Flankerman Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Look what Martin, my postman just delivered....... The new Trumpeter J-15 naval Flanker - ordered on the 19th, delivered on the 23rd - excellent service from Hannants :thumbsup:/>/>/>/>/>/>/> This is a brand new mould and owes nothing to their previous Flanker kits in this scale.... The dramatic box-art shows one of the development J-15's about to launch from the deck of the Laoning - the hold backs have retracted and the weight is off the nosewheel (either that or the artist forgot to include them!) Upper fuselage with accurate increased-chord wing.... Lower fuselage - with corrected main wheel bays.....but little engaved detail, especially the nose bay. Two choices of displaying the aircraft are provided - wings spread or wings folded.... and two sets of outer wing panels are given - drooped flaps for the folded option or undrooped. Parts are provided for the complex sections at the wing fold. The lower intake inserts now have the correct 12 sets of blow-in doors moulded on them and bigger fairings for the wheel locking mechanism are provided.... Each fin is moulded as one-piece - but the intakes are solid - and the same size - which is incorrect. The radome has ridges for the lightning strips - which I think id correct for a J-15, but not for a Su-33. Two choices of horizontal tailplane are included - folded or not - and the distinctive wingtip pylons of the Chinese Flankers are included. This sprue includes the separate drooped flaps plus a pilot and two deck crew figures.... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 More.... The weapons options are comprehensive .... this is one of 4 such sprues and provides for PL-8 & PL-12 AAM's, KD-88 cruise missile and YJ-12 Anti-ship missile plus 1500Kg LGB's.... This sprue gives the hold-back bars for the main undercarriage and the struts for the retractable blast sheild... The flight deck section is enormouse - 41cm X 27cm (16.5in X 10.5in)..... .... with a well-detailed blast deflector...... The clear sprue contains a crystal clear windscreen and canopy - with correct Omega cross-section, which results in a slight mould seam down the centreline. Also on the sprue are the landing light lenses and two styles of HUD - one presumably for the promised Su-33 version. The etched-brass fret includes the mesh grilles for the intake sides (there are recesses in the plastic for them) - plus parts for the nosewheel slatted mudguard - although Trumpeter don't include the anti-FOD mesh grille inside the intakes - solid plastic parts are provided for those :bandhead2:/>/> I can't find any mention on the instruction sheet for part 3 - presumably for some rockert pods in the Su-33 release?? The decals sheet is very comprehensive - with no less than 6 options - both those in primer and later, grey-painted 'operational' machines with shark logos.... all of which have photo-calibration markings.... Another decal sheet is included for the flight deck..... Ther is a two-page (4 sides) of colour painting and decal placement guide.... ... and a 16-page instruction booklet..... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nicholassagan Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 (edited) Wow! Thanks for posting! Good to know it's shipping already. This looks like a GREAT kit with some great updated and new parts! Can't wait!!!! Edited February 23, 2015 by nicholassagan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 More..... Now for the odd part - to make the flight-deck ready-to-go diorama, the last page of the instruction booklet would have you cut out the drooped flaps from the folded-wing option on a (presumably) finished model - and fit the drooped and slatted take-off flaps :woot.gif:/>/>/> Most modellers will cope with this oddity during the build - but it's a strange way of doing things..... This is a very good kit from Trumpeter - don't tell Jennings - but I think they have got everything right !!!! I presume they will re-issue it as just the J-15 without the flight deck (it's a lot of plastic if you don't want it) - and they obviously plan to release it as a Russian Su-33 at some point. It's also odd that they don't include the intake anti-FOD guards - and the HUDs - on the etched-brass fret - when that medium is perfect for those parts. Apart from that - nice one Trumpeter :thumbsup:/> Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nicholassagan Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Yeah they are planning a non-deck release, too. AND an Su-33 :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mario krijan Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Thanks Ken for sharing! And which is better: Hasegawa or Trumpeter? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Do I see right, that they've included the dropped flaps but not slats? