Zvezda - Tupolev Tu-154 Interflug

[Diogo Monteiro]

My trip to Germany in October/November 2021 was the trigger that I needed to start to really get into Soviet planes. When I landed in Berlin for my MCC/JOC courses I didn’t had in mind that same airport was somehow part of the old Berlin-Schönefeld airport (the old airport of East Berlin).

 

On the next day I was ready to start my MCC in a Boeing 737-800 simulator in an airfield in the surroundings of Berlin (Schönhagen - EDAZ). One of my instructors after some sessions and morning coffees told me that my other instructor who was giving me lessons also, was a pilot for Interflug before the Berlin Wall collapsed. He flew Tupolev’s and Ilyushin’s for a brief time. After this I’ve asked him how it was flying a very complex Soviet plane and to share with me some Interflug memories. I didn’t had a very much feedback because he was a reserved person. Well… I will just wonder how those times would have been…

 

After my courses done I’ve visited Berlin, and since I’m a huge fan and a curios person regarding history and politics I’ve went to the GDR Museum and I’ve tried to collect the most interesting facts and histories regarding the Wall and also the whole system that divided Berlin and also a country in two once. I’ve started to read more about Interflug and the German aviation at the time and I had the idea that since I went to Berlin, it would be a nice idea to built an East-German plane so I can also have some sort of a good thing to reminds me the good times that I’ve spend there!

 

So, 1 week after I’ve arrived from Berlin I’ve went to Amsterdam for my birthday and its a mandatory stop to visit Aviation Megastore. Still with this Interflug vibes in my mind I wanted to buy a model that Interflug had operated. I didn’t liked the Tu-134 with their livery, so I’ve decided for the Tu-154. It is a nice plane and the Interflug’s livery was kinda pretty on it!

 

Well I’ve talked that much already, so maybe is better to go straight to business. Let’s do this!

 

 

This is the Tu-154 box, with the classic Zvezda drawings as a cover. With this model you have three livery options: Classic Aeroflot Livery, Current Aeroflot Livery and the Open Skies Livery with Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut titles. Like I’ve said before, I will prefer to use the Interflug decals.

 

Like normal, Ive started the model by glueing the windows in the fuselage. Since I’m gonna use decals for them later, I’ve just used the regular glue from Revell. After that I’ve filled a bit of the window holes with plastic putty in order to sand it with a 1000 sandpaper grid later on. Meanwhile I’ve also painted the “S induct” tube with a some sort of dark grey and since I didn’t knew how they would attach in the end (even with instructions), I’ve painted that whole area inside with Vallejo’s “Jet Exhaust” (77.713).

 

It was also time for start the engines. And to be honest that was a bit demanding, when it comes to pick up the colors to apply. In the end, after watching so many pictures of the Tu-154 engines, I’ve decided to apply the “Engine Grey” (71.048) in the engine fans and the “Beige” (71.074) in the engine cones. After that, in the same way I’ve did with my Varig 767, the turbine outlets, I’ve painted them with the “Smokey Ink” (72.068). Heres the result:

 

 

With them painted, I was able to assemble the S-Duct and finally attach the main fuselage together. The 20g weight was glued in front, the duct glued in place so as the exhaust tube that I’ve also painted with “Jet Exhaust” (77.713). With the windows already sanded and the main frame together as one, its time for sanding and putty!

 

 

With the airplane sanded, it was time to give a first thin and irregular primer coat to check some imperfections. They appeared on top and a bit in the bottom of the fuselage. I’ve applied putty again and I’ve sanded it again. I think after these adjustments, the airplane is ready for the final paint job.

 

I’ve started this with the elevators, because it would be easier to mask them in the end than if it would be the opposite instead. I’ve started with the same grey that I normally use for wings: 71.046 from Vallejo also. After this grey, I’ve masked again the elevators to paint the leading edges in aluminum and later on the sides in a red/orange shadow.

 

 

I’ve also started to apply the main coats of white in the fuselage with the 62.001 shadow. I will continue with this process until I’ll have a consistent white layer. After this, I will use the same grey shadow as I used for the elevators and paint the lower parts of the fuselage. For now, let it dry and work on the other models (to make a better use of the limited time )