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As I am a model enthusiast, I cannot live without thinking a new project even at see side in vacation house for summer break. The only material here I have is my laptop. But it is sufficient to make drawings of any future project. I have already done the drawings of one of my near future project namely Su-27LL which can be found here. The another one will be "Record Aircraft" P-42. At the beginning I have underestimated how this aircraft could be difficult to finish. In terms of kit modifications this is really easy task. But finishing is really a big challenge (most probably a nightmare). Here below the 3 view drawings I did based on available pictures. The panels after paint removal has different shades of aluminum as well as green primary coating. I thought I can use one of Revell/Zvezda Su-27SM for this conversion but due to significant effect of rivets most probably I will go with Trumpeter early Su-27 kit. Any recommendations or comments about drawings and kit selection are welcome. Serkan

As I am currently on summer vacation till beginning of August I have no chance to progress on my currently ongoing builds. But hence I have my notebook with me I can still make some brainstorming for my future projects. 🙂 I have some deformed airframe parts from T-10M conversions due to wrong heat treatment process of self casted resin parts in oven. I have decided to use them for Su-27LL conversion which looks also very distinguished with her blue/gray paint scheme. I have made 3 view drawings based on available pictures in internet. But I could not found any reference pictures of real aircraft which show top and bottom surfaces. The only material I have is the instruction sheet from Begemot Decals. But still I have some doubts especially for upper surface. Here are my drawings with available data I have: I would like to build the aircraft displayed in 2013 MAKS. Any feedback/comments about the above drawings will be highly appreciated. Serkan

Here is another Flanker project I have launched recently. If you follow my other topics that I have started in this forum, you may ask why I am launching a new one before completing existing ones. Each of these projects has some specific issues to be solved to continue (mostly based on casted parts with aged bleeding resin which was my fault not to check it's shelf life) and therefore they have to wait until the problem does not exist anymore. I hope it will not last too long 🙂 Here the aim is to build Su-30MK No:603 using Heller Su-27UB kit with minimum modifications (we will see 🙂 ) I have already made 3 view drawings of Su-30MK No:603 as given below: The next step will be to map camo onto model. Serkan

Hello all, Here is another Flanker "what-if" project I would like to share with you. After casting the front upper and lower halves of Su-27IB modification, a funny "what if" project came into my mind: Su-27KIB/Su-33IB!... A little update to original post: Су-27КИБ/Су-33ИБ "корабельный истребитель-бомбардировщик" Su-27KIB/Su-33IB "Korabyelny Istrebityel Bombardirovshchik" - "Shipborne Fighter Bomber" The idea is to combine Su-27IB nose with Su-33 rest parts left from T-10M conversion butchery: The casted Su-27IB parts seem to fit Su-33 rear fuselage halves without having big issues: To be continued 🙂 Serkan

Hello! I am kind in the middle of my "documentation quest" about the Flanker family, and coming across some questions. First, that'd be my first proper aircraft model, I'm looking to do a few of the flanker Family. Was thinking about doing first either the 2014 Zvezda Su-27SM, or the Revell rebox of the Hasegawa Su-27SM. Those seem to be some good quality models and it sounds like a good "warm up" before the project Do you think it would be a good idea? Or should I start with something smaller and more simple? (I'm kind of an aviation nerd so any good model of a jet fighter interests me, or any aircraft for the matter haha, completely open to recommendations). Secondly, while waiting for the release of the Zvezda Su-30SM, my project could be an Su-30MK, that particular one: However, I can't seem to find much about it... I found a diecast model at 1:72 but only a few pics online and no profiles or anything, not even sure what the exact color scheme is, it seem to have been a temporary livery at a Paris Airshow and MAKS 2009. From my understanding, I could take a trumpeter Su-30MKK or the old Su-30KN from Zvezda (which seem to be a berkut rebox). From those two aforementioned, which one would be the better kit? Know any other possibilities? Or have I missed that someone made that exact kit already? Or maybe I'll get tempted by one of those very colorful twin seat flankers liveries from air forces like Venezuela, or get inspired by some of those fantastic creations in that forum and end up with a totally different aircraft project. PS: I'm a brush painter, so maybe from your experience, complex camos and those metal shiny part for example exhaust and engine on the flanker may be an issue? Thank you very much in advance, Cheers!

