Su-25M1 "Digital" Frogfoot - cockpit done!

[Chek]

Marc, if it helps, I will use a length of copper phone wire formed into a correctly sized true circle then superglued to the ends of things like your pods to form a truly circular end.

 

Normally, I'll pull a length of wire through a couple of thicknesses of 600 grade wet'n'dry sanding paper used dry a few times to strip off the chromed coating, leaving bare copper wire. 

 

I'll then wrap it around the shank of a suitably sized drill bit, glue in place on the part and then sand to shape, inside and out.

That way you're less at the mercy of the moulding process and any inaccuracies it introduces.

 

Of course, if they give you a brass end cap you're already sorted.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Chek

[modelmkr]

Chek, good tip... I may use that. The pods shown were just taped together, not glued or sanded. I'll see how they turn out and keep that gem in my back pocket if needed.

 

Marc B.

[Youngtiger1]

Wow, this is beautiful work buddy. I love the extra touch on the detail

 

Mike

[Jeff T]

Excellent, clean work Marc!

 

Cheer's,

Jeff.

[Simmo.b]

Hi Marc,

 

As you know from the other thread I will soon be embarking on this same project.

 

Your work is amazing and I will be following your lead closely!!

 

Cheers

 

Brent

[Marcel111]

Beautiful work all-round! Nice job with all those drains, it's amazing how many of those are on the underside. Great skill on saving all of the inside intake rivets!

 

Cheers,

 

Marcel

[TimW]

Really nice!  Makes me want to build another!

 

Tim W.

[misha71]

very very nice

your skill is amaizing.

what instruments do you use for opening thet ventilation holes?

[modelmkr]

very very nice

your skill is amaizing.

what instruments do you use for opening thet ventilation holes?

 

On the gun cover door? Just used a rounded scalpel blade on the backside to thin down until they opened up then cut a thin strip of 600 grit sandpaper to slip in/out of each vent to open them more and finished off with 0000 steel wool.

 

... and lots of patience.

 

Marc B.

[modelmkr]

​Thanks for all the kind words, guys.

 

Next I need to work on painting the inside of the intake trunking, compressor face, and exhausts so I can close up the engine nacelles and put together the nose gear well and paint it and the cockpit so I can close up the fuselage. Big steps.

 

In the mean time, Aires engine exhaust turbines; I highly recommend the Aires exhaust set.

if you install these, one of the blades points to the right (looking into the exhausts) and level to the ground on both sides, pretty much the way you see them oriented here. I have seen no variation in that orientation on the many photos I have seen on different airframes.

 

 

And a few more vents... yes the surrounds at the bottom are supposed to be askew like that:

 

 

Marc B.

 

[modelmkr]

So, I thought I'd take this opportunity to yammer on about weapon loadout options for the Su-25 Frogfoot 'A', Su-25K, Su-25M1 and other first generation Frogfoots.

 

I've seen the full range of the good, bad, and ugly when it comes to builds on-line and in person, but one thing that strikes me is that almost ALL of them are presented with unrealistic weapon loadouts.

Now, when I say that, I'm not talking about the showy airshow loadouts where all bets are off; and really it's your model, so if you want to hang everything but the kitchen sink on your Frogfoot, then go for it... who am I to say different. No, what I'm talking about are real world war loads and for those who care, I present this primer for all the reasons and rules governing why you CAN'T just hang any old thing on those 10 pylons.

 

As you know, Trumpeter's kit comes with a wide array of weapons... many of which are not appropriate to the Frogfoot variant kitted. It confused me as well, so through research and invaluable info from our own Harvey5 (Joseph), I present...

 

'Da Rulz'

 

1) The first gen Frogfoots were developed with a rather simple weapons computer that has a limitation of only two (2) ballistic profile entries at a time. The menu list of possible entries are long and varied, but only two selections from that list can be accommodated. The ballistic profiles are for rockets, rocket pods, and bombs. Each rocket type (S-24/ UB-32/ B-8M/ each S-25 type etc.) represent one choice. Each bomb type (FAB-250, FAB-500, etc.) including each sub type represent one choice.

Further limitations with these two ballistic entries are that only one bomb type can occupy one of these positions and one rocket type for the other. So no mixed bomb loads or mixed rocket types can be loaded on the aircraft.

Note that this does not limit the NUMBER of the same bomb/ rocket type that can be loaded. Six B-8M rocket pods or, say, 4 FAB-250 M46 bombs are fine.

 

2) The Klen PS Laser designator is a look forward designator. It has no look down, overfly tracking capability, so laser guided bombs cannot be used for this.

 

3) Gun pods share a common fire switch with rockets/ rocket pods, so you cannot mix rockets and gun pods in the same loadout.

 

4) Pylon assignments:

    - I'll refer to pylons by number. Looking at the front of the aircraft, pylons are numbered 1 to 11. 1-5 are on the stbd side, 7-11 are on the port side. Position 6 is centerline and is rarely, if ever, used.

    - Pylons 1 and 11 are dedicated missile pylons for exclusive use of the R-60 AA missile (along with the APU-60 rails).

    - Pylons 3,5,7 and 9 are wet pylons. Only these can accommodate fuel tanks. They can, of course, be used for weapon stores as well.

    - Pylons 4,5,7 and 8 are wired for gun pods. No other pylons can use gun pods.

    - Pylons 3,4,5,7,8 and 9 are wired for the Kh-25 missiles. However 5 and 7 are not used for these due to damage to the engines from the rocket motors.

 

5) Lastly are weapons that are of a generation not wired for the first gen Frogfoots. The Vikhr AT missiles (9m-120), Kh-58, Kh-29, KAB series, any other AA missile beyond the R-60 are not cleared/ capable for this aircraft. This covers the contents of what is provided in the kit.

 

So that about does it. Again, for those that care, you can build a real world war load from these rules. In the end, it's your model and whatever turns your fancy, go for it.

 

Marc B.

Edited April 7, 2016 by modelmkr

[Guest]

Great info, thanks.....Harv

[Simmo.b]

My model will be all the more accurate thanks to the hard research yards you have done for us, Thanks Marc!!!

[cib2265]

I just came across the digital camouflage Su-25 in research for another build (what if...I'm building it alongside a weathered 1/48 F-22A), and then came across your build!

 

Wow! Which kit is this exactly, err, for research purposes? Cheers

[modelmkr]

I just came across the digital camouflage Su-25 in research for another build (what if...I'm building it alongside a weathered 1/48 F-22A), and then came across your build!

 

Wow! Which kit is this exactly, err, for research purposes? Cheers

 

It's the Trumpeter 1/32 Su-25 Frogfoot 'A' kit, or at least it started out that way

 

Marc B.