Kagero TopDrawings 87 – Sukhoi Su-24 (9788366148741)

[Mike]

TopDrawings 87 – Sukhoi Su-24 (9788366148741)

Kagero Publishing via Casemate UK

 

 

What became the Su-24 Fencer began as a fixed-wing attempt at creating a short-takeoff all-weather bomber, similar to the tasks that were originally envisaged for the American F-111, but without the variable-geometry wings that were expected to bring potentially insurmountable issues and complexity.  This resulted in a rather angular “artists impression” of the aircraft that eventually saw service, but with the entry of the F-111 into US use, they realised that swing-wings weren’t as problematic as they had thought, so it was back to the drawing board for the engineers at Sukhoi.  The second prototype flew with the new wings, and despite some fairly costly crashes, they developed the airframe into the Su-24M, which was comparable in performance to its US competitor.  It benefitted from one of the first digital war-fighting systems, as well as a capable terrain avoidance system that allowed them to fly at low and very low altitudes to evade radar of their enemies, which required fitting of the K-36D zero-zero ejection seat for emergency egress.  Later variants made improvements to the airframe as well as to its weapon-carrying capabilities, and a glass cockpit with modern avionics was fitted to the reminder of their on-strength airframes that are still flying (not literally right this second) at time of writing.

 

 

We have kits even in the smaller scales from a few manufacturers due to the appealing look of this monster even outside of the former Soviet Union, with modern toolings from Trumpeter in 1:72 and 1:48, with perhaps 1:32 lagging behind a little.  The TopDrawings series majors on scale plans, which is the main thrust, but also includes a little background information, some pertinent profiles, and often a bonus of decals or masks targeted at the subject matter in hand.  With this edition, you get a set of loose 1:48 plans for the M and M2 variants.

 

 

 

The book is written in English on the left of the page, with Czech on the right, which translates to top and bottom for the captions to the various drawings within.  The book itself is bound in a card cover and has 20 pages, with the rear cover devoted to additional profiles of an MR and M airframe.  The first half of the plans show the variants from the origin of the mature airframe, the M, and the later M2 (Fencer D).  After this the colour profiles are printed on four pages in colour, augmented by the aforementioned two on the rear cover.  After the break there is another set of plans of the MR (Fencer E), The MP and finally the MK (Fencer F).  The final three pages show black and white detail photos of an airframe that will be very useful to modellers. Throughout the book, there are numerous smaller diagrams that show cross-sections of the infrared threat detector dome on the spine, nose cone and pitot probe changes, landing gear arrangement, sensor and pylon placement, and examples of it loaded with weapons.

 

 

 

Conclusion

These books are essential for the modeller that enjoys comparing their models against scale plans, and wants them to be as accurate as possible, with the pull-out plans tempting to put on the walls.

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of