Sukhoi Su-2 double conversion build

[JWM]

Hi

I'd like to join GB with a double build of Sukhoi Su 2, a early WW2 soviet strike machine, phased out later by Il 2. 

There is the ICM kit of it. Su-2 were produced with two Soviet radial engines : M88 and M82. The M 88 has two kind of cowlings, or rather three of them. The prototype, the initial series and the improved. All are distinguished by a air intake on the bottom side. The second engine, M82 was installed later on some Su-2 and the cowling has intake on top. Moreover - there are two kinds of rear gunner position - with turret or just with MG in opened cockpit. The latest was only installed with modified cowling and M 88 engine. So I decided to do one machine with modified cowling and M 88 engine with no turret canopy  and the second one with turret canopy and M 82 engine. 

So here are two kits:

 I will use the AML conversion set containing two cowlings and modified canopy. 

 

On photo above there are also drawings which the difference in nose silhouette, 

 

As the mass weapon I have an marvelous set of decals for Su-2 by Begemot. It contains decals for 48 machines! BTW - the decals are provided also in AML conversion set.

The schemes from AML set:

 

And the Begemot set:

It will be difficult to make a choice of only two schemes...

 

To be continue

Regards

J-W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by JWM

[Col.]

This will make for an interesting project J-W and at least with the two kits in different colours of plastic there's less chance of confusion as to which one is becoming which version. Good luck picking only two from all those decal options though!

[desert falcon]

Plenty of possibilities there J-W, good luck with the builds !!

[JWM]

I hope that the excess of decals will be very useful in future  builds of other Soviet machines, with this all a bit odd numbers, fonts and colors... Otherwise it is a big waste. I similar set of Begemot decals for Pe-2 also with some dozens of schemes. I've seen in net that also such large set exists for Po-2, but it is now very difficult to buy.

J-W

 

[Toryu]

Lord, I've never seen so many decal options! I guess you will go for one winter and one summer camouflage!?

[KRK4m]

22 hours ago, JWM said:

Su-2 were produced with two Soviet radial engines : M88 and M82.

The M 88 has two kind of cowlings, or rather three of the them. The prototype, the initial series and the improved. All are distinguished by a air intake on the bottom side.

The second engine, M82 was installed later on some Su-2 and the cowling has intake on top.

 

Most (837) aircraft were powered by the 1,000hp M-88 (Gnome & Rhone 14N derivative with 2360 CI displacement).

Only the last 56 aircraft received the much more powerful (1,330hp) M-82 (Wright Cyclone 14 derivative with 2,520 CID).

Anyway - the most difficult task will be choosing camo schemes from these 50+ options.

Cheers

Michael

[JWM]

1 hour ago, KRK4m said:

Most (837) aircraft were powered by the 1,000hp M-88 (Gnome & Rhone 14N derivative with 2360 CI displacement).

Only the last 56 aircraft received the much more powerful (1,330hp) M-82 (Wright Cyclone 14 derivative with 2,520 CID).

Anyway - the most difficult task will be choosing camo schemes from these 50+ options.

Cheers

Michael

Mike, 

I looked through the Begemot and AML decals sets to make this choice. I think there was only one winter camo with M88 engine in new cowling and so called TSS (turret less) canopy - this is No 34 from Begemot:

 s

 

So the M 82 must be a summertime one and here the choice was small (4 schemes) and I chosen that one (by chance the next one, so No 35 in Begemot set):

 

This is as I think on it for today.

Regards

J-W

 

 

[JWM]

I cut the cowlings from excess resin. Here they are - two yellowish are replacement pieces (AML resin) two other are original ICM one, There is a pair of them, I hope I will found some use for them in future conversion scratch works... 

 

To be continued

Cheers

J-W

 

[JWM]

Some googling revealed possibilities for winter camo in case of M82 engine, The "red 21" is one option:

 

Red "26" is another:

The latest is attractive scheme, it is taken from here http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/Research/Sukhoi/Su-2/Markings/index.php where more data is given. 

I will think about...

Regards

J-W

 

 

[JWM]

I started construction. Since I like to construct a bit more closed wheel bay I have changed the order of works from that given in instruction. The pilot cockpit integrated with bomb bay , instead to be glued inside fuselage halves I glued o lower part of wing. I glued also fuselage halves and made a dry check if all fits well. The wings thickens on rear part is too large, small sanding makes that the ailerons and bottom of wings are aligned, not stepped. 

 

Regards

J-W

 

[Col.]

There appears to be a nice amount of detail within this kit J-W.

[Learstang]

Nice to see you working on the Su-2, J-W!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

[JWM]

I have found another interesting winter scheme for M 82 engine - this is on ski!

http://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Images/2-Airplanes/Allies/2-USSR/03-AttackAircrafts/Su-2M-82/p1.jpg

So this scheme is the most attractive for winter camo. Is it a bit paradox that having decals for 50 varinats I am still searching a new option and I am finding it!!! 

I have noticed, that kit does not posses small portholes in rear part of fuselage - I have to drill them. Interesting is to look at the ICM kit in 1/48

https://www.mojehobby.pl/products/Su-2-Soviet-light-bomber.html#gallery_start

to notice  some more details of machine.

Regards

J-W

 

 

[81-er]

I like the look of the ski option

 

James

[Col.]

You need another kit in that case J-W

[JWM]

8 hours ago, 81-er said:

I like the look of the ski option

 

James

I will try the skip option, especially that I have found the drawing for skis. 

4 hours ago, Col. said:

You need another kit in that case J-W

Two Su-2 is my the upper limit for machine build below 1000 items... I have to keep some proportions in whole collection, otherwise one can end up with plus fifty of Stormoviks    as the machine build in above 30 000 items.