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Inquisitor Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Thanks Ken for sharing! And which is better: Hasegawa or Trumpeter? Seems shapewise the Trumpeter kit is the winner, but I can't be 100% sure till I've one in my hands. The Hasegawa's Su-33 wasn't stellar mainly because of these three areas: the peaky canopy, the upper engine nacelles were slightly flattened and the spine, the portion starting aft of the airbreak, was slighly flattened on top giving it a squarish cross section instead of round. Hope I'm mistaken but taking Trumpeter's track record of molding completely mishapen or wrong pylons/rails for their Su-27 in 1/32 and 1/72 scale, I'd hold my breath till they release the Su-33 to confirm if they didn't do it again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) Do I see right, that they've included the dropped flaps but not slats? Yes - drooped slats are not included. For the takeoff configuration the L/E slats are retracted - so that's OK But - the you cannot do the folded option without drooping the slats on the fixed section of the wing AND you also need to droop the ailerons.... (and the tailplanes on ANY Flanker) Plus - the drooped and slatted flaps are provided - but they are one piece - the real thing has them split at the wing fold.... (this is my conversion of the Hasegawa Su-33 into takeoff mode).. So you need to do a bit of work on the slats to achieve a folded option - plus a sawcut for the takeoff option. Ken Edited February 24, 2015 by Flankerman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 I have made a start.... but contrary to Trumpeters instructions. They would have you build the model - then right on the last page of the instruction booklet - you are expected to remove the existing retracted flaps from the wing and replace them with a set of deployed double-slotted flaps.... Here's the last page of the booklet..... ... that's it - that's all the instructions you get on how to have the flaps in the takeoff mode :bandhead2:/>/> I decided to do my own thing - and carefully cut out the existing flaps BEFORE starting the build - there is no other way to do it without messing things up..... In this photo, the flap sections have been removed from the starboard wing - the replacement deployed flaps are at the bottom. The port wing is as moulded. The new parts need to be separated into inboard and outboard section - a simple engraved line or saw cut will do. Plus - to be strictly accurate - the ailerons should also be slightly drooped. It is strange that in this boxing - with flight deck and blast deflector and 'ready-to-go' - should be almost done as an afterthought...??? Anyway - on with the sawing..... One more photo - there are some raised moulding pips on the fuselage that need to be carefully removed.... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mario krijan Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Great start!! :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niki4703 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Will be watching this with interest, Ken! You have mentioned the 'new mould' and the correct omega-shaped cross section of the canopy. Can you perhaps already asses the profile shape of the canopy also? Is it still pointy as per the other Trumpeter (and Hasegawa) Flankers or does it come closer to the fine curve of the new Zvezda Su-27M? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 I'll try and dry-fit the canopy and take some photos to show the profile - but it looks OK to my tired old eyes. In the meantime here's a closeup of the last page of Trumpeter's instruction booklet...... This is the only indication of how to fit the drooped flaps - the last page, when the model is finished, with just a shaded area and a 'cut/remove' instruction - and a diagram of the replacement U2/3/4/5 parts. Very poor IMHO - come on Trumpeter, you can do better than this Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Der Grüne Punkt Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Cool release, I'm looking forward to see you build this one. BTW, that do you think about the 1/72nd Hase Su-35?. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 niki4703 asked...... Can you perhaps already asses the profile shape of the canopy also? Judge for yourselves...... It is a bit 'peaky'...... compare with the real thing - and other kits. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nicholassagan Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Oh yeah...weird. Also, here's a helpful profile guide Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 I've been looking at that set of profiles nicholassagan - and pondering that last one. It's a J-15S - tandem two-seat naval Flanker. I'm wondering.... if I took a Trumpeter Su-30MKK and put it in a box with the new J-15 - then gave it a good shake..... Hmmmmm - it's do-able and interesting - but I just need to sort out the fins. Aerodynamically, they need to be bigger like on the Su-27UB for the increased area forward fuselage - but they cannot be taller due to hangar stowage height requirements on the Liaoning. So - are they wider (increased chord)?? - the jury is still out. I've been collecting all the J-15S photos I can find on't tinterweb - but no definitive answer so far. But watch this space..... