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Su-27FSM - "Flankerstein" (T-10X Series) in 1/72 scale - Revell/Zvezda/Italeri Combination


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Here are the Trumpeter Su-34 upper and lower halves and view of MLG Bay details:

486.jpg


Placing Trumpeter upper half and "Flankerstein" lower half together:

487.jpg

 

The result seems not soo bad:

488.jpg

 

Then I "cloned" the MLGB details using "quick molding silicone":

489.jpg

 

Here are the cloned parts:

491.jpg

 

And placed on "Flankerstein" half:

493.jpg

 

The wall shape has been rounded to fit Italeri MLGB side walls:

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The both resin parts have been glued now:

504.jpg

 

And the result seems quite good:

503.jpg

 

The next step is to glue all parts together.

 

Cheers

 

Serkan

 

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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I was not very happy with the İtaleri air intakes as they looked a bit unrealistic (even for "Flankerstein"). Then I remembered that I already have molds of Trumpeter Su-34 intakes from my Su-27IB project. Here are the cloned pair of intakes:

513.jpg

 

First dry fit test to see how the aircraft will look like with new intakes:

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It looks better than the original Italeri intake. Now the surgery (or butchery if you like) can start. Here are the cut lines to remove existing intake:

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Here the old intake has been removed:

515.jpg

 

And some plastic card strips have been placed to align new intake correctly:

516.jpg

 

Again dry fit test to see the result:

527.jpg

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530.jpg

531.jpg

 

Next step is to repeat the process for other intake...

 

Cheers

 

Serkan

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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Following the same process shown above the remaining intake has been also removed. Here note that I have opened the slots on both side of the remaining engine body to increase the circumference to match Trumpeter intake part.

520.jpg

 

Here are the implanted intakes on both sides:

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Before:

508.jpg

 

After:

521.jpg

 

I think the result is better than the original one. What is your opinion?

 

Serkan

Edited by Serkan Sen
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2 hours ago, Serkan Sen said:

 

 

I think the result is better than the original one. What is your opinion?

 

 

I'd agree. Big improvement.

 

Interesting project and one I don't have the skills or patience for!

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4 hours ago, Robert said:

Those intakes do look a lot better. Be interesting to see what you do about the exhausts.

 

Robert

I am planning to use Thrust Vectoring Nozzles that I already modified for my Su-30MKM project which is also going to be reported in this forum. I will add some progress pictures tomorrow.

Serkan

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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One of the mods I have planned at the beginning was to replace nozzles with TVN parts I already did for my Su-30MKM project. The first step is to remove nozzle mount areas from the kit as marked below and replace with TVN mounts:

544.jpg

 

As usual start with one side:

545.jpg

 

Make dry fit test:

547.jpg534.jpg

 

Everything is fine. Then repeat for the other side:

536.jpg

 

Note that to match the circumference of nozzle mount and aft body end, I have opened around 3 cm long slots on lower half of the aft fuselage. It allowed me to adjust the diameter of end fuselage to match with nozzle mount:

538.jpg

 

Here are the nozzle assemblies to be used:

549.jpg

 

The nozzle itself is from Revell/Zvezda, vectoring control part has been modified from Hasegawa Su-35S and exhaust cans are from Aires resin accessories:

559.jpg

 

The glued engine mounts:

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And added nozzles:

554.jpg

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The kit looks to me now more attractive with TVNs than before 😘

 

Cheers

 

Serkan

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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Now it is the time to combine virtual and real works...

I have "mapped" my 2D drawings onto model and made necessary corrections on camo patterns before cutting vinyl masks with plotter/cutter:

582.jpg

583.jpg

 

The camo scheme seems not bad at all on model, isn't it?  🙂

 

Serkan

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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  • 2 weeks later...

Now the most exciting part of modeling starts here: painting and finishing the aircraft...

 

I have realized that cutting very tiny masks with x-acto for each panel at engine upper and lower surfaces is very painful process and not good for my old eyes 🤓.

 

Therefore I have made drawings for these panels and used plotter/cutter to do this job faster and more accurate:

605.jpg

606.jpg

607.jpg

 

The next step will be to apply base coat and then place panel masks...