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

Hi,

Today I constructed wheel bays. What I had about it was the look of 1/48 kit. I did not found any drawings or walk around photos. So partially this construction is based on assumed construction of original machine. 

First I made the vertical parts (walls) 

 

Then I 've added ribs

 

And covered them from top with a ultra thin plastic card

 

From bottom side  I've  used liquid poly by Tamiya to connect ribs with top covers. 

 

Now I could close the wings (put together top and bottom parts)

 

I have just noticed that older (the white one ) kit has apparently a bit different (worse)  plastic used - please notice the difference in presence or not the sunk areas when plastic is thick like on wingtip and on flaps  . I have to fill it and it will destroy the surface details, which I will need to deconstruct at least partially...

 

To be continued

Regards

J-W

  

 

 

 

[Col.]

Sorry to see one of your kits is suffering from the curse of ICM's cheaper early plastic J-W but sure you'll be able to reinstate any detail lost while working with it.

[JWM]

Yesterday i did not made photos so today 's report is a two days progress. 

I glued wings, tailplane and fuselage together

 

also the windows in bottom wings are glued there as well as portholes in fuselage are drilled out:

 

I tried to restore some surface details on flaps using Trumpeter special device, after filling up sink areas

So far - they are the same, no differences specific to variants are introduce as yet. The white one will go for winter camo, the grey for summer. But here a serious doubt arose. 

I realized that the scheme on skis from this link 

http://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Images/2-Airplanes/Allies/2-USSR/03-AttackAircrafts/Su-2M-82/p1.jpg

is not necessarily correct - it is "red 2" in exactly the same pattern as the No 4 scheme from AML coversion, where it is presented an M88 engine machine... 

I have to search for a photo, what engine this machine actually has. Or find another one on skis...

 

Regards

J-W

 

 

[Col.]

Two days of good progress J-W. Pity about the accuracy issues of the profile though  

[JWM]

On 1/29/2022 at 9:21 AM, Col. said:

Pity about the accuracy issues of the profile though  

Thank you. So I quit idea of doing a ski variant. I have googled for photos on ski and found only from trials on a prototype machine (no any tactical number present), all other winter photos were on wheels. I came to conclusion, that perhaps skis were not used in practice. 

The M82 engine I took from a old VES kit of La 5 which I decided to cannibalize for parts. The M88 is from box, but for new cowling I rejected the construction element (filament). 

 

On rear row of cylinders I had to add some thin sheet pieces since the inside of AML replacement cowling for M88Mod in  conical.

 

Both AML cowlings are made with first section behind it. To fit in on model one is expected to cut out first 2 mm of fuselage of the kit. I decided to to it differently. I shorted the parts behind cowlings and took advantage of having  a solid way how to glue AML cowlings on fuselages. 

 

 

 

In case of M82 engine it was a bit more difficult due to surface details (vantilation opening) on one side: 

 

The ICM box propeller is delicate, however looks for me of wrong blade shape. The prop's edges are strongly non-symmetric whereas photos show them differently. Then I have used props from Mach 2 Bloch MB 131(I had to replace them by a resin copies since they have the same pitch and in Bloch, like in all French bimotor machines the pitches were different).  

 

Above is engine M88. I made a special construction of shaft (what is not well visible on above photo) - the shaft is secured from both sides to enable glueing of prop after sanding the cowling-fuselage join. 

 

In case of M82 I made a long shaft which touch front of fuselage secured by a drilled-through cylindrical element 

 

 

again, the idea is that I will glue the prop on position after finishing sanding. 

 

It looks now like this 

 

 

I added some scratch stuff inside the navigator/gunner compartment, detailed a bit the navi instrument panel and installed also pilot instrument panel

 

 

Now I see that on those photos you do not see it, I will try to do a better one...

 

Regards

J-W

 

 

[Col.]

Although I was looking forward to seeing one of your models on its skis I can fully understand why you're choosing not to do that now J-W.

Great progress with these again

[JWM]

Thanks! 

Few more photos on which I tried to show something of insides.

PLease note the seat belts made of Tamiya tape darkened with a black marker

 

Here one can see some details of navigator instrument panel and basic details on right side there

 

and on left side

 

To be continued

Regards

J-W

 

[JWM]

Hi,

The TSS (turretless) canopy in M88 variant is longer then typical by one additional section of windows in main part and then two movable in place of turret. This makes, that the rear fairing panel (behind the canopy) is shorter by some 2 mm. Here is dry fit of AML vacu canopy compare with the ICM canopy (rear panel is already made shorter

 

I have painted it with white from top (the winter camo)  to see if the sanding of cowling connection to fuselage is ok. 

 

WIth M82 variant I also sanded the cowling connection

 

In the background you may see the drawings (from Net) which shows the presence of the air intakes in the leading edge near fuselage. I will have to work on it very soon. There is another problem ( thanks @KRK4m for drawing my attention to this! ) that M88 and M82 engine driving direction was different. On the background drawings you may notice the pitch of M82 engine - and indeed, it is the othor one that that in M88! 

This problem was apparently overlooked by AML, I am sorry to say it,  since the did not provided the propeller among conversion parts. 

 

I have already glued the propeller with spinner parts with CA glue and, morover , filled some gaps between the rear part and main spinner with Tamiya putty. 

I have left the propeller immersed in acetic acid solution (10%) overnight. 

 

The vinaigrette helped - I was able to de-bond parts:

 

 

Regards

J-W

 

 

 

 

[Col.]

Nice work fitting the vacuformed canopy and a good save freeing off the propellor

I must remember the vinegar solution tip...

Edited February 2, 2022 by Col.