Helmsman

Tamiya X-22 with Gunze levelling thinner works great.

No need to know Chinese. http://www.trumpeter-china.com/index.php?g=home&m=article&a=show&id=150 Bummer.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Isra-Cast-Israel-AF-F-16C-Block-40-Conversion-Kit-for-Tamiya-F-16CJ/264200327568?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

They still list 2013 catalog on their home page so I think the site is dead.

Strange, but I do remember my first kit. It was Russian made Mi-2 helicopter, probably by Krugozor factory. Don't remember much about it, I was just 7 or 8 and my dad did most of the work. He never built plastic models but got me deep into it. I switched to flying models (F2B and F1A) soon after and continued till high school graduation. Apparently no pictures of that Mi-2 left as nobody cared to take one. As for latest one, here it is, 1/48 KH Su-34:

As far as Russian media says there were 3 dead and one survived. The plane was hit by a strong gust.

Sure, I've done exactly this. Had to get Monokio decals which are in English. I'd prefer Hebrew but they yet to be found.

Unfortunately they skipped decals for some of the ordnance, like AGM-142 and sidewinders, and messed some stencils colors. It still builds into nice looking model though.

I've bought it for ~$78 in 2012 at Squadron. Their price was $104.99. So, I don't expect it to be close to $200. The cheapest I saw so far from online retailer is ~$130 shipped to US, eBay excluded.

I used their 50% off $500 couple of times and struggled to get into higher tier since than due to lack of stock. No regrets whatsoever, I was patient enough to get great deals on eBay any other time of the year.

Sofia responses to emails pretty quick in my experience. However, unlike many others, KH charges for shipping saying they're too poor to provide free parts replacement, even if a kit arrives with broken parts.

Kept them all so far. I still have some space in cabinets for smaller models but starting to think about getting a bigger house some 500 miles east which will partially solve my space problem for 1/32 models.

This color was used on MiGs, not on Sukhoi aircraft.

After closer look onto second color I'm really not sure it is suitable. It is too light. So I'd stick with the first one, maybe lightened a bit with white.

Model maker decals: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/D32042