Minibase SU-33 Madness

[Uncarina]

I’m with you completely! The only folded wing aircraft I have is a ZM Skyraider which has operable wingfolds. I’m planning to build an aircraft deployed to Syria, so the sea camo it is with MRP paints.  

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Uncarina]

I've finished most of the cockpit after detail painting and adding the decals with MicroSol and MicroSet and pushing them down with a dampened Q-tip. I still need to add the flat coat and gloss the dials/screens and add a few of the more delicate levers, but that's about it. In my opinion this kit doesn't need help from Quinta! I also added the decals to the ejection seat, some of which could host a dance party on the head of a pin. Until next time!

 

Cheers,  Tom

 

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Uncarina

[Jeff T]

Superb work Tom!

 

That Cockpit looks fantastic.

Cheer's,

Jeff.

 

[Uncarina]

Thank you Jeff! Building the cockpit is one of my favorite tasks in assembly, and I wanted to capture the detail included in the kit before it all gets sealed up.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[The Madhatter]

wow - those decals are really nice. They give just the right amount of 3D look to it without it being obviously flat. Great work Tom!

[Uncarina]

Thank you, I appreciate it! I’d say for a first release Minibase really nailed the decals for alignment and a scale look, considering the depth of the cockpit from most viewing angles. Applying them was a lot easier than having to detail paint everything, and better than photoetch.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Uncarina]

I finished the cockpit, so a few last photos before everything is sealed up:

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,  Tom

[mustang1989]

I umm......well I uh.......Holeee.......you gotta be........

Edited May 16, 2021 by mustang1989

[Thunnus]

Wow!  So the Minibase approach to the cockpit is decals over molded details?  Difficult to pull off but it looks Minibase did pretty well to register the decals to the plastic parts.  The cockpit looks great, Tom!  I'm gonna join ya in a bit with a naval jet of my own!

[Uncarina]

Thanks John, and I look forward to seeing your work as always! Yes that’s their approach, which is shared by GWH, AMK, and Kinetic. The challenge when the detail is comparatively high relief is initially placing the decal so that it “floats” above where you want it until the decal softener has a chance to take effect. I usually wait for 10-15 minutes before gently pressing with a dampened Q-tip, then applying more softener as necessary. If by the next day I see silvering or any areas where the decal is still raised I’ll slice with a knife and apply more softener.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Uncarina]

While I wait for a new airbrush that is keeping my Lancaster build on hold the madness continues. I've managed to complete the nose wheel well:

 

 

 

 

This was pretty straightforward and doesn't seem that different from most other kits except for the molded detail including the various lines which look good when painted. Then I moved on to the nose gear. This was a different story. According to one build log it consists of 62 parts. I've assembled 56 of them, which is a mix of styrene and photoetch. Some of the latter rivals anything from Pontos in terms of extreme modelling. For example, the debris guard behind the wheels consists of four individual plates and two TINY posts that have to align through corresponding holes in the plates, then line up with each other and with the strut. This assembly took me about 90 minutes. Well, I knew what I was getting into! To be honest, some of the photoetch parts including the individual bolts could have been molded onto the styrene, but the debris guard does look in scale. The only modification I made so far is drilling out the lights which I will paint with Liquid Chrome, along with the strut. Next I plan to add the wiring, paint, and apply the decals.

 

 

 

 

Cheers, Tom

[Alex]

That's an amazing LG strut.  The debris catcher looks like it was worth the 90 minutes!

 

Are the light blue fixtures in the wheel bay hydraulic fittings/valves/something of that nature?  Do they need more lines plumbed to them?

[Uncarina]

Thanks Alex! Those 90 minutes included at least two rescues from tweezer launch, several misaligments redone, and some choice vocabulary. From the photos I have of the wheel bay the colors vary from gunmetal (Minibase's recommendation) to light blue, and the kit seems to have almost all of the wiring I see in references, although the silver cylinder is supposed to have a yellow line connected to it. Of course, I might be missing something!

 

Cheers,  Tom

[scvrobeson]

Wow, this Minibase kit looks utterly spectacular.  Especially for a first effort.  Not sure I've quite seen a company burst onto the scene with that sort of detail and fit since Wingnuts.

 

 

 

Matt 

[Confusionreigns178]

As previous posters have said, this kit has many more parts than you find in most 1/32nd scale models. Is this a taste of the future?

 

Chris.