While I was sorting out the kit rest and spare parts left from massive kit butchery for various Flanker conversions reported in my other topics here, I have realized that I can build my own Flanker version by combining these parts. It will be a kind of creating a Frankenstein, therefore I have called this project as "Flankerstein". I hope you will like it. Serkan

Su-27S/SK/UB Flankers (72-050 & 48-022) 1:48 & 1:72 Hi-Decal Line There are quite a few Su-27 Flankers models out there, however the decal options in the kits tend to be pretty standard. If you want something a little different the Hi-Decal have a sheet out in 1/72 & 1/48. The options on the sheet are; Su-27S Flanker B "1953" 1st Fighter Sqn, Ethiopian Air Force with kill marking 2010 Su-27S Flanker B "608" 6th Fighter Squadron Eritrean Air Force 2005 Su-27S Flanker B "C110" 13th Fighter Squadron Angolan Air Force 2006 Su-27 SK Flanker B "TS-2701" 11th Fighter Squadron, Indonesian Air Force 2003; Su-27UB Flanker C "I 100" 13th Fighter Squadron Angolan Air Force 200 The sheets provide all the national markings as well as stencils for each option. Registration, sharpness and colour density are all good, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Recommended for your next Flanker build if you like a little something different to the kit options. Review sample courtesy of

Rumour: Great Wall Hobby (GWH) is reported working on a 1/48th Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker" family. Source Yufei Mao aka Haneto facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=530620570788306&set=a.243061249544241&type=3&theater Wait and see. V.P.

Recap - ref. KH80163 - Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker-B" - ref. KH80168 - Sukhoi Su-27UB "Flanker -C" - ref. KH80169 - Sukhoi Su-30MK "Flanker-C" - ref. KH80171- Sukhoi Su-30SM "Flanker-H" - ref. KH80175 - Shenyang J-11 family - ref. KH80176 - Shenyang J-16 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kitty Hawk is to release in 2019 a 1/48th Sukhoi Su-27 "Flanker-B" kit - ref. KH80163 Source: https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5966177390 Box art But it's a Su-27SM in the box art 😜 https://russianplanes.net/id198962 https://russianplanes.net/regs/RF-95255 Schemes Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/369828906819827/permalink/665630623906319/ V.P.

Zvezda's next Flanker is a 1/72nd Sukhoi Su-30SM "Flanker-H" - ref. 7314 Source: https://vk.com/wall-29859496?own=1&w=wall-29859496_2259338 V.P.

After many paint disasters and still trying to learn how to stick bits of plastic together and paint them using these new fangled acrylics. When I looked into the box initially my first impression was 💩💩but the kit went together quite nicely and then I noticed that one of the canards was missing. So I had a look through my decal collection and had an idea or possibly a spasm so here it is.

Hi folks, This is a kit I made from Hasegawa. Have enjoyed painting miniatures for some years but this is my first stab at a plastic kit since I was nipper and bodging together Airfix Spitfires and Panzers. I love seeing the Flanker in air displays after first seeing it in the early 90s so after some research on which kit to buy got this one from Hasegawa, and have to say thoroughly enjoyed it. Had quite a few learning moments - hopefully these will get fewer as time goes on! - Variable air pressures: Turns out trying to spray with 60psi isn't for the best, as a snapped off tail fin can attest to! - Don't leave the model in a dusty environment for a month, then do an inadequate job of cleaning it before doing the next coat. - Undercarriage/weapons etc: leave these off until the rest of the build & paint is completed so they don't get in the way (I did learn from my mistakes after re-gluing part of the undercarriage for the 5th time. Any criticism or tips very welcome! After a quick google search on the aircraft number, this is apparently the aircraft that appeared at Farnborough in 1991.

