Ilyushin Il-76LL

[zebra]

I'm going to have to try very, very hard not to overcommit to this GB since so much of my stash qualifies. I've got a lot of ideas for builds and there's no way they're all going to make it, but the one at the top of the list is an Il-76LL of the Gromov Flight Research Institute - specifically this one:

 

 

 

This is RA-76529, which has been used to test a few engines - it appeared at Farnborough in (I think) 1994 with a propfan engine intended for the Antonov An-70 in the no.2 engine position. It was wearing a more traditional Aeroflot-style colour scheme back then. This incarnation has the Aviadvigatel PD-14 engine for the Irkut MC-21 airliner in that position. 

 

The Zvezda Il-76MD is the base kit. I've had this since it was first released so it's about time I built it. I've always been surprised we don't see more of these built. Here's the box shot:

 

 

Obviously it needs a PD-14 engine, so I've drawn one up and printed out a test print on my 3D printer:

 

 

Obviously I've printed two sets here - it's good to have a spare - and I just realised I forgot to print the heat exchanger intake for the rear fuselage, but there's plenty of time for that. I've broken the engine down into 8 components - the fan, separate fan spinner, engine core, nozzle centre body, nacelle in 3 parts, and pylon. Looking forward to building it up.

 

I've also designed decals and had them printed by Dr Decal and Mr Hyde in Sydney, who always seem to do a good job.

 

Looking forward to getting into this. If I can make quick progress there will be another Gromov aircraft to follow - a Tu-154.

 

thanks for looking

Julian

 

 

 

 

[Brad]

Cool, I like this, welcome along.

[janneman36]

Nice project and just in the year the IL76 turned 50...25th of March 1971 ...can’t wait to see how this one turns out, have fun...

 

cheers, Jan

[zebra]

Started with the fuselage - all fairly straightforward so far. Instructions give no indication of whether any weight is needed in the nose, so I stuck a few foreign coins in there to be on the safe side.

 

 

cheers

Julian

 

[zebra]

I've been chipping away at this one over the last few days - 5 minutes here and there seems to have got me quite a long way through the build! Fuselage is pretty much done, I'm on to the wings (just dry-fitted here), also started painting engine components, and need to decide what colours to use for the grey and the blue so have painted some plastic spoons with a few different options. 

 

 

The kit goes together pretty nicely. There's nothing I'd call a 'fit issue', just need to take care with aligning the parts in a few places. The windscreen part - as with every kit I've ever built that does the cockpit glass this way - needs a little blending in, and there were a couple of spots where I've put a tiny amount of PPP in a gap, but that's about it. 

 

You can't see it clearly here - I'll try and remember to photograph it properly - but I've modified the tail turret slightly. You'll often see an Il-76MD with the original turret in place but no guns fitted, but on this airframe the ball of the turret seems to have been replaced with a similar-shaped fairing that is smoothly faired in to the fuselage. This was easily done with a bit of PPP to fill a couple of gaps and about 5 minutes with a sanding stick. There's also a sensor (I'm assuming a small radar unit) above the gunner's window on the Il-76MD which is replaced here with a shorter fairing whose shape looks a lot like the end of the sensor, so I just cut that part down and smoothed the joint a bit.

 

Going to try and get as far as painting this one today.

 

cheers

Julian

 

[zebra]

Didn't get quite as far as I'd hoped, but not far off. Just need to blend the wing in then I'll get it primed.

 

 

thanks for looking

Julian

 

[Adam Poultney]

Well it's certainly looking Il76 shaped. I love this plane

[zebra]

42 minutes ago, Adam Poultney said:

Well it's certainly looking Il76 shaped. I love this plane

 

I do too. There's something about it that really appeals to me - the sweeping shape of the fin seems to go against the utilitarian nature of the thing, the wing sitting on top of the fuselage with that anhedral seems to give it a bit of an air of menace from the front, and there's something very old-school-Soviet about the greenhouse cockpit windows and nav's windows.

 

A little more progress today - everything blended in nicely and primed ready for a coat of grey paint (that probably won't look all that different from the primer!):

 

 

cheers

Julian

 

[zebra]

Painted the grey and the first stage of the blue:

 

 

more blue tomorrow

 

cheers

Julian

 

[zebra]

More blue paint:

 

 

That's the basic colour scheme done. Things like aluminium leading edges, anti-glare panel and red wingtips next.

 

[Adam Poultney]

That's looking really nice with the blue

[zebra]

A bit more progress - anti-glare panel and aluminium leading edges done:

 

 

cheers

Julian

 

[modelling minion]

Your Candid is looking fantastic Julian.

There are great aircraft and I have had the pleasure of looking around the interior of a couple of them, the nav's station in the nose is really interesting place.

[zebra]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

I have had the pleasure of looking around the interior of a couple of them, the nav's station in the nose is really interesting place.

I'm jealous! Would love to have a look inside one of these. The view from the nav's station in flight must be pretty special as well.

[Marlin]

Very Colourful Candid.

/Bosse

[TonyOD]

That is a striking looking aircraft alright.

[Adam Poultney]

Loving this! Keep the updates coming

[zebra]

Thanks everyone! A bit more progress - (mostly) assembled the test engine:

 

 

Just need to reprofile the front end of the pylon (a bit too much got sanded off) then I'll fit it to the wing. Also have the intake ring and fan spinner to attach.

 

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

That is looking great Julian, It will look stunning when finished. 

[zebra]

Now with four engines (well, almost - the thrust reversers on the three D-30s are a dull metallic colour so I'm leaving them off until after I've applied the gloss coat):

 

 

Gloss coat tomorrow, then decal time.

 

thanks for looking

Julian

 

[zebra]

Half the decals are on. And two of the engines are off again, but that will be fixed easily enough:

 

 

 

[bianfuxia]

Just discovered this - it's super cool. That scheme looks great and I love the test engine. Awesome work.

[zebra]

Can't believe it's been more than two months since my last update on the Il-76! Decided it was high time I got my finger out and finished it. Painted the wheels earlier in the week - the prospect of painting 20 wheels is daunting but much more manageable when you realise the hubs of only 10 of them are going to be visible. Last few decals on, undercarriage done, a couple of decals, engines back on, and it's finished. Here's one photo, more in the gallery shortly:

 

 

thanks for looking

Julian

 

[Marlin]

Fantastic result.

/Bosse

[Brad]

That's pretty cool mate, nicely done.