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nicholassagan Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Ken, if anyone can make the J-15S mod, you can. The fins look like the same size, though. The engines are different, too...554 and that S have the same (don't look like AL-31s), whereas the others have the WS-10s... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niki4703 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Thanks for taking the trouble with the canopy, Ken! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 One thing that Trumpeter have got wrong is the ailerons. On take off - which is the configuration I am doing - they are slightly drooped along with the flaps. There is no provision made in the kit for this - nor any mention on the instructions :bandhead2:/>/>/>/> It is a simple matter to cut off the ailerons - ready to be applied in the drooped position later. This photo shows the wing with the complete trailing edges removed - flaps and ailerons - on the right the distinctive drooped PL-8 wingtip missile rail has been added - as well as a joining piece at the root - the parts are shown on the left.... I was going to point out and photograph the optional wingtip 'Sorbtsya' ESM pods - but they are not included in the kit - despite being shown on the instruction sheet (as part Q10) !!!...... There is no 'Q' Sprue in the kit :woot.gif:/>/>/>/> - maybe that's for the later Su-33 release ?? Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 7, 2015 Author Share Posted March 7, 2015 Trumpeter's cockpit is quite adequate for the scale - with a tub, instrument panel, control column, K-36 ejection seat and pilot figure. There is raised detail on the cockpit side walls - and on the instrument panel - and Trumpeter also provide decals, but to use them you would have to remove the raised detail. The instrument panel decal is fine, but those for the side consoles just consist of black rectangles with no detail - so I painted the raised detail on the sides - and reversed the instrument panel part and added the decal..... A neat touch is the control column - it has a D-shaped recess for it to fit into - so you can't get it the wrong way round. The pilot figure has a separate right arm and is well moulded - although the instructions say to paint him with a yellow helmet and life jacket over a black flight suit. Internet photos show J-15 pilots with an orange immersion suit - so that's how I painted him..... (note the reversed instrument panel).... One tip - fit him BEFORE the instrument panel - otherwise its a bit of a shuffle to get his legs under it. Nowhere in the instruction is he shown as being fitted in place :bandhead2:/>/>/>/> - just a sketch on the last page showing the painting - come on Trumpeter !!! - ha'porth of tar and all that! My painting skills are getting worse as I age - but he doesn't look as bad as these close-in photos suggest - honest! Here is the completed cockpit cemented into the upper fuselage - now I can get on with the build..... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 This is really a nice kit - the surface detail is superb and it fits together like a glove. But I have just discovered one error though in the wing span...... The real Flanker has a wing span of 14.7m (all variants except the Su-33UB) - which translates in 1/72 scale to 204mm - including the wingtip pylons Trumpeter's J-15 measures 207mm tip to tip - which is 3mm over size........... The above is Hasegawa's Su-33 wing (the green plastic - minus its pylon) on top of Trumpeter's J-15 - and as you can see it is 1.5mm too long - which is exactly the width of the wing tip pylon !! I reckon Trumpeter's designers have taken the published span as being without the pylons - hence the extra length. :bandhead2:/>/> Which is strange - as they got it correct for all their other Flankers - here's the Trumpeter Su-30MKK wing on top of the J-15..... So they get the wheel wells correct - then mess up the wing span. It isn't a deal breaker - 3mm is hardly noticeable - but I was hoping to champion this kit as a triumph for Trumpeter - and this has knocked the edge off a bit..... :crying2:/> Still onwards and upwards....... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thadeus Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Ken, very nice build You have here :) I really like that You give us additional info about the kit - big thanks for that. How do You rate this kit vs the Hasegawa one? Shapewise and all? Cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Plodding on..... The canopy and winscreen is attached...... the IFR probe recess is a bit shallow. Overall the profile shape looks good to me - what do others think ??? .... the nose and canopy profile.... Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mario krijan Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Good work :-) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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