Su-33 camouflage pattern in Zvezda kit

[Vlad]

Sorry, another Su-33 question 🤔

 

I've started painting my 1/72 Zvezda kit, and I noticed some inconsistencies after initially blindly following the instructions. The camouflage pattern in the Zvezda instructions doesn't seem to match pictures I can easily find of the real aircraft. Actually, it doesn't even match their own pictures of the built model on the back of the box! Of course, I expect there was variability in the pattern over time, and from aircraft to aircraft. But I'm curious what specific plane Zvezda based their instructions on, because as I said I'm struggling to cross-check it and nothing else matches up.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Vlad

[JPuente54]

@Flankerman may have the better answer here; he's built a "million of them". Well, not that many, but, his photo here showed a lot. He can guide you to a view.

Joe

[Hook]

For an excellent reference, look no further than here: 

 

 

HTH,

 

Andre

[mstorin]

As you can see from photos and drawings like Zactoman's, the camo pattern on each airframe is different. Your best bet is to find photos of the particular airframe you are building and use those as your guide. Some Su-33's have been photographed extensively. For instance Bort Red 80 has a complete walkaround and many more photos, making it one of the more documented camo schemes. Its the one I am doing in 1/48 with the Kinetic kit.

[Vlad]

Thanks, that is indeed a great reference. However, those are all clearly small variations on a similar overall scheme. The Zvezda kit has a scheme which is superficially similar in the nose and tail areas... but diverges in the middle fuselage areas and is completely different on the wings! The instructions are not even clear if the top-side pattern applies to Bort Number 67 or 80. I can't work out if this scheme is old and was replaced, or just random on a certain aircraft.

 

 

This is not the pattern for Bort Number 67 in real life, at least not all the time. I can't find upper side shots for Number 80, but your reference shows it also has a different scheme to Zvezda.

 

[mstorin]

Zactoman's drawings of Bort 80 are virtually 100% correct. I don't have a photo of the whole top of Bort 80 but here's the walkaround I mentioned. You will find photos of almost every part of the aircraft:

http://scalemodels.ru/modules/photo/viewcat_cid_104.html

 

P.S. You are right in that Zvezda's drawing don't seem to be accurate.

Edited November 22, 2019 by mstorin

[Vlad]

Thanks for the walkwaround, absolutely right about No.80.

 

I don't want to jump to conclusions about Zvezda being outright wrong. They are a Russian company whose Flanker kits have got things right that nobody else has, so they obviously have access to very good sources (possibly even the planes themselves?). That's why I wonder more, from which aircraft and time period does that camouflage originate?

[meindert]

 

The pattern on a SU-33 may indeed vary a bit. The Zactoman link with drawings is very good.

 

For those who want a large 1/32 conversion, look at my modelling SU-33 project here:

https://designer.home.xs4all.nl/models/su27-32/su27-1.htm

 

 

This model will also be on display on the IPMS NL   EURO SCALE MODELLING show in Houten , The Netherlands on  Saturday November 23.

It will be part of the SIG Eastern-Europe display with this years' theme "Eastern Block Naval Aviation".