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No it's not a joke. After the Kinetic announcement here's the HobbyBoss 1/48th Sukhoi Su-33 "Flanker-D" kit - ref. 81761 Source: https://www.facebook.com/TrumpeterModel/photos/a.103538733138062.8169.103526326472636/529782187180379/?type=3&theater V.P.

Sukhoi Su-27K (for Minibase) 1:48 Eduard Minibase blew us away with their Su-33, and since then they’ve brought out the Su-27K Sea Flanker which also has a ton of detail. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner, and here are couple for your attention. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. 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. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1286) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as a set of crew belts, you also get a set of the pull-handles between the pilot's knees that gets him out of there in case of an emergency. Masks (EX872) 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 mask for the bare metal area around the cannon that’s mounted in the wing root, landing lights and the dielectric panels at the base of the twin stabilisers. Masks Tface (EX873) Supplied on two sheets of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Having now used them myself in action, they give an impressively realistic look to your model’s canopy. Review sample courtesy of

Sukhoi Su-33 (for MiniBase) 1:48 Eduard The MiniBase kit of the Sukhoi Su-33 Flanker-D in 1:48 left a crater when it landed, as it was an incredibly well-designed model with tons of detail moulded-in, generating a lot of excitement, especially with modellers of Soviet/Russian subjects. If you’ve not seen it yet, Firstly, where have you been? Have a gander here, then come back to read about these upgrades. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. 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. Upgrade Set (491185) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles are the primary parts on the painted set requiring the removal of the moulded-in details first, with new in-scale leg restraints also supplied, which is a testament to the quality of the original mouldings. The rest of the set is used to detail the nose gear leg; create a new set of FOD guards inside the intakes; auxiliary intake louvers; a re-skin of the spine-mounted air-brake bay and appliqué panels around the shoulder-mounted cannon, plus a couple of small mesh panels on both sides of the wing shoulders. Zoom! Set (FE1185) 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 (FE1186) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. The kit includes PE seatbelts, but they are complex and made of bare brass, so can be a chore to make up. These belts are pre-painted, easier to assemble, and in addition to the crew belts, you also get a set of the pull-handles between the pilot's knees that gets him out of there in case of an emergency, plus a detail insert for the front of the seat. Review sample courtesy of

Su-33 Sea Flanker "Mission in Syria" Decals 1:48 Begemot Decals With the release of the Kinetic Sea Flanker some brief time ago, a wealth of new aftermarket parts have reached the market to cater for what is a rather nice kit. The Flanker-D is the sea-going variant of the Su-27, although that is probably WAY too simplified a description, but that's all you're getting! Russia's controversial engagement in Syria has seen their small fleet of this relatively unsuccessful carrier born aircraft taking part in operations against ISIS factions, with one aircraft lost as a result of an arrestor cable malfunction, sparing the pilot from injury, but leaving him a little damp from the experience. The remaining fleet decamped to a land base after this incident while the Admiral Kuznetsov's landing systems were repaired and tested. This set of decals in 1:48 from our friends at Begemot arrives in an oversized ziplok bag with the instruction sheet printed on glossy paper in black & white, plus an additional sheet that has been added to include one more aircraft. The decal sheet is packed with markings in a wealth of colours, and it too has extras in the shape of two sheets of white-edged red number 84s in two sizes. The sheets are in good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. From the sheet you can model the following: Su-33 06001, 1st Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 Su-33 06204, 1st Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 Su-33 06305, 1st Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, end of November 2016 Su-33 06205, 1st Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 Su-33 06204, 1st Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 Su-33 05101, 1st Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 Su-33 04205, 1st Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 Su-33 08201, 2nd Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 Su-33 08302, 2nd Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 Su-33 09301, 2nd Aerial Squadron, 279th Carrier Fighter Aviation Regiment, Admiral Kuznetsov, Mediterranean Sea, 2016 For more information on the personalisations of the various airframes you can download the instruction booklet here if you'd like to study the details, choose your scheme in advance, and/or pick up some additional paints for the task in hand. Speaking of paints, there are six colours suggested for the aircraft, as follows: Flat light blue FS25526 Flat intermediate blue FS25450 Flat blue/grey FS25190 Flat white FS27886 Dark metal Burnt metal The instructions advise that due to the painting of each aircraft individually, coupled with the anti-corrosion and patch painting that goes on aboard ship, you should check reference photos of the originals to satisfy yourself of demarcation lines and for shading purposes if you intend to weather your model, or depict it at a particular point in its career. Conclusion The Sea Flanker may have been a short run of 24 airframes, but its canards give it a certain appeal, and painting your model in some of the most recent schemes is a tempting option, but which one? Orcas, tigers or eagles? Highly recommended. You can order direct from Andrey using PayPal by contacting him on [email protected] Review sample courtesy of