A Tale of four Flankers...
Building 4 X Flankers at once.......
Airfix Su-27 - Kazakhstan
Hasegawa Su-27 - Uzbekistan
Hasegawa Su-33 - Russian Navy
Heller Su-27UB - Venezuelan AF Su-30MK2V
Some comparisons.....
Airfix Su-27 fin on Aviatsiya i Vremya drawings.
Hasegawa Su-33 on Aviatsiya i Vremya drawings...
Fins compared......
Hasegawa Su-33 on AiV drawing....
Nosecones....
Nosecones...
Jetpipes...
Jetpipes...
Ejection seats........
Fixing the Hasegawa width problem.....
The Hasegawa rear end is about 4mm too wide - Su-33 (left), Su-27 (right)..
Su-33 on top of Su-27
Removing the port engine nacelle and removing a section of plastic.....
Hasegawa Su-27 (left), Su-33 (right) - bottom nacelle is moved inward....
Both nacelles narrowed.....
Bottom is more difficult - whole nacelle is too big.
Su-33 (left), Su-27 (right) top nacelle is narrowed - but is still too deep.
4 X Cockpits - from left to right, Hadegawa Su-33, Hasegawa Su-27, Airfix Su-27, Heller Su-27UB (modified to have MFD screens)
The Su-33 (left) is the only one with a representation of a throttle.
Su-33 flaps cut away.
Filler applied to modified rear end - topside...
... and underside.
Revised rear end - top one cleaned up.
It isn't perfectly circular - but it gets hidden when the Aires nozzle is fitted.
Quickboost resin nose on Su-27 - compared to Su-33 on right.
Hasegawa Su-27 (left) - Hasegawa Su-33 (right).
Rear ends almost match!
Underside view.
Lots of filler needed on the Airfix/Heller Flankers.
.... on the radome and at the rear end.
The wings also need packing out.
Airfix/Heller radome (left) - Hasegawa Su-33 (right).
Hasegawa Su-33 tailplane is just about spot-on.
Airfix/Heller tailplane is correct shape - but inner edge next to jetpipe needs a fillet added.
Hasegawa Su-27 tailpane is slightly too big - with same problem next to jetpipe.
Tailplanes compared...
All the kit's intakes have sink/ejector pin marks.... this is Hasegawa Su-33....
......Hasegawa Su-27......
Airfix/Heller intakes have raised lugs to fit (incorrect) intake FOD guards........
.... as well as ejector pin marks (and stray hair!!)
Wingtip launch rails - Airfix/Heller (top), Hasegawa Su-27 (middle), Hasegawa Su-27 (bottom).
Separate wings on Airfix/Heller kits means filler needed - on top ......
...... and underside.
You have to mask off and paint the inside faces of the intakes - before you assemble them.
Note the excellent detail on the 'roof' of the intake on the Hasegawa Su-33 kit
Comparison of intakes - Airfix top, Hasegawa Su-27 middle, Su-33 bottom.
The Hasegawa Su-33 has the correct mesh detail for a Su-33, Airfix/Heller has it correct for for a Su-27 - the Hasegawa in the middle
has etched steel for the grilles - but there is no recess and it stands proud of the surface!!
Only Hasegawa provide the faces of the compressors - Airfix/Heller have nothing.
The Hasegawa Su-27 (left) provides a separate lower intakes shutter (but only open), the Su-33 kit provides alternate open or closed shutters.
Airfix/Heller (left) has the shutters engraved - note the different widths of the respective intakes - Su-33 right.
On all three kits, the airbrake is separate - it fits OK on the Su-33.....
..... the Hasegawa Su-27 has a few gaps.....
..... whilst the Airfix/Heller kit doesn't fit very well at all.!!!
The nacelles fitted - Hasegawa Su-27.
Airfix/Heller Su-27.
Hasegawa Su-33.
The RWR antenna on the upgraded Su-33.
I nearly forgot to add the IFR probe recess on the Heller Su-27UB - to make the Su-30MK2.
Comparison of ventral fins - the Hasegawa Su-27 is way too big.
Scratchbuilding the Sorbtsiya ECM pods for the Su-33 - 4mm plastic rod and bits of plastic.
Mounted on the Su-33 - with a strengthening plate.
Cutting up the flaps from the Su-33 - ready to make them deployed.