Sukhoi Su-33 Navy Flanker (03911) 1:72 Revell The SU-33 is a carrier based development of the SU-27 that has suffered from the dearth of finances following the break-up of the Soviet Union at the end of the last millennium. Soon after it was taken into service by the Soviet Navy, funding was reduced to the military as a whole, and as a result only 24 airframes were ever built. Overseas sales were attempted, but none came to fruition for various reasons, and further sales to the Russian Navy weren't an option, as in 2009 they decided on the navalised Mig-29K going forward. Beginning with the basic SU-27 airframe, the internal structure and landing gear were beefed up to cope with the additional stresses of hard carrier landings, the wings were enlarged to provide additional lift, and both the wings and stabs were fitted with folding mechanisms for storage below decks. The first aircraft embarked on the Admiral Kuznetsov in 1995 after substantial testing, but the cancellation of other carriers led to the projected buy of 72 airframes being cut back to the aforementioned 24. They are being drawn down in favour of the Mig-29K, and will be refurbished to replace their outdated avionics for future use elsewhere. The Kit For this kit Revell have brought us the excellent Zvesda plastic in their own box. Construction begins with the cockpit. The ejector seat is built up, if adding the pilot figure than the seat pad and belts part can be left off. If you dont want to add a pilot figure in the cockpit then a standing figure is also included to pose next to the model. The seat and control column are added to the tub and this is inserted into the top fuselage half along with the control panel (instruments provided as a decal). Construction then moves to the lower fuselage. The front gear bay is assembled and added in, along with the main gear bays. Once these are in the fuselage half's can be joined together. Next up the engines are made up and installed. The rear cone and burner ring are added at the back the the middle ring is added, followed by the afterburner section. Te inner sections of the tail planes are then added to the fuselage. Next up the large intake tunnels are built up, an engine fan front is provided for the rear, additionally FOD blanks are supplied as well. Fuselage and centre line pylons are added at this stage followed by the two ventral strakes. The two vertical tails are then added. The outer tailplanes can be added in the down position, or folded. If the main wings are to be folded then the fold mechanism is added at this stage. Back at the front the canard wings are added along with the nose cone. The cannon muzzle is fitted along with the HUD, front screen and IR sensor. Construction then moves to the landing gear. At the front the two wheels are added to the leg along with the landing lights and a couple of struts. The front gear door has its hinged and retraction strut added. The mains have a hub and single part tyre added to the leg, retraction struts are added and the doors get their hinges and struts added. The outer wing panels are made up, there are conventional upper/lower parts with a separate flap section (different ones for lowered and raised) and the wingtip missile rail to add. Two weapons pylons are added to each wing, there is a choice of pylons but no mention of which ones to use, so check your references. The wing panels can now be added either in the folded or unfolded positions. Finishing up weapons can be added where needed, The main canopy is added, along with the nose cone and its pitot. The large upper airbrake can be added in the closed or open position. A boarding ladder is provided if the modeller wants to use it. Decals The decals for this kit are printed in Italy by Cartogrf so that assures you will have no problems with them. From the sheet one of two aircraft can be built; Red 78, 279th KIAP (1st Sqn) Admiral Kuznetsov 2017 Red 86, 279th KIAP (2nd Sqn) Admiral Kuznetsov 2017 The kit provides a comprehensive set of stencils and very good instruction for there placement. Conclusion Revell give us the great Zvesda plastic with new decals. Our very own Flankerman said this was in his opinion the Best moulded Su-33 in this scale and that's good enough for me. Very highly recommended. Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For further information visit or

After the Sukhoi Su-30MKK "Flanker-G" (link) HobbyBoss is to release in late July 2018 a 1/48th Shenyang J-16 "Flanker-G" kit - ref. 81748 Source: http://www.hobbyboss.com/index.php?g=home&m=article&a=show&id=115&l=en V.P.

Evening All! I attended RIAT last year and saw the incredible display from the Ukrainian Flankers. As soon as I saw the scheme I knew I had to do it. Luckily, Foxbat do decals and paint masks for the Ukrainian digital scheme. The Academy kit was used as the base and I added the Neomega cockpit, canopy from Yufei (haneto), Quickboost nose and traffic cones, Aires exhausts, DAN models FOD covers and the NorthStar Models towbar. I decided to do it as it was at RIAT 2017 with the famous blue cones. Overall, the Academy kit wasn't too bad, however with the amount of AM I had added, blending everything in took many attempts. The nose cone was too large for the kit and the canopy took lost of blending (I'm sure it was down to my poor cutting of the canopy and not the mould!) I aded the blind flying hood to the canopy from stretched sprue and tissue paper. The scheme was painted with the AKAN Ukrainian digital camo set, however I found most of the paints to be way too dark and had to be lightened extensively. In the end, the scheme was actually quite easy to paint after having a couple of arguments with the masks. The NorthStar models towbar was great and fell together. I think it's a nice addition to the scene. Here's a few photos. Hope you all like. DSC_0695 by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr DSC_0668-Edit by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr DSC_0667 by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr DSC_0674 by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr DSC_0676 by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr DSC_0678 by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr DSC_0683 by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr DSC_0690 by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr DSC_0671 by Phillip Loughlin, on Flickr

Hi all, just finishing up my first three models (all 1/72) and would like to move into a 1/48 for the next one. i love the Flanker series and am thinking about doing one of them next. Question is, what are the best fitting, best looking kits in this series, that I will not have to purchase too many aftermarket bits (excessive PE, and lots of inaccurate bits like radome (easy to buy aftermarket I know) etc. So priorities are good fit, good detail. Thanks!

