Search the Community

Hi folks, As there seems to have some interest in this project, I'm starting a thread to help the poor souls willing to get a similar result. A short summary of this project is nonetheless necessary. I was aware that the Revell kit was far from perfect and decided to avoid it for many years. The final release of the Begemot decal sheet changed my mind. So, I got the single-seater as well as the Zacto detail set (more bout this later). A quick assessment showed that the resin set was really necessary to get something looking more or less like a MIG-29A. I purchased many detail and accessory sets to help me but the problem stayed for some areas. Assessment showed that the Revell main landing gear zone was really bad and asked for complete re-construction. I realized than that the Trumpeter MIG-29M could be a source of parts and solve some problems here and there. The more I looked at both kits, the more I realized that the Revell kit had not ONE correct section, part or panel line. Nearly everything had to be replaced or corrected! The sole correct things are the general dimensions of the airframe. This made me wondering if it would not be a better idea to use the Trumpeter kit as the starting point and the Revell kit for some parts here and there. As SAS used to say: Who dares wins! So, I took the plunge! I enlarged some plans and took my best razor saws!

So I have finally sold enough of my stash to get one of these honkin' big beauties for a new project. Not only have I been looking forward to building this jet, this will also serve to help me get my modeling mojo back after almost 10 months of hobby inactivity. My wife and I just recently moved, so I will also be breaking in my new modeling space. Let me get started by being a little more long-winded. Just so we all are on the same page, I am not a rivet-counter; I like to build stuff that looks as close as I can reasonably get within my skill level and on a budget. As I stated previously, I sold off a bunch of stuff from my stash to raise funds for this project, so here is a list of what I have accumulated: -Trumpeter 1/32 Su-27 B -Aires cockpit for above kit -Eduard Su-27 Flanker B exterior PE -Begemot Flanker Family Stencils (4 pages of stencils!) -Linden Hill Flanker Sparka Su-27/30 Family Two-Seaters (we'll get back to that in a minute) -A full set of Akan paints for the plane I'd like to build I also have the following items on order: -Zactomodels Su-27 replacement nose cone -Quickboost Su-27 instrument panel -Mastercasters Su-27 weighted wheels About the decals - I ordered these initially to do the Russian "weatherbeaten" standard Flanker, but everyone who's done one of these planes has done it. So I decided to do one of the blue-over-blue-and-blue Kazakh Flankers. I figure I'll do a fairly-new out of refinishing plane so I can load it with stencils (I love stencils!). My compromise here is that I will wind up painting the plane in the scheme used on the two-seaters because they just look nicer. Also, I'm wide open to suggestions and advice- if you've done this already, I'd really appreciate all the feedback I can get. This is my first WIP on LSP so please let me know how I'm doing! I've gotten a start on some small stuff, so my next post (after dinner) will show where I'm at as of today. Thanks for indulging me!

It begins. After a nearly 2 decade search for the right kit, and several attempts in 1/48 with the Tamiya kit, I believe I've finally found the plastic of my dreams. The Trumpeter kit corrects the myriad flaws of the old Testors, and offers a better working scale for what I hope to accomplish in 1/32 than the Tamiya did a step smaller. Life and work force me to be a very part time modeler, but I will post progress here - slow as it may be. As mentioned, the basis for this build is the new-ish Night Hawk kit. Having been to market for a little over a year, there are several nice aftermarket options now available. While I haven't made a final decision on what I would like to include, the cockpit, seat and gear/wheels are about the only real areas of detail on this kit - so I figured they're as good a place as any to get started. Que Quickboot Aces II replacement seat, and an Eduard Brassin wheel set. Both are excellent quality, and offer a substantial improvement in detail to the kit parts. As several of you are aware, I'm working on several aspects of this kit to improve upon the plastic or photo etch options that currently just don't quite cut it. One of these details are the engine intake grids. My hope is to find a willing engineer with access to a micro machining unit that will be able to help create as close to an exact scale replica of the grids as possible. Failing that....well, I'll cross that bridge if/when I get to it. In the mean time, I'll be collecting paints, glue, and all the other sundries I've since parted with over the years since my last attempt at this silly project. Thanks once again to all the help I've received so far in looking for information to help me along. I'll be sure to update as progress is made. Brian~

Hi guys, Having actually started this model instead of just looking at the parts and then putting the box in the cupboard, I thought a thread recording the build might help keeping me on track. Trumpeter Swordfish. Out of the box, it makes up into a very impressive model. There are quite a few aftermarket sets for it, most of which I seem to have added to the stash! Like all kits though there are plenty of areas that could be improved upon, so I thought I'd give it a go. I have also started a bit of web site at www.flyingstart.info, but I suspect I'll get the progress pics here before updating the site. Please guys, badger me to keep going if I stray from the path! Right, a few pics of progress so far. I've skimmed off all the panel latches as these will be replaced with Eduard etched items.The pilots Browning MG blister and blast trough have been smoothed over by wielding a razor saw and dollop of white fine milliput, and the panels lines refined and deepened slightly; the Swordfish is a very 'panely' aircraft, especially after a lot of maintenance, where the edges of the panels get dinged and bent. I want this model to look like it really HAS been 6 months on a MAC in the North Atlantic... The wings, tailplane, fin and rudder have all been sanded smooth, as I consider the rib tape 'detail' is a bit OTT, (Over The Top) and the starving ribs effect on the wing fabric is waaaay OTT, so that has all been filled with 3M Red filler and smoothed back. I've tried to keep a hint of tautness, and of course I'll have to put something back for the rib tapes, but I'll tackle that later. Funny, all Swordfish and SPAD kits have traditionally suffered from grossly exagerated fabric sag, I have no clue why!! I'm going to have to do the same job on a Hobbycraft SPAD I have in the stash... Other jobs done so far include skimming out all the cockpit sidewall details above the moulded longerons. I'm going to leave the rest as it will be hidden behind the tubular fuselage structure and other details. I ditched all the kit bombs as they are hopelessly misshaped, so drew up some more accurate shapes on Rhinoceros 3D CAD program, and had them build on a rapid prototyping machine. I then made up some RPs with 22 guage stainless tube cut to length, and warheads, fins and supports, and a 250lb Depth Charge as well. Next job will be putting all the fuselage details back, using the Eduard etched bits, and cutting out the slats and ailerons. More pics soon. Any comments or suggestions more than welcome!