 

Cheers

 

Serkan

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As undercoat I have applied MM stainless steel.

608.jpg

 

After then I placed all masks:

609.jpg

610.jpg

 

As I have not applied any primer yet it looks at bit messy. But this will change soon 😁

 

The next step is to apply different metalizer tones to each panel. I am afraid that this is the most challenging part of building Flankers.

 

Cheers

 

Serkan

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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In last 48 hours I have learned valuable thing experiencing by myself:

 

NEVER APPLY MASK ON METALIZER!.. :wall:

 

Arrgh... Less tacky vinyl mask pulls up metalizer even under the clear coat.

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After searching this issue in internet here is the summary:

  • Metalizer sealer helps only a bit.
  • Use Parafilm M to mask areas painted with MM Metalizer (Metalizer sealer coat is strongly recommended).
  • Even less tacky is using wet Kleenex tissue, though it is not a long term mask.
  • If you have no MM Metalizer in your inventory  then go with Alclad II.

Yesterday I have ordered 18 bottles of Alclad II and I will make final touch with them later.

 

Cheers

 

Serkan

 

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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Long time ago I had bought Parafilm M to mask canopies. This time I have used it to mask Metalizer:

614.jpg

 

Also the tip missile rails were replaced with wing tip 'Sorbtsya' ECM pods:

616.jpg

 

The next step is to paint complete A/C with primer.

 

Cheers

 

Serkan

 

 

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The nightmare continues...

 

If you build Flankerstein, then having nightmare is not a big surprise... :badmood:

Now the problem is the casted resin parts...

 

It seems that the shelf life of the resin was expired although during casting I had no issue at all. But when the parts were painted they started to "sweat" especially at the edges.

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When the parts are heated up to 50-60 degrees Celsius with heat gun, it is clearly visible how the resin starts to "sweat":

620.jpg

 

I will repeat "heat and wipe" process until the resin stop "sweating"... :phew:

I hope it won't last forever...

Serkan

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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35 minutes ago, Courageous said:

Never heard of such a thing but hey, you're the man to sort it.

 

Stuart

Actually I have seen that I am not the only one suffering from this. Here and here one can see the same symptoms but no solution (except using always new resins for castings and let existing old parts to bleed oily and aggressive fluid for few days).

 

Serkan

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

After waiting a week to let the resin part to "sweat" rest of oily fluid, I have applied a second coat of primer to see whether the problem was solved or not:

635.jpg

 

Unfortunately it still bleeds oil but definitely less than before. I have first cleaned these bleeding areas with isopropyl alcohol :

636.jpg

 

and after then used Talcum Powder to make the surface dry and made bandages using paper tissue pieces:

637.jpg

 

Now it really looks like "Frankenstein" 🙂

frankenstein.jpg&key=a6300945c5d066b618d

 

I will let it dry for another week before applying next coat...:popcorn:

 

Cheers

 

Serkan

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

After waiting for few weeks with a hope that the resin problem will be disappeared and eating dozens of popcorn unfortunately the parts were still  sweating.

I have decided to try another method. I have found in internet that the resin parts sweating oily fluid can be healed using heat treatment (~65°C for 4 hours) or putting in dishwasher. I have selected heat treatment...

684.jpg

 

As you see my all running  projects were suffering from casted resin parts. I have placed 3 T-10M's, Fullanker and Flankerstein into oven trays...

685.jpg

 

Unfortunately it didn't stop bleeding although was less than before. Also keeping  the temperature at 65°C was not easy and the process costed me deformed wings of 2 T-10M's.

 

I was totally frustrated and at the edge of abandoning all these butchery, but as Bob Marley says:

"Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight!.."

 

After taking a deep breath and casting all the parts with new PU resin, the butchery started from beginning:

686.jpg

 

I have removed all old resin parts. One can easily see how the resin parts were bleeding. The Zebra stripe patterns show the drained oil paths:

687.jpg

 

After removing the old resin parts and cleaning the edges now all the new resin and kit parts can be glued together:

691.jpg

 

To be continued...

 

Serkan

 

Edited by Serkan Sen
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