So I have the SOL 1/48 Su-35/37 conversation kit for Academy. I also have an Academy flanker I can use... so with all the new flanker kits and various types out now including my much stalled Su-33 kit(I know I need to finish it) is this conversation even worth it? It seems to be the only other way to get a canard equipped Flanker other than the Su-33. The new Su-35 kits are of the newer version without canards. So even with the shortcomings of the Academy kit, is it even worth it anymore or should I sell it off? Opinions? Comments? Thanks!

Modelsvit is to release a 1/72nd Sukhoi T-10-10 Ram-K "Flanker-A" kit - ref. 72049 Source: https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5347441745 V.P.

Aviation Art (or another new brand) Minibase Hobby Corp. should release a new tool 1/48th Sukhoi Su-33 "Flanker-D" kit. The developpers team is reported to be the same having designed the Su-33 kit project purchased and produced by Kinetic. They are now fixing several details and errors and expect/hope to produce their own new kit from the "Flanker-D". The devil is in the details... To be followed. Hence my question: do we really need another Su-33/J-15 kit after the Kinetic efforts (Su-33 J-15) and Trumpeter soon to release models (link)? Source: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/300334-gwh-su-33-148/&do=findComment&comment=2876381 V.P.

Great Wall Hobby is to release a 1/48th Sukhoi Su-35S "Flanker-E" kit - ref. L4820 Sources: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154746140309147&set=gm.1933263940222820&type=3&theater http://www.greenmats.club/topic/3850-su-35s-в-148-от-gwh-анонс/ Though THE question: Is there a new tool complete "Flanker" family in design by GWH? Considering the quality of the GWH MiG-29 "Fulcrum" family... V.P.

HobbyBoss next 1/48th "Flanker" is a Sukhoi Su-27UB "Flanker-C" - ref.81713 Release expected in late September 2017 Source: http://www.hobbyboss.com/index.php?g=home&m=article&a=show&id=95&l=en Box art V.P.

So much hype around Zvezda's Flanker kits that I can't resist giving them a shot, especially if there's a group build involved Note: this is the SIXTH straight Russian/Soviet aircraft that I build. I've probably not had a similar streak before for a single country. This kit comes after a 1/48 Eduard I-16, two Trumpeter MiG-29s (S, and SMT), a Zvezda MiG-29S, and a KP MiG-23M. First impressions out of the box: huge aircraft! lots of pieces! Accuracy of this kit seems very well regarded by the BM community so I won't contest that. I do spot some issues: 1) Lack of cockpit detailing (decals, although they are admittedly quite nice) 2) Lack of ANY rivets. C'mon Zvezda, a few would have been nice. This is a huge aircraft and with such big panels, it could have used some rivets here and there. 3) The canopy while not terrible (like some Revell kits) isn't super smooth. I had a similar observation with their MiG-29S. 4) Wheel well detail is very poor, especially for the front: Zvezda basically didn't bother with this. Anyway, let's get started. I used AKAN for the unique Flanker cockpit color which looks spot on The cockpit decal is quite nice although detailing would have been better. The sparse wheel well detail is somewhat evident too.

