::doh:..... How stupid am I..???

 

I just noticed that the grab handle is included on the etched fret..... (part No 2) :doh:

 

M-55_17.jpg

 

I missed it completely....... I am rapidly losing it........

 

The flash comments apply to some of the other parts on the plastic sprue though....

 

Ken (going for a lie down....)

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Hi Ken,

 

I believe they have the firing handle on the sprue for the simple reason of using it (Sprue P) for other kits too which  have either of the two versions of the K-36 seat. So that both can be built fully including the D ring firing handles even if no photoetch sheet is provided with a given kit.

 

The etched D firing ring for the M-55 kit is an extra and a welcome option for those who want to build the seat with those really small firing handles from brass.

Yes, one can say that there is some flash on the small parts but be careful as some of it is in fact part of the plastic parts!!!  So a dry run and look at instruction sheet and reference photos is essential before anything is cut permanently!

 

The K-36 Sprue O for the Su-17M3 kit has no photoetch D ring included in the kit but the plastic one  (Part O 3) is perfectly formed (as you say a nice 8 with fully open holes on it) and needs almost no extra attention before gluing in place.

 

 

Your kit looks fantastic! Envy you and congratulate at the same time! : )   : )

The M-55 is way too big for me but brings back memories of seeing the real aircraft take to the sky. It was something special as it went up at a very high angle with a never ending climb!

 

Best regards

Gabor  

Edited by ya-gabor
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On 1/27/2020 at 5:09 PM, Flankerman said:

<....> Here's a couple of pics I took at MAKS 2013 - showing the real thing......

 

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This shows how good the Modelsvit decals really are...

 

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Really interesting to read about the Geophysica operating from Ushuaia and the Seychelles.

 

Wonderful build, Ken! :thumbsup:

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