SU-37 WHIF

[Els]

This is the only kit that I have in my stash that I have no idea where it came from.

It is 1:48 and made by Mini Hobby Models, and I am sure that it is probably a knock off of someone elses kit. I have opened up the box and looked at it about 20 times since I have had it but could never get the motivation to start it. It has about a million parts in a huge box. Today I was looking for the next kit to start on and this box was in the way, again. I was seriously thinking about trashing it, to many parts to give to my son to work on. Then I remembered that me and the kids had watched 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea a couple of days ago. I like that Capt Nemo style, maybe a little steampunkish, so I thought I would experiment on it. If it comes out half decent I will use it for silly week.

I started by chopping out the back to make it a two seater. Inspired by the snowspeeders in Star Wars.

I flipped the rear seat around to make a rear gunner position.

Then what is a Nemo style aircraft without the pilot having a big, red velvet chair. I started to rough in the basic shape. I will refine it later, and add some old stuff to the cockpit.

While the putty hardened I started to install the intakes. If the gaps here fortell the future of this kit, I guess I will be spending a lot of time with my friends putty and sandpaper.

I ended up having to resplit them and attach them to the bottom of the kit first.

Well that is enough for today.

I might have to drink a little liquid courage before I start on it tomorrow.

Els

[rom]

hi!

Good luck! this is not an easy kit to work with! :)

bye

[HOLMES]

WOW ! ...Look at those colors...

you are doing so well ..good work

[Pinguis]

As a both a Su-27 and variants, and a steam-punk fan, I really look forward to see what is coming out of this!

Also, perhaps a true steam-punk machine looks ok with crude finish, that is some gaps around the place?

Edited October 13, 2010 by Pinguis

[Els]

Rom, Holmes, and Pinguis, thank you for the encouragment. It is a rough kit but I am not to worried about that since I will be heavily modifying it. Pinguis, I am not sure it will turn out in the steampunk style or the crap style. I am shooting for somewhere in between.

I didn't get much done today, I had to buy supplies.

First I chopped off the wings. I am thinking about making them flappable, sort of like the aircraft in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. I am not sure though, that might be too far of a reach. I can always reattach them if I change my mind.

I went to the LHS and bought some Plastruct hex rod. I will just chop small sections off and have instant bolt heads.

I had been planning on throwing together a bunch of exess parts to try and make something resembling a steam engine. While I was at the LHS I passed by the Warhammer section and saw this chemical plant construction set made by Pegasus.

This box is filled with parts to make any type of construction set that you can think of. There are four each of the sprues pictured below.

I have started roughing in my steam engine.

This definetely will not be the most aerodynamic aircraft out there...

Thats all for today.

Thanks for having a look.

Els

[Els]

I got a little done today.

I put some work into the top and added some more parts. I was going to vent the exhaust out of the top, but after cutting the holes, I don't like it. I will have to fix or modify that.

I added quite a bit of piping to the bottom. I am not sure what to do with the intakes. This will not be a jet engined aircraft so it doesn't really need the intakes, but I still want it to look somewhat like a SU-37.

I guess it would have been a good idea to have a plan before I started cutting, drilling and glueing parts.

I like to build my aircraft kits in flight so I don't have any extra pilots. I will try my hand at sculpting a pilot and gunner. I have a couple of exess Warhammer 40K heads that I will use for the crew. They are a little larger than 48 scale, but I don't think it will be that noticeable once the canopy is on.

I can't do much more to the airframe without gluing the top and bottom together. So I guess my work for the next couple of days will be on the aircrew/cockpit.

Thanks for looking.

Els

[Marlin]

This is going to be fun to watch.

I'll pull up a chair and just enjoy the fun.

Thanks for a real good laugh.

/Bosse

[Qian]

OH YEAH!!!!

THis is going to be one FUN build to watch!

[TheBruin]

after reading the first post, I was like: this is an awful kit,

after reading the second post: What The............

this would be fun

[Pinguis]

I think it's going great. Regarding the nacelles, unless you put a prop somewhere, they could potentially be necessary. You can imagine the plane moves on aether, rather than air for instance. If all else fails, put two big gunpowder cannons protruding from said nacelles. It is a war plane after all. It should have BFGs.

[Els]

Marlin, Qian, and The Bruin, thanks for checking my build out.

Pinguis, I bought an RC aircraft prop the other day while I was at the LHS. I was going to build an engine and mount it on the tail of the aircraft like a pusher prop, but until I decide what I am going to do with the wings, this will have to wait. I like your cannon idea. You can never have to many BFG's.

I did some work on the cockpit today. This is what I came up with. It doesn't need to be very detailed because you can't see much of it when installed.

My sculpting talent was not up to the job. I sacrificed an crew from a Pro Modeler F-4E kit that I have. I added some Warhammer 40K heads. I used different ones than I posted earlier. These two were a little smaller. They are still a little big for the bodies but I don't think it will be that noticable once painted and installed.

Here they are in the cockpit to check fit.

I have decided to cut the back half of the canopy off where the gunner sits.

Thanks for looking

Els

[Keith Diamond]

I like where this is going...

I've built a MiniHobby Su-27 before... good luck with the rest of the project

[Els]

Keith, thanks. Any pics of your Su-27?