Russian Su-33 Flanker D (with carrier deck) 1:72 Trumpeter Instantly recognisable to enthusiasts of Cold War or modern jet aircraft, the Su-27 Flanker has formed the backbone of the Russian Air Force's air superiority fighter force for much of the last thirty years. The design marked a departure from previous Soviet/Russian aircraft, with its podded engines, large wing and sophisticated avionics (it was the first fly-by-wire aircraft to enter service in the Soviet Union). Emerging in prototype form as the T-10 in 1977, the design showed great promise, and before long it had beaten the time-to-height records set by the modified Streak Eagle in 1975. Although originally designed as a long-range air superiority fighter, like many of its contemporaries the Su-27 has been developed to take on a variety of roles, including air-to-surface missions. The multirole Sukhoi Su-33 Flanker D is the navalised variant of the successful all-weather interceptor. Around 35 examples of the type have been constructed for Russian Naval Aviation, all of which operate from the Aircraft carrier ‘Admiral Kuznestov’. The Su-33 differs from the Su-27 in a number of respects. Most noticeable are the canards, situated forward of the wing to provide additional lift and manoeuvrability. The Su-33 also features larger wings with a powered folding mechanism, folding horizontal stabilisers, in-flight refuelling capability and the ability to carry a range of air-to-surface weapons. Despite the relatively small number of aircraft produced, this is the latest in a steady trickle of kits of the Su-33 to emerge. Things got off to a less-than-promising start, with the old and not very accurate Italeri Su-27 Sea Flanker (re-boxed by Zvezda). A few years ago Hasegawa gave us a much more sophisticated kit which, while still not perfect, was very good indeed. Trumpeter released an all-new kit along with a typically generous selection of ordnance a few years agp, just before Zveda added their own kit. At this rate it won't be long before we can build every one of the 35 aircraft with a different kit! Anyway, Trumpeter's kit is back once again, but with a slight twist this time. Inside the large top-opening box are over 300 parts spread across around twenty sprues of grey plastic and a single clear sprue. In typical Trumpeter style, the plastic parts are exquisitely moulded, with engraved panel lines, rivet and fastener detail. Also in the box is a small fret of photo etched parts, two decal sheets (one for markings and one for stencils) and a colour painting diagram as well as instructions. In common with other Trumpeter kits, the parts are extremely well packed and all of the sprues are individually bagged. Certain parts, such as the clear sprue are wrapped in foam for extra protection. This version of the kit differs from the last one we received for review as it contains extra parts for a large section of carrier deck, complete with hydraulic jet blast deflector, crew and a few extra optional parts for the aircraft itself. Trumpeter don't appear to have trumpeted (ha ha) this fact, however, as it doesn't appear to be mentioned on the box artwork. Nothing has changed since we reviewed the last iteration of this kit, so it's still the case that the overall shape and arrangement of parts appears to match photographs and plans of the real thing very well. The canopy has the correct profile, which means a seam down the middle, but this is a five minute job to clean up with the right tools. Trumpeter have even included the option to build the model with the wings and horizontal tails folded, which is very pleasing to see and exactly how I intend to finish mine. Construction begins with the cockpit. This is made up of five parts, including a crisply moulded K36 ejection seat, which slots into a cockpit tub adorned with convincing moulded details (although decals re also provided). Once completed, the whole sub-assembly fits inside the fuselage halves. As with most kits of blended-wing aircraft, the fuselage is split vertically with the inner section of wing moulded in place. The outer sections of the wings are moulded separately so that the model can be built with the wings folded. Some modellers will find this a pain as it creates an extra joint to deal with, but as I mentioned before, I think it's great that Trumpeter included this option because it wasn't possible to finish the Hasegawa kit like this without major surgery. Do note, however, that you must drill a number of holes in order to fit the appropriate pylons to the outer wing sections before your cement the parts together. There are different parts to use for each option, as the outer flaps are dropped when the wings are folded. The same applies to the horizontal tail surfaces, with different versions provided for folded and unfolded options. In this boxing there is an additional sprue with extra parts for the drooped flaps which wasn't included with the original kit. The engine air intakes are next. These are slide moulded, which makes construction relatively pain free. Engine turbine faces are included, which will prevent the dreaded see-through effect, and parts such as the auxiliary air intake louvers are moulded separately in order to maximise the level of detail. The Su-33's rugged landing gear is next. Each main gear leg is moulded as a single part, which should translate into a degree of structural strength, while the more complex nose gear leg is made up of seven parts. In both cases the wheels are moulded separately. While the model is on its back, you have to add the Su-33's beefy tail hook – a nicely detailed part is made up of four parts. The pylons have to be added at this stage too, so make sure you drill out the appropriate holes at the start of the build, or this is the point at which you'll really regret it. The canopy is nicely realised and, as mentioned above, accurate in profile. Because of the shape of the canopy and the way it has had to be moulded, there is a little distortion around the sides, but by way of compensation it can be finished in either open or closed positions. The major difference between this version of the kit and the previous version is the inclusion of a section of carrier deck, complete with jet blast deflector, decals and crew. The carrier deck is a hell of a slab of plastic, and will look very impressive with the aircraft and crew positioned in place. I think the Olymp 10 ton deck tractor will be a virtually mandatory purchase with this kit! In typical Trumpeter style, a very extensive range of ordnance is included. Of course there is so much that you can't possibly use it all, but who doesn't like spare ordnance? All told, you get: 4 x KH-31 Krypton air-to-surface missiles; 4 x KH-35 Zvezda anti-ship missiles; 4 x KH-59M Ovod cruise missiles; 2 x B-8M rocket pods; 1 x APK-9 data link pod (for use with the KH-59 missiles); 2 x R-77 active radar homing air-to-air missiles; 4 x R-27ET extended range infrared homing air-to-air missiles; 4 x R-27ER extended range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles; 2 x R-73 infrared homing air-to-air missiles; No, it doesn't fit inside my photo tent... Nothing has changed when it comes to the decal sheet, so you still have a choice of two schemes - Su-33 Flanker D 'Red 67' and Su-33 Flanker D 'Red 80', both of the Russian Navy. The decal sheets are nicely printed and you get a full set of stencils too, which is a bonus. Conclusion Trumpeter are definitely on a role with their 1:72 aircraft, having given us fans of Soviet/Russian aircraft a hat-trick of very decent kits in the shape of the MiG-29, Su-24 and now the Su-33. This is a very decent representation of an interesting variant of an important aircraft. The basic shape of the aircraft looks to be about spot on and, with the option to fold the wings, it has much to recommend it, even when compared to the Hasegawa kit. The inclusion of the deck section is a worthwhile addition too. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

