Flankerman

Now on sale at Hannants.... https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/MSVIT72041?result-token=gGMTQ Ken

For a fuller explanation...... At first ALL Flankers were 'Su-27' - followed by a role suffix... so you had....... Su-27 - Single seat fighter Su-27UB - 'Uchebno Boyevoy / Combat Trainer' Su-27K - 'Korabl / Shipborne' Su-27IB - 'Istrebitel Bombardirovchik / Fighter Bomber' Su-27KUB - 'Korabl Uchebno Boyevoy / Shipborne Combat Trainer' Theses were the designations given by the Soviet Air Force (VVS) / Navy (AVMF). But Sukhoi wanted to use different designations in their PR brochures - to better highlight the drastically changed roles... and they had the political clout at the time.. So they started by changing Su-27K to Su-33, Su27IB to Su-34 and Su-27KUB to Su-33UB. There are other examples - but the above were the main ones. So Su-27K and Su-33 are one and the same aircraft. Ken

Great news - but it's a bit late for me - I've already done the conversion.... As it was originally meant to look like - with 12 lift engines........ It looks like Modelsvit include the collapsible floats - but not the lift engines... Ken

After a coat of Halford's Grey Plastic Primer... ... ready for a black topcoat.... For my black painted subs, I use a rattle can of Halford's Volvo Dark Grey - which gives a nice 'off-black' finish, suitable for this scale..... Now I just need to mask off the anti-slip decking and paint it matt black - along with the side vents.... Off for a lie down now - it's too hot and muggy (although it's really Weggy) to do much. Ken

A little (slow) progress..... All the slots to take the tongues on the rudder and dive planes had to be reamed out to fit - Ready for a coat of Halford's Grey Primer.... Note my botched attempt at depicting the louvre on the casing. I tried to cut out a square of plastic - but my hand-eye co-ordination isn't up to it these days - so it's filled in and I'll just paint a black square on the finished model. Ken

One more question Stuart.... Did Courageous (and others in the Churchhill class) have an anti-slip surface along the top of the hull?? .... and if so - how far did it extend ? Regards Ken

Great work on the vents - although you are forcing me to re-think my square of black decal fix - thanks a bunch I also noticed that on her return to Faslane, Conqueror has her name plate attached to the sides of the sail - decal not supplied by Mikro-Mir, sadly. Ken

A little progress..... Filler sanded down..... Closeup of the front join - and the separate forward diving plane 'shoulders'. Sail/conning tower parts - complete with inner decking. Ken

Good spot on those vents Stuart .... Now that I know about them - I'm undecided whether to just depict them by adding a square of black decal at the end of the build - or trying to gouge out a square in the plastic so that the vent is properly recessed. Do we know what is inside the vent ? - Louvres? square mesh or what? Keep up the good work Ken

Re the 'dots' along the hull Stuart..... you must have got a 'duff' mould - those dots are not present on my kit.... Ken

Thanks all for the info about the white waterline.... I used thin strips of plastic card glued to the hull sides to make a stronger join... there are only locating holes/pips at front and rear. .... then glued to hull halves together..... The joint isn't that good - so out with the filler.... It isn't as bad as it looks - I overdid it with the filler. More later.... Ken

Look what the postman just delivered - the new submarine kit from Mikro-Mir...... Box art (Note the patriotic logo) HMS Conqueror (S48) is the Royal Navy Churchill Class sub that sank the General Belgrano during the Falklands war. First page of the instruction sheet... Second sheet... Decal shet (note the skull and crossbones) and etched propeller..... Upper and Lower hull... The rest of the parts... It looks like a simple build - in the usual Mikro-Mir style - thanks to them for producing a kit of an important historical British submarine. Can anyone confirm the white waterline markings - I don't think I've ever seen it on a RN sub before???? Ken

Not well known (even less acknowledged), but Kozhedub was the highest scoring 'allied' ace of WWII (or the Great Patriotic War as it was to the Soviets). Ivan Kozhedub's La-7 at Monino..... Close-up of the 62 kill markings with three 'Hero of the Soviet Union' medals..... Another view of 'White 27'.... Ken

A bit late for your build, but this site has some exceelent walkround photos of the real thing :- https://igor113.livejournal.com/51213.html?page=1 Great build BTW - how are you going to display it ? I did my Anigrand resin version skimming across the water....... Ken