Tupolev Tu-22M3 'Backfire-C' (Trumpeter, 1/72)

[Kiwikitbasher]

This year’s theme build for my model club, IPMS Auckland, is “Slava Ukraini!” and has two categories:

1 - Ukrainian Subject
Any manufacturer's kit can be used but must depict a Ukrainian
subject. No Russian model manufacturers.

2 - Ukrainian Kit Manufacturer
Any Ukrainian kit built as any subject - does not have to have
Ukrainian markings if the kit is made in Ukraine. No Russian
markings.

I have already built an An-225 in its Ukrainian livery, an ICM SB-2 in Chinese markings, French EBR-75 and AML-90 armoured cars by Ace, Modelsvit Tu-22KD converted to an Iraqi Tu-22B (all Ukrainian brand kits), and Trumpeter (Chinese brand) Tu-22KD in Ukrainian markings. This Trumpeter Tu-22M3 will also be finished in Ukrainian markings.

I replaced the kit cockpit with a Neomoga set which was not as good quality as I had hoped (the control columns were unusable). Here are some mages of it clipped in place pending some corrective work on the kit's windscreen which is incorrectly shaped. 

 

 

As supplied, the engine air intakes are devoid of any interior detail and are simply gaping holes to view the fuselage interior, the following images show what I did to address this:

 

  

 

 

 

Inboard Flaps: The kit provides for the flaps, spoilers, and leading edge slats to be deployed (it's probably more work to model them closed), but neglects to enable the inboard flaps on with wing-root gloves to be deployed. Since all of the flaps operate in unison I can either do flaps, slats and spoilers closed, or cut the inboard flaps out and model them deployed. The model will look far more interesting with all high-lift surfaces deployed so I cut the inboard flaps out and scratch-built the flap's leading-edge surfaces that are hidden within the wing-root gloves when retracted but visible when the flaps are deployed. The photos tell the tale better than I can here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EDIT] Jumping ahead to later in the build...

 

Kh-22 'AS-4 Kitchen' Missiles: The Backfire kit's Kh-22 (As-4 Kitchen) missiles have come in for a lot of justifiable criticism as they are essentially caricatures rather than replicas of an AS-4 Kitchen missile. A-model does a more accurate kit I can buy for about 8.50 Euros each (NZ$30 for the pair) but I'd guess I's need to pay NZ$20-25 in postage to get them here in time for my model's deadline for the IPMS Auckland Ukraine tribute build in mid-November. So I set about doctoring the kit's missiles to resemble the originals better, but restricting surgery to try and keep the finely engraved detail that will compliment the Backfire model's far better than the deep and somewhat exaggerated A-Model kit's panel lines. The attached pictures tell the story. The missiles are painted red as were training rounds to add a splash of colour to the model. Besides, I doubt that Ukraine flew all that many missions with either HE or nuclear-tipped Kh-22s before it rid itself of nukes in 1994.

 

 

 

 

Fuselage & Wings (so far): I reduced the height of the wing-root gloves to avoid a large gap where the outer wing sections enter them, and cut slots in the outer wings so that could be fitted after assembling the flaps, etc, and painting. I could do this because I was interested in the wings being able to swing, instead, I plan to fit them in the forward-swept position.  I still have a rotary missile launcher to add to the bomb-bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Engines; I used some Armory PE engine nozzles which I did not make a terribly good job of. When I first bought the kit they were all that was available, but now there are easier-to-use resin alternatives by AMG, but these would have cost me another NZ$30 + postage and I could not get any in time anyway. There is a lot of sanding dust on the nozzles in the photos. [EDIT] Later on, I realised that the nozzles didn't look right with the outer parts simply folded on the PE's fold-lines. So I pulled the outer nozzles off and rolled a curve into them.

 

 

 

I made a couple of missing triangular holes between the engine nozzles:

 

 

Outer Wings Flaps & Spoilers, and Kh-15 Missiles: I realise it is far from normal practice to park a Tu-22M3 with flaps, slats, and spoilers deployed, but that's how I have chosen to have my model since it adds interest and could, conceivably, be in this state if on public display, for example. I still have to prepare the leading-edge slats.

 

I also did some work on getting the Kh-15 Missiles and their MKU-6-1 rotary launcher ready for painting.

 

More Fuselage; The images tell the story..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Undercarriage: Trumpeter seems to have a penchant for non-functional and illogical engineering, possibly because their CAD people have no idea of the purpose behind the bits they draw on their computer screens. Anyway, I wasted a fair amount of time trying to make functional undercarriages. The pics tell the story...

 

 

 

 

 

Please excuse my bad typing due to PD, I sometimes miss them before it's too late:

 

Canopy & Auxiliary Intake Mods:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Painting: The white is commercial car lacquer bought by the lire at about 1/20 the price of model paint, other colours are Mr Colour lacquer for the greys, and Tamiya lacquers for the metallics. Weathering is mainly by enamel washes and some chalk pastels, with some artists oil paint dry-brushing.

 

 

Various little added details and other things like the weathering process started. I have weathered the model based on photos as an amalgam of typically worn airframes left outside, some panel touch-ups, APU exhaust staining, staining around auxiliary intake doors, and dirt where tarpaulin wraps are tied around the nose and cockpit in winter (I have yet to finish the cockpit area until I fit the four clamshell hatches). 

 

 

 

 

 

Just the wheels to do: When my resin replacements arrive by UK Post, that is. For now, I just have the kit's wheels clipped on. I now have the cockpit hatches attached (I just noticed that still need to paint the red cross on the first-aid boxes mounted on the hatches) and I scratch-built the tail cannon and corrected the barbette slightly...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking. It's taken three week's work to get to this point, I'll update and finish this once my after-market wheels arrive.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Kiwikitbasher

[billn53]

Looks great! I really appreciate the info you provided on how your improved & detailed the kit.

[Horatio Gruntfuttock]

Amazing work Mark and thanks for showing us all the steps you have taken to produce another masterpiece.

[corsaircorp]

Impressive corrections done here !!

Congrats Sir !!

CC

[opus999]

Beautiful detail work!

[Kiwikitbasher]

Calling it done:

 

More photos of the finished model here: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/87-ready-for-inspection-aircraft/&do=add

Edited November 6, 2022 by Kiwikitbasher
Add link.

[Dr. Quack]

Superb example of attention to detail - I watch and learn.

Q

[Colin W]

Cracking work there Mark.

Good to see you back onto aircraft.

[woody37]

Wow, just noticed this, superb detailing and corrections

 

[Kiwikitbasher]

Thank you all for your generous comments.

On 11/2/2022 at 12:22 PM, billn53 said:

Looks great! I really appreciate the info you provided on how your improved & detailed the kit.

 

On 11/2/2022 at 12:27 PM, Horatio Gruntfuttock said:

Amazing work Mark and thanks for showing us all the steps you have taken to produce another masterpiece.

 

On 11/2/2022 at 12:41 PM, corsaircorp said:

Impressive corrections done here !!

Congrats Sir !!

CC

 

On 11/2/2022 at 4:02 PM, opus999 said:

Beautiful detail work!

 

17 hours ago, Dr. Quack said:

Superb example of attention to detail - I watch and learn.

Q

 

16 hours ago, Colin W said:

Cracking work there Mark.

Good to see you back onto aircraft.

 

14 hours ago, woody37 said:

Wow, just noticed this, superb detailing and corrections