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Trumpeter Su-27 intake louvers... too many?


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Hi guys

 

I'm in a "flanker" mood and just got the Trumpter 1/72 Su-27.... nice model... however I'm a bit puzzled by the intake louvers.... I seem to remember that there were a dozen or so, but Trumpeter parts show a much higher number of louvers (20 or so). Fixing it wouldn't be a great deal: it's a separate part, so it's just a matter of taking a piece of plasticard and scribe the louvers, but I'd like to know if I remember correctly or not....

 

Thanks

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You are correct Yuri - there should be 12 slats/louvres.

 

They are spring-loaded and open individually on demand from the engine - to let more air into the intakes - that's why you can see some closed and some open on underside shots.

 

In fact in a video you can see them 'fluttering' open & close.

 

I've got a photo somewhere that I took at Khodynka - where I crawled underneath and pushed one of the slats open by hand - I'll try to find it....

 

Ken

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If you count the thin rib between each louver then they got the correct number of scribe lines. They just screwed up and made the louvers the same width as the ribs. Doh!

They did get the count correct on both the 1/32 and 1/48 kits. I wonder what happened with the 1/72?

Intakebottom.jpg

 

:cheers:

Edited by Zactoman
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'ere ya go........

 

Intake_07.jpg

 

I crawled underneath and simply pushed in 3 of the slats - they are hinged at the front.......

 

Intake_08.jpg

 

They would normally spring back shut - but this museum example has lost its springyness.

 

You can see the retracted mesh grille inside the intake - it is hinged at the rear and lies flat along the inside bottom of the intake when not deployed.

 

This is the Hasegawa Su-27 with the correct number of doors (although they should be closed on a static aircraft)....

 

Flankers%20120.JPG

 

... and this is the Trumpeter J-11B - with 24 doors !

 

Flankers%20123.JPG

 

Ken

 

 

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Thanks a lot, very clear. In fact I suspected the "problem" was the fixed lip of the louvers, but I think in 1/72 it's almost impossible to spot. So I'll make new ones from scratch.

 

As I said, I'm in a Flanker mood.... just decided to finish that Airfix kit that has been in the boneyard for the last 20 years I think.... it didn't need so much work after all.... I'm doing some surgery to be able to fit the Pavla vacform windscreen (almost done with some serious trimming here and there), then I can pass it to the paint shop. In the meanwhile I had the Hasegawa kit bought more or less in the same years and I wondered "why not?"...... and would you avoid making a better Flanker with a more recent (and accurate) kit? So I just got the Trumpter too...

 

So.... seems I will build 3 Flankers in a row.... maybe 🙂 hope to finish at least one..

Edited by Yuri
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