Alex1978 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 (edited) The TU-144 was Russia's answer to the Concorde,although it was plagued with problems and accidents which resulted in only a very limited time in commercial service. The prototype is very different from the later version that made it into service,comparing the 2 makes you think to look at completely different aircraft. This is the very old Nitto kit and besides the 1/100 Plasticart kit the only one of the TU-144 Prototype. Its in a rather unusual scale in 1/132,but close enough to 1/144 so placing her alongside the Concorde would be a nice thing. The kit is rather simple but quite accurate in shape,it has not many parts and all fits together very well with only some minor areas that need some filling and sanding. The only downside is that it has no option to build it gear up,although a display stand is included.It would certainly look much more elegant in flight. Despite its age,the decals were still in good condition and could be used without any problems. This was a straight out of the box build,to keep the character of this ancient kit. Paints by Revell and Testors enamels applied with my airbrush.Bare Metal Foil was applied at the rudder on the tailfin Cheers Edited June 30, 2018 by Alex1978 32 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Another beauty! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Excellent 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted June 30, 2018 Share Posted June 30, 2018 Sleek,stylish and SPLENDID looking model. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unfinished project Posted July 1, 2018 Share Posted July 1, 2018 Lovely, you are the King of Commercials. As you mentioned the prototype and the production model are 2 different beasts altogether 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweener Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 I first read the title as 1/32 and got very excited! Looks amazing either way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 That looks really nice. Your next project should be to build the ICM/Revell Tu144. Having the two side by side to compare would be very interesting. Not only did the prototype look like a different aeroplane to the producton version - it WAS a different aeroplane. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimme Shelter Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 nice model - glad to see you built it - my Revel TU144 never made it out the box before being re-homed... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex1978 Posted September 18, 2018 Author Share Posted September 18, 2018 5 hours ago, Eric Mc said: That looks really nice. Your next project should be to build the ICM/Revell Tu144. Having the two side by side to compare would be very interesting. Not only did the prototype look like a different aeroplane to the producton version - it WAS a different aeroplane. Thank you very much. I have the Revell/ICM rebox and an original ICM kit in my stash but not found a time slot yet to start them as I have still a lot of half built airliners on my workbench waiting to be finished.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimme Shelter Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 Hi - I've dropped back in to your build here for another look today - I have this kit and shall hope to assemble in in 2024. I've been looking for 3rd party replacement decals for my kit as mine look potentially dangerously unusable. I recently saw a built model of this kit at IPMS Abingdon's 2023 club show - the modeller had adapted the front end to display her droop snooted - I'm very tempted to try the same - being so basic, there is little to destroy in the conversion process and lends itself to vast improvements up front. Looking at this 1/144 Nitto kit up against my VBP Plasticart 1/100 kit of the same (i.e. the prototype), I can see that both kit manufacturers built their moulds on areas of assumed detail without access to the real aircraft to have taken accurate dimensions and detail from - in particular the engine nacelle shape and finite underwing location. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airbusboy Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 I always found the Tu 144 to be a real Curate's egg. On the one hand it was a commercial flop and an obvious attempt to replicate Concorde. But on the other, it had a real beauty of its own. Perhaps not so graceful as Concorde, but stunning nonetheless. And your model really captures this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orso Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 I once again measured my Nitto/Entex kit and compared it with the dimensions mentioned at http://www.tu144sst.com I still get 1/149 and not the 1/132 that Nitto has on their box. Entex claims it to be 1/144. I have mine together with the original Airfix Concorde in a prototype livery. As I understand it both kits has their faults. As 1/149 is closer to 1/144 than the 1/132 is, I am satisfied. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiampieroSilvestri Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 Beautiful Tupolev Tu-144! Saluti Giampiero 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlo1963 Posted November 22, 2023 Share Posted November 22, 2023 Interesting how the four engines seem much closer together, almost in-line, compared to the production versions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex1978 Posted November 24, 2023 Author Share Posted November 24, 2023 On 22/11/2023 at 12:47, Gimme Shelter said: Hi - I've dropped back in to your build here for another look today - I have this kit and shall hope to assemble in in 2024. I've been looking for 3rd party replacement decals for my kit as mine look potentially dangerously unusable. I recently saw a built model of this kit at IPMS Abingdon's 2023 club show - the modeller had adapted the front end to display her droop snooted - I'm very tempted to try the same - being so basic, there is little to destroy in the conversion process and lends itself to vast improvements up front. Looking at this 1/144 Nitto kit up against my VBP Plasticart 1/100 kit of the same (i.e. the prototype), I can see that both kit manufacturers built their moulds on areas of assumed detail without access to the real aircraft to have taken accurate dimensions and detail from - in particular the engine nacelle shape and finite underwing location. On 22/11/2023 at 14:30, Airbusboy said: I always found the Tu 144 to be a real Curate's egg. On the one hand it was a commercial flop and an obvious attempt to replicate Concorde. But on the other, it had a real beauty of its own. Perhaps not so graceful as Concorde, but stunning nonetheless. And your model really captures this. On 22/11/2023 at 16:03, Orso said: I once again measured my Nitto/Entex kit and compared it with the dimensions mentioned at http://www.tu144sst.com I still get 1/149 and not the 1/132 that Nitto has on their box. Entex claims it to be 1/144. I have mine together with the original Airfix Concorde in a prototype livery. As I understand it both kits has their faults. As 1/149 is closer to 1/144 than the 1/132 is, I am satisfied. On 22/11/2023 at 16:13, GiampieroSilvestri said: Beautiful Tupolev Tu-144! Saluti Giampiero On 22/11/2023 at 22:49, Carlo1963 said: Interesting how the four engines seem much closer together, almost in-line, compared to the production versions. Thank you all. I am surprised that this build reappeared after all these years. The scale differences and accuracy issues if this kit are probably due to the lack of real possibilities to measure the real thing.It was still cold war time back then. The kit is quite old and simple but i liked it somehow. I also have the Nitto Concorde in my stash with the same ,at least on the box,mentioned 1/132 scale. I have not yet measured it to confirm it,but it also represents something near the prototype Concorde like Airfix's first Concord kit. I have not found the time yet to start building it but I might tackle it now that the TU144 has come up again to interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradders Posted November 26, 2023 Share Posted November 26, 2023 great build; would love to see how this compares to the production version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remus389 Posted November 26, 2023 Share Posted November 26, 2023 Neat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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