RidgeRunner Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 With the MiG now 2/3 complete I need to start the Sukhoi. I am starting this thread to keep the latter separate from the MiG. You can see the Su-7 progress, such as it was, up to the posts on 17th September 2020 here: From this point on I will keep the two independent. I will probably restart the Sukhoi next week. Martin @billn53 @Terry1954 @Gondor44 @Wez @Courageous @Giorgio N 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry1954 Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Will keep a keen eye out for the Fitter! Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 I'm here too...waiting. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted January 8, 2021 Share Posted January 8, 2021 Standing by! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 And you’ll all be very welcome :). I look forward to getting stuck in to this one :). Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lasermonkey Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 I shall definitely be keeping an eye on this one, partly because I'm interested in the conflict, but also because I'd quite like an Su-7 and the price of the Modelsvit kit has been putting me off. I mean, yikes! Anyway, if anyone's going to change my mind, it'll probably be you. Cheers, Mark. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted January 11, 2021 Author Share Posted January 11, 2021 As promised, I've broken plastic on the Fitter build. Many will know that Modelsvit kits contain many, many parts and this one is no exception. However, as I found with my first attempt at this kit a few years ago, it is straightforward in assembly. The niggle is the sprue cutting and clean up because of the way the sprues attach to the parts. Even so it is a pleasure to build for me :). As is traditional I started with the cockpit. You may remember that I had purchased a resin cockpit but, to be honest, the Modelsvit offering isnt bad at all. I have used a couple of resin bits where the kit falls down on detail but otherwise it is OOB. You can see below that the resin plate behind the seat offers much more detail. I will also use the coaming part as well as the intrument panel. I will be using the resin seat as it is far superior. The parts laid out, with some assembly are: The rear plate looks like this, where as the kit part is plain and flat. Here the two parts of the cockpit sides are dry fitted only because I need to prime, paint and detail before they go together. The instructions tell you to insert the nosewheel leg at this stage. However, I will probably use a stryrene rod in the locating holes and fit the paired back leg to it later on, to avoid damage. I'm also toing with the idea of resin wheels as the kit ones aren't great. I also got the 5-part jet pipe assembled: My final job for the day was adding the wheel well walls, which come as three parts per side. Having dry fitted the wings, they will need a bit of sand to get a good mating. More tomorrow, I guess. Once assembled I will need to take a razor saw to the slots on each wing for the fences. The kit has them sat on the upper surface of each wing but they then sit proud. Cutting the slots will allow a neater and stronger fit. I will clean up the joins tomorow and get primer on the internals. Martin 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 Movement. Cockpit looks promising. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 Hmmm .... what was I thinking?!!! Why would I use the kit cockpit when I have a resin one? Well, I did think at the outset that the kit parts are good, and they really are. However, the various instrument panels need to be replicated by using the kit-supplied decals. They are as flat and featureless as you can get. I started to apply the decals today, having given the cockpit a blast of Humbrol 64 (kit suggested) and a coat of Humbrol Glosscote. The main instrument panel one went on like a dream. The problem was that as I progressed the remainder disintegrated while still on the backing sheet! That, then, begged the question as to how I fix it. I chewed over options such as drilling out the flat sections so that I could dry brush them to get some relief. It then struck me that I should re-visit the idea of using the entire resin cockpit. Below are the comparison shots: The kit parts but using the resin IP and rear panel (behind the seat): As you can see, the detail it pretty good apart from the plain areas where there needs to be switches, etc. The resin parts look like this: Beautiful! I have now had the proverbial blow on the head and will be starting again - using resin!!!! Martin 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Looking good! As you say, the kit plastic is by no means bad but the resin cockpit detail looks really nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 No more modelling progress but I did get these through the post in the past few days I'm not sure about the FAB250s yet. I might go for rocket pods. Martin 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 With the masks for the MiG-21FL seemingly lost in the post from Milan, and Giorgio kindly resending them, I've got a bit more done on the Su-7. Today it was all about the cockpit and as you will have seen above, I have opted to use the Pavla resin parts. I had already given them a blast of Humbrol 64 Matt Light Grey and so today has been about the detail (the Indian machines were grey rather than green-blue). Now, I'm not skillful at this aspect of modelling so I adopted the background painting and then dry brushing technique. From my cockpit reference I painted the various black boxes and then gave each instrument face on the instrument panel a drop of thinned white in the centre. Once dry I dry brushed these with black, which brought out some imitaton of dials. A few red switches were highlighted. After that