general melchett Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 (edited) Well after the fun of the Hendon build I thought I'd return to my favorite subject matter...strange soviet jet aircraft and as such this arrived this morning, something that I've been looking forward to building since it was announced some while back. It's the HB YAK 38 U Forger B trainer variant of the little Forger A V/STOL fighter that served with the Soviet Naval Aviation, a quite bizzare looking beast by any standards. Interesting fact about the forger is that it's commonly held to be a bit of a death trap but the facts just don't bear this out. If compared to its nearest counterpart, the Harrier you can see that whilst there were twice as many Harriers built proportionately a lot fewer forgers were lost to accidents and far fewer pilots killed. aircraft in accidents hull losses fatalities squadron service Harrier 241 83 57 25 Yak 38 115 18 14 5 A lot was put down to the highly advanced auto land and automated ejection system, (ie if the lift engines failed and the aircraft rolled more than 60 degrees then the pilot, or in the case of the trainer version, pilot and student were fired to safety immediately). Being a Hobby Boss release it was to be expected that there would be accuracy issues ...and they didn't disappoint !!. Well known problem of course is the short rear fuselage which should be approx 3 feet longer to counter the extended nose and aid overall stability. This is probably coz HB didn't want to mould a new fuselage so why not use the fighter's one as well...bugger accuracy! Lesser known problems include the horizontal tailplanes which are too small, (larger area ones were fitted to all U models), and the fuselage spine doesn't have the correct kink halfway down its length, even though it's clearly shown in the box art!. The seats aren't quite right either , being standard K-36's. However Quickboost has come to the rescue with certain parts, all of which I'm expecting to drop through the letterbox any time soon courtesy of Hannants. Starting with the cockpit, this is quite basic and as there is no resin replacement as yet I'm going to do my usual thing with them and just modify what we have. I've added various panels and frames as well as scratchbuilt a couple of throttle quadrants and 'hover controls'. I think the cockpit will be closed on this one so as to preserve the ugliness so I wont go too mad on the detail, (but that might change!!). All very basic at the moment , that'll soon change... On order are a couple of Pavla K-36VMU seats, replacement intakes, correctly shaped FDR ,(flight data recorder) rear tail cone, correctly sized scoops and engine exhaust units. The greatest amount of work of course will be the rear fuselage which I'm gathering data for at the moment...hopefully scratchbuild the plug , the biggest headache will be where to cut, the exhaust runnels are separate which might actually help things a bit. The tailplanes will be scratchbuilt from card once I've got the dimensions. Helping me with all this will be the excellent Red\ Star Yak36/38/141 book by Yefim Gordon which has a wealth of info and great photos essential in getting it as right as possible. I've decided to drop the flaps on this one as they are often seen with these drooped and so have cut them out and cleaned up, The undercarriage is nicely done and looks pretty accurate. I noticed on Mikes build that he cut new holes in his nose wheel as he thought that the holes were between the strakes rather than on them, but this isn't quite right. Hobby boss actually got it right as this shot clearly shows, though the 3 holes should be drilled through, (there is a forth one on the rim as well).. The mains are good to but good reference material is a must such as these from a Russian site, Looking at other parts I see that the lift engines are total pants and will need to be replaced, This is how they should look !! Hopefully more progress tomorrow....... Thanks for looking, Cheers all, Melchie... Edited June 24, 2012 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Nice one General, I see you have been researching again and it looks like you have picked a strange aircraft this time. That Fogger B really does look a strange one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moofles Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Now this, is going to be worth watching. How are you going to tackle the short rear fuse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowler0000 Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 After your TSR2, this should be a walk in the park!!!!! (HAH, cursed it now......) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooldudehenry Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 Cant wait to see how this turns out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 Thanks chaps, should be fun, the rear plug will have to be carefully thought out. I was considering making a resin plug but that will just add a lot more weight to the rear end creating a one Hell of a tail sitter needing a ton of weight at the front end..putting a lot of stress on the already flimsy undercarriage!, the other option will be to extend the fuselage by cutting it, adding 'stringers' length wise and then plating the gap with card. Not as daunting as it sounds, I did this with my Mach Poo Valiant and it worked a treat. The big problem here is the radius of the fuselage section and exhaust runs. The best bet will be to cut it just aft of the wings as this part is pretty straight and level, if you cut any further back on the curve you will have all sorts of problems with continuity of the radius curve. But first I'll get the 'easy' bits done , cockpit, undercarriage, lift engines etc....(famous last words..................I still say vac forms are easier!!!!), After your TSR2, this should be a walk in the park!!!!! Well it can't be any harder!!...................er.......can it? Thanks again, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Looking forward to this one!! For the plug could you not make a resin plug but ream out as much of the inside as possible, to leave just a tube section? Would obviously weigh much less! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfpack Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Gawd, he's at it again. Not satisfied with lightly stunning all of BM with the Hendon, some poor sov aircraft is now going to get the works. Great. Now there's something to look forward to on BM again! F-35 next??????? W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 Cheers, Phil after sharing emails with a certain someone last night I think there may well be a possibility of just that ! Wolfie, thanks, in that case I'll don my best bejewelled battle shorts and feathery hat and set forth on the thing ASAP !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Subscribing.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Wolfie, thanks, in that case I'll don my best bejewelled battle shorts and feathery hat and set forth on the thing ASAP !!! Looking forward to the build but as for the shorts ...................... Perhaps better just to build the thing! Martin von Modelling "Au Naturelle" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 Mine Gott!!!, Martin von Modelling "Au Naturelle" Now that's truly frightening!!! Cheers Martin, well I've got on with a bit more today even though it was sub zero in the workshop!! , Cockpit detailed , painted and weathered as are the undercarriage bays. Before I can put it all together though I've got to do something with the 'orrible HUD units which are rather basic and should be slightly different. Also in their infinite wisdom HB decided to duplicate the instrument panels which is also wrong so the rear one will need a bit of fettling .