Su-27 Updates (for Hobby Boss) 1:48 Eduard Hobby Boss's new tooling SU-27 is a pretty decent kit with a few issues that might bug the purists, but is an improvement on the old Academy offering. As always with injection moulding though, you can do some aspects better with Photo-Etch. Along comes Eduard in their inimitable style with a small collection of PE sets and a set of kabuki tape masks to make your life easier, and the detail better. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (49813) Consisting of two frets of PE, one of which is nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other bare brass, this set adds extra detail to the cockpit that would be incredibly difficult to duplicate via scratch-building. After scraping the detail from the sidewall, consoles and instrument panel, new panels are installed with detail picked out in relief and colour, plus a set of new sidewall skins with panelling details added. The main panel is split into several parts, laminated together to create a more realistic whole, replete with instrument dials behind the bezels. The seat is upgraded with a more accurate pull handle, leg straps, and controls on the sides, whilst behind it the rear deck is given a skin of riveted metal instead of the raised detail that was provided in the kit. After replacing the rudder pedals with more detailed parts, the rest of the set is used to improve the detail on the canopy, including sill details, internal structure, canopy and windscreen hoops with rear-view mirrors, and the seals around the moving section. Speaking personally, detailing the canopy can provide a boost to cockpit detail, and the addition of the parts can make a great deal of difference. The final space on the fret is given over to a number of static-wicks for the exterior, which is unusual in an interior set. Zoom! Set (FE813) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (49814) Eduard's new STEEL seatbelt range combines the simplicity of pre-painted Photo-Etch (PE) belts with the thin, flexible steel that they now use, resulting in seatbelts that look more in-scale, and are easier to bend to drape more naturally over the ejection seat or crew seat as the case may be. The paint used also seems more flexible, and better able to cope with the rigors of fitting the belts into position without cracking and peeling off, which was sometimes a danger with the previous nickel-plated brass types. As well as coming pre-painted, they are also shaded to imply further depth to the buckles and overlaps, with the clasps, slides and attachment points showing bright in conjunction with the painted portions. Exterior (48917) This set is supplied on one larger brass fret, and contains plenty of parts to improve the detail further. The afterburner ring is first to be constructed, with subtle twists resulting in a cone-shaped part that is more delicately depicted by the fine PE, both of which are fitted over the rear bullet as drop-in replacements for the kit parts. The spine-mounted air-brake is skinned inside, and the drop-down integrated FOD guards are added to the intake ramps to both add detail, and save you from having any need to seam-fill the rest of the intake. The main bays are skinned after removal of the bay roof, adding small triangular rib-ends and other structural aspects of the bay, while the nose bay is left alone, save for the extra details added to the leg, and a partial replacement of the louvered mudguard, which has the support stays and the louvered parts replaced by more detailed and in-scale PE. Masks (EX546] Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set small masks for the HUD glazing and the landing lights. Review sample courtesy of

Hello everyone. This is my first build article here in Britmodeller, starting on my Su-33... First up is my crude attempt at a cockpit, the colors are Testors RLM 78 and basic colors, I didn't realize how crappy the instruments looked while the Future is still wet. hopefully they will get better as it dries. I am replacing the K-36 seat with the long out of production KMC resin item as I didn't want to make belts like I did on my MiG-31. I added the red handles (park brake???) and the gear handle with wire. I still have to paint the seat and the back wall. Airscale instrument decals. hopefully it starts to look better. More to follow... ~A