I took a dry brush very lightly laden with Humbrol 11 Silver all around the cockpit parts, the idea being to give it a worn appearance. Once dried I started assembly, which involved the bringing together of a number of parts for this machine - cockpit floor/nose wheel housing, cockpit side walls, instrument panel, HUD and coaming, rear panel (with ejection seat rails), joystick, rudder pedals. The moulding is not completely square and so I had to fiddle around a bit to get everything to sit correctly in the fuselage. Right now I have it dry fitted: Before I glue it in place I need to add the engine throttle quadrant, the triagular panel behind the rear panel, and the HUD transparency. All this and getting the LeO 453 de-masked and the paint bleeds repaired is about as much as I can do today. Keep safe out there! Martin PS: I'm not sure if I posted them before, but I got some more aftermarket 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VT Red Sox Fan Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 Looking great Martin--best, Erwin 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 Looking good! I admire your growing collection of Su-7 aftermarket 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 Cockpit looking rather neat, good job. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 2 hours ago, Vultures1 said: Looking good! I admire your growing collection of Su-7 aftermarket 🙂 Thanks mate. In truth it isn’t at all necessary because the kit is excellent. However, like many modellers I just can’t resist the temptation to hit the “buy now” button! Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 9 hours ago, Courageous said: Cockpit looking rather neat, good job. Stuart Thanks Stuart. As I’ve said, I’m not that great with the detail work that many put in to a cockpit. Nevertheless I am pleased how it has worked out. Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 4, 2021 Author Share Posted February 4, 2021 Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 5, 2021 Author Share Posted February 5, 2021 A little more done today. Some was cementing parts and the rest was about painting. The cementing was really just the wing halves. These, as I have said before, need some sanding on the inner faces of the lower halves, along the tip area that butts up against the recess in the upper halves. Having previously done I first wanted to measure the position of the outer pylons. The various confirations of the Su-7 had only the inner pylons fitted or the inner and outer. Because the inner was a "must" these are offered holes for the locating pins. However, with the outers being an option you must measure and mark them. Once done it was a combination of Tamiya normal and Thin cement to get them together. The seams between the two leave some gapping which will need attending to with filler. Next was the nose cone. I opted for a Pavla resin piece. This easily pops on to the front of the resin cockpit assembly after a little sanding to get both surfaces square. These were glued and once firm they were painted - hand brushed Humbrol 27002 Polished Aluminium and, once masked, the cone received some Colourcoats Vert. The inner faces of the nose and rear jet aperture were also given some Polished Aluminium. The next, in readiness for closing up the fuselage was the jetpipe. For this I used Humbrol Steel (27003). It will be buffed and later weathered. Here are the bits in question: The resin cockpit looks pretty rough on the outside but the detail inside is very good Since these shots I have glued some lead shot in both sides of the fuselage behind the seat. You also see that I have glued two fixing plate behind the seat area to reinforce the resin filler section that will go in once the fuselage parts are assembled. And that's it for today . More on Monday! Martin 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Looking good Martin. I like the reminders not to forget to add nose weights before closing up - you're unlikely to miss those!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Coming along nicely Martin. As a matter of interest, have you fitted some sprue between the wing halves on the inboard LE? Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 6, 2021 Author Share Posted February 6, 2021 Ah, no Stuart. These are Modelsvit’s idea of location tabs ;). They work fine though. Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VT Red Sox Fan Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Martin, really like how you sorted out the nose weight with nose—best, Erwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted February 9, 2021 Author Share Posted February 9, 2021 She is starting to look like an aeroplane :). Today I got the intake ring on. It wasn't until I had spent a fair time crawling around my room looking for it! It pinged as I cut it from the sprue! I also got the wings and fin on. The wings have an unusual (for me) means of attachment. As Stuart @Courageous noticed earlier, they have what looks like a length of sprue running along half the length of the joint. However, it works well and coupled with the well moulded top and bottom joint faces they attach to the fuselage in perfect position, at the correct angle. The fin is simple. It is a two-part assembly that sits atop the rear fuselage. There are no tabs but, like the wings, they sit perfectly. I got everything squared up in my makeshift rig - made of business cards - and sat her down to rest and cure :). In the process I have dripped a little cement here and there, hence the black rings indicating where I need to make repairs. Back soon Martin 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 5 hours ago, RidgeRunner said: spent a fair time crawling around my room The nose ring looks too big for a carpet monster... Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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