The only thing that I got done today was the crew. Here they are pretty much as finished as can get them. I have to give the people that paint war gaming figures a lot of credit. I don't know how they can do such a good job on these little things.

I test fit these figures and the cockpit into the upper fuselage about 20 times while I was building it with no problems. Then of course when I had everything glued together and tried to install it it didn't fit. After a few adjustments this is what they look like in the plane.

This is what they look like with the chopped cockpit. I am not digging it to much. This leaves the gunner a little to exposed. I will have to fiddle around with it.

Els

[Pinguis]

The only thing missing in that cockpit is a drinks cabinet! Keep up!

[Els]

Its been a couple of days since I last updated. I got a virus on my computer and tried everything to get rid of it. I used Spybot, Malwarebytes, system restored to a date before the virus and none of it worked. I finally had to reset my computer to the factory installed settings. What a pain in the butt. I lost a lot of stuff. If you have been putting off backing up stuff, stop what you are doing and back up now. I wish nothing but pain and doom on the scumbags that think it is a good time to send these viruses out.

All right enough venting...

Pinguis, I took your suggestion and have started making a cannon for one of the intakes. I used a wood doodad and some paper covered with Bondo. I will have to see what it looks after I paint it. I think I will make a big gatling gun for the other.

I am making some extensions for the tips of the wings. I like to use for sale signs. They are cheap and you get a lot of plastic.

I have used some parts to try and make something that looks like a hinge. It was not strong enough to hold the wings so I epoxied some supports into the body of the aircraft. I will also epoxy these into the wings to make it strong. I want it to look like the wings are movealbe. Sort of like a Klingon bird of prey.

When I decided to move the exhausts to the top of the aircraft I forgot about the vertical stabilizers. They do not fit now, so I had to add a shim so that they would angle outwards.

Here it is mostly ready for paint. After I see it all primered I will decide if I need to add anymore stuff.

Thanks for looking.

Els

[sharkey]

lol.. that looks great.. throw some paint on that beast

[JackMan]

Good Gravy! I Love it!

[Els]

Sharkey and JackMan, thanks for the compliments.

I have started to throw some paint on the beast.

I used Tamiya metalic grey and copper to start blocking in the areas. I am not really sure what type of paint scheme I am going to use. I think that it will be boring if it is all just copper.

It is a serious pain in the butt airbrushing around the steam engine parts.

Here is a shot with my messy work table.

I will have to stop with the painting at this point because I saw some areas that are a little rough and need more putty and sanding.

I am thinking about leaving the vertical stabilizers off of the kit. I like the way it looks without them. Still not sure though.

I went to the LHS today and bought some tubing to start building the gatling gun for the second intake. I will probably build that tomorrow.

Thanks for looking.

Els

[GreyGhost]

Too Cool, Els !

It sort of feels like a cross between 20,000 Leagues and The Road Warrior ...

Great imagination ...

Gregg

[Pinguis]

Coming out great so far...

For a little variety, maybe do the control surfaces wooden, or some golden appliqués on the leading edges?

Eagerly awaiting developments.

Also, if you don't mind I will try to give this treatment to an Airfix Blohm und Voss BV 141 which I have no intention of building straight.

[Els]

GreyGhost, thanks, I like both of those movies so I am happy to be there.

Pinguis, Yeah, I am liking your wood idea. I have been wanting to try out a woodgrain technique I saw someplace. Go for the Blohm und Voss. I would like to see what you come up with. I am sure that you have some ideas during your build that I will want to "borrow".

Silly week is my favorite time of the year. You can just let your imagination run free. I have already completed one other kit for that, but I will wait to post it. It is more a comedy kit.

My wife had to work tonight so I got a little extra time to work on the kit. I decided that I would like to have a cannon in one intake and a gatling gun in the other. Sort of like a gunship with a 105 and a mini gun.

This is how I built my gatling gun. I really only needed the dangerous end as the other end will be inside the intake and not visible.

I didn't have any round plastic disc so I cut a couple of squares, nipped on the corners and attached it to my Dremel bit.

I held this against a file.

This is what I ended up with.

I chopped some tubing that I bought today and glued it together.

This is what it will look like after it is glued in.

Back to sand, putty, sand for tomorrow.

Thanks for looking

Els

[TaiidanTomcat]

Wow!! brilliant!

[martin_sam_2000]

Very interesting build. I love the imagination you have put into this!!!!

Can't wait to see it finished.

Sean

[Els]

Taiidan Tomcat and Martin Sam 2000, thanks for the encouragement.

I think that I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel for this build. I don't know why, but the older I get, the less interested I am in long builds.

I finished the majority of my painting today and coated it with future so that I can slop some Pro Modeller wash on it tomorrow to bring the panel lines out a bit more. If you haven't tried this stuff, it is great.

I am still trying to figure out what to use for the gunners gun. Here are two ideas that I am working on.

The one on top is a Warhammer 40K gun and part of the fod thingamajigger from the front landing gear. The one on the bottom is another component from the landing gear. I think it looks a little like the old Lewis guns. I think that if I add some parts to it, it will fit in with the aircraft a little better than the Warhammer gun. I am not sure, let me know what you think.

Thanks for looking

Els

[Pinguis]

Looking awesome! Nice touch on the gatling gun.

Regarding the gun i think the Lewis shows more potential. This may be a source of inspiration.