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christof Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Some superb work again General. Another plane i'm not familiar with. Must say it's a strange looking plane. I'd say it's typically Russian. Looking forward to watching this progress. Christof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 Thanks Christof, just a quick update, well the cockpit was nearly done until I had a close look at some good Yak 38U reference photos that I have and saw that the HUD and coaming is all wrong............well it is Hobby Boss !, the HUD unit itself is way too high and the wrong shape in any case. The fighter version did have the higher box' type unit fitted though far more intricate than the kit parts, (Pavla's rendition being far more accurate) however the trainer had a different layout altogether. To be honest it looks like a cheap far eastern models version of a HUD being almost flat so that the eyeline for the student is far better and therefore visual approaches to carriers a lot easier. The instructor pilots coaming is ever so slightly higher but not by much as these photos show, Kit part, Real thing, Other things, the Quickboost and Pavla stuff arrived yesterday and the quality is as to be expected very high!, the seats particularly are excellent. QB's scoops and data recorder, This will have to be modified slightly as the trainers version was different to that of the fighters, Air intakes, I wasn't too sure about all the inlet doors being open, (as like the Harrier they dropped with gravity) but I have several shots of operational aircraft with them all open so that's good enough for me, The lovely Pavla exhausts...saves all that sanding and filling, plus they are the correct shape, There's quite a lot more but as I'm working on this for a certain quality resin company I won't be showing it until it's done and dusted...sorry, Cheers all Melchett...............(covert ops mode).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smuts Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 General Sir very nice work so far (as usual) & I do like those seats Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooldudehenry Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Really like the subtle weathering in the cockpit, particularly the sidewalls in the fuselage. How do you get them to look so good?!?! Thanks, Henry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 And I thought the single seater was ugly !!!! Great start though, never seen one of these built before, and have no doubt it will be a stunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Nice start General! and you have spared us the sight of you in your bejeweled battle shorts! Things are looking up today! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Thanks chaps, cdHenry, just apply the base coat followed by detail painting, I prefer enamels for this, then a light, thin wash of burnt umber oil paints and white spirit, airbrush thinned NATO black into the the shadowed areas, highlight the raised areas all sealed with a coat of Vallejo flat varnish. As ever though the real thing looks a lot more subtle as the harsh flash tends to bleach the different tones out. Thanks Neil, certainly won't win any beauty awards but that just makes it a lot more interesting in my eyes, bit like the old Stirling Martin..... you have spared us the sight of you in your bejeweled battle shorts are you sure?? Working nights at the moment and so no modelling, but will be up and running in a few days, Melchettski... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 Looking for ward to seeing this fugly one come together. Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 (edited) Managed to get a few more bits done today including the undercarriage, engines , seats and lift engine doors which whilst nicely detailed on the outside have nothing at all inside! Nice as the Pavla exhaust nozzles are...spot the deliberate mistake!, If fitted as moulded you'd end up with this!!! All the bits together, I noticed that some folks have weathered the exhaust nozzles or heat stained them which isn't quite correct. They were treated inside with heat dissipating material and the outer shells are really just covers that rarely got heavily marked. These will be given a light wash and then matted. I've made my own lift engine compressor facings from card and strip as the kits are way off, (hopefully be casting them in resin soon), the kits one's are alongside for comparison. The grey/green 'apron' around the engines is actually correct. I thought at first that HB were just being lazy and filling in the area for ease of construction but actually the whole area is hinged and can be lifted up for maintenance and engine removal as shown here, Same goes for the exhaust nozzles which again are off the mark, In anticipation of extra weight being needed to offset the extended rear end I've added my favorite nose weight................a small socket piece.. I've also carved off all the HUD/coaming detail which is again totally ficticious and rebuilding them as something more representative of the real thing, Cockpit with seats fitted, it's all starting to come together now..............next up HUD/coaming detail and plumbing. It's difficult to find much on the yak 38U's HUD layout but it does seem to be a much simplified version of the fighters with a new set up, the front seater's being totally different from the instructors..... Edited April 10, 2012 by general melchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody37 Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Fantastic progress, love your attention to detail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 Thanks Neil...actually these HB/Trumpy kits must be treated as a mixed bag really ..part IM model and part scratch building project !!!...which happens to suit me down to the ground !, Managed to spend an hour or so on the cockpit tonight, most of the wiring and plumbing is in, just need to sort the HUD lens and glass out after painting and weathering, Cheers all, Melcheski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goon Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Lovely work so far. I am using a lot of the add-ons here on my single seater for the Flory Models group build. I did wonder how long it would be before you posted the deliberate mistake with the nozzles. I had a genuine face palm moment when I found it. I also spotted Hobbyboss's simplified treatment of the intakes for the lift fans, but decided to leave it. I think I might go back and revisit them having seen how good yours look. Cheers, Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greased Lightning Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 An inspiring build coming along here sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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