Modifying the Airfix/Heller tailplanes - with the Su-33 as the benchmark.
The Hasegawa tailplanes are a bit too big - but removing a bit of the trailing edge soon improves them (right)
Similarly, the ventral fins are too long - fixed at top.
Components of the starbord double-slotted flap ready for re-assembly. Unmodified port flap at top.
Deployed flaps attached to starboard wing.
Intake, wheel well, mainleg downlock fairing and ventral fin - on Su-33.......
Same area on Hasegawa Su-27 - note also the triangular RWR fairing on intake side.
Same area on Airfix/Heller Su-27 - the downlock fairing is too small..
The Hasegawa Su-27 fin roots - they have captured the different size intakes.
Hasegawa Su-33 intakes are the same size.?
Airfix/Heller intakes are same size - and solid!
Taller fin for Venezuelan Su-30MK2 (right) - modified from Zvezda Su-35 fin. It still needs work. Heller Su-27UB fin on left.
The Su-30MK2 needs an offset IRST ball - so the platform on which it sits has to be made, using plasticard scrap.........
.... and filler - all sanded to shape.
One set of stabs with triangles of plastic card to make them droop.
The Su-33 stabs need the opposite - plastic is removed to make them point L/E down.
Su-33 in take-off pose.
From the rear.
The modified fins for the Su-30MK2.
Hasegawa Su-33 ready for primer.
Airfix Su-27 ready for primer.
Heller Su-30MK2 ready for primer.
Hasegawa Su-27 ready for primer.
Hasegawa Flankers - Su-33 (left), modified Su-27 (right)...
The DAPO Production Line....
Sorting out the too-thick side fairings.....
A few passes with a file soon reduces the thickness.
Side view comparison
Spine shape comparison.....
Some more comparisons.....
Trying to fix the Hasegawa Su-27 nose......
It's better - but I'm not convinced it's right.
Last attempt at the Hasegawa Su-27 nose!....
Hasegawa Flankers - Su-33 top, Su-27 bottom.
Hasegawa Su-33 nozzles.
Aires replacements
Extending the Hasegawa Su-27 jetpipes.
Trumpeter J-11B / Hasegawa Su-33 side profile comparison.
Hasegawa Su-27 back end sorted - reduced diameter to fit Aires nozzle. Original kit part D6 at right - 3mm dia difference!
Just for completeness - I've assembled the Italeri Su-27.....
The main fault with the Italeri kit is the intakes - they are way too shallow.
Blow-in Doors...
Blow-in doors on a real Su-27 - hinged at front, twelve of them.
They are spring-loaded and open on demand from the engine.
Italeri Su-27 - correct number and correct opening.
Hasegawa Su-27 - correct number and correct opening.
Airfix/Heller Su-27/UB - Only ten doors - represented by panel lines.
Hasegawa Su-33 - correct number and correct opening.
Trumpeter J-11B - 24 doors !!
Grilles...
Su-27 intake grille - simple slots.
Su-33 intake grille - mesh.
Airfix/Heller - just about right.
Hasegawa Su-33 - almost correct but feint.
Trumpeter - very feint.
Hasegawa Su-27 - etched steel stands proud of surface.
Cockpits....
Airfix/Heller windscreen raised by insertion of plastic card.
Heller Su-27UB - with IRST removed to make Venezuelan Su-30MK2
Airfix Su-27.
Hasegawa Su-27
Trumpeter J-11B
Hasegawa Su-33
Windscreen shapes...
Naval pilot for the Su-33
Canopy comparisons - J-11B is 'least worst'.
Su-27UB comparison.
Su-33 Plan view.
Airfix Su-27 Kazakhstan. Undersides - AKAN Paint.
Hasegawa Su-33 - repainted in lighter blue/grey all over. AKAN paint.
Heller Su-27UB conversion to Venezuelan Su-30MK2. All over Humbrol Hu-147.
Hasegawa Su-27 Uzbekistan - Undersides Testors Flanker Medium Blue.
Four Flankers (plus the 'intruder' J-11B at top)
Clockwise from top - PLAAF J-11B, Russian A-VMF Su-33, Kazakhstan Su-27, Uzbeki Su-27, Venezuelan Su-30MK2
AKAN colours - Su-27 (left) - Su-33 (3 at right).
Finished Su-33
Hot to Trot.....
Ken Duffey
September 2011