with Cutting Edge resin cockpit and decals
582nd Fighter Regiment, 4th Air Army, Russian Air Force, Poland 1992
Essentially the same kit as the Su-27UB ‘Flanker-C’ is Academy’s single-seat Su-27 ‘Flanker-B’. A new fuselage is supplied, as well as the shorter tail fins compared to the twin-seater. To this Flanker I added the Cutting Edge resin cockpit set to replace the very inadequate kit interior. My set arrived from Hannants minus the instructions and part of the seat. Hannants sent a replacement seat, but I had to get someone to scan the instructions and email them to me. The set generally fits well, except for the instrument coaming. This didn’t fit well at all and I had to sand away the interior of the windscreen. Whilst doing this I stressed the plastic too much, and numerous small stress fractures appeared. Fortunately they are only visible under certain lighting conditions. Because the coaming fits so poorly the photo-etch HUD didn’t fit either, so I left it off. No canopy retraction strut is included. I finished this kit using the Xtracolour enamels specifically mixed for the Su-27. Apparently they are not quite accurate for an operational machine, but there is such a wide variability in the colour schemes of Russia’s Flankers that I didn’t worry about it. The paints were good, but had poor adhesion — Tamiya masking tape (which I use exclusively for masking) lifted the light blue on the undersides. It looks like paint chipping, a common feature of Russian aircraft, so I left it. The paint was sealed using Klear and an oil wash was applied. The exhausts are unvarnished Humbrol Polished Steel Metalcote with various staining applied. The markings are from Cutting Edge and went down very nicely. The stars are a brighter red than other manufacturers print them, but I don’t really know what the most accurate shade is. Humbrol Matt Cote finished everything off. I also made some small modifications to the nosegear and added a full load-out of kit-supplied air-to-air missiles.
Year bought: 1997 (A model shop in Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, UK)
Year built: 2000 (Send Marsh, Surrey, UK)
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