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In the first
part of this article I gave a broad over-view of my model. In this second
part I'd like to detail the aftermarket accessories I chose. I am
fortunate to only build one model every so often so I feel I can justify
spending a little more on extras.
Trumpeter have
produced a super model but there are areas which can be improved if the
modeller so desires. The first and possibly most obvious modification was
the canopy. There are a number of issues with the kit item which Chris
Wilson, (no relation) of Zactomodels, has rectified. Chris,
who is a regular here on ARC, has created a much more accurate looking
resin set to replace the Trumpeter version.
The second
area for modification are the air intakes. The kit items are a little
skinny when viewed from the front and have a bulged lower profile
when viewed from the side which is inaccurate. Zactomodels comes to the
rescue again with another beautifully sculpted resin set. The resin
replacements have exquisite detail inside and out which is why I opted to
model my Flanker without the FOD covers in place. They have been designed
as a direct replacement for the kit parts and fit with little or no
modification, what a joy!
Click on
images below to see larger images
Finally,
Zactoman has added a third resin mod in the form of a new nosecone and
pitot. This addresses another kit shortcoming (no pun intended) which is
the length of the Flanker nose. Some discussion suggests that the
Trumpeter item is 9mm too short so the Zactomodel nose corrects this.
These three additions result in a much more accurate looking Su-27 so I
plumped for all three. All of the Zactomodel sets are superb and I
thoroughly recommend them.
Other aftermarket companies
helped in other areas. I used the Aires resin wheel bay set which gives
the nose gear bay and the main gear wells in very crisp relief. From what
I could see every pipe and hose is accurately represented. They provide a
bit of a challenge to paint but with a little patience the modeller
may achieve a very pleasing result.
The same holds true for their
cockpit set. I was extremely happy with the quality and on inspection, nearly
every button and switch is modelled, once again in crisp detail. The set
includes a beautiful rendition of the ejection seat which is a mini model in
itself. A small etched fret adds little touches but the seat belts are a
particular challenge......
I also used the Aires resin
exhausts and once again was very impressed.
This set gives better looking nozzle
petals and some more etched metal, this time for the afterburner flame
holder ring which is a significant improvement on the rather clunky kit part.
inally for the aftermarket
add-ons were the Eduard cockpit and exterior sets. (A quick thought here....if
you use the Aires cockpit, most of the Eduard cockpit set is redu ndant) and
stencil decals from Linden Hill. The decals are a must as the Trumpeter items
are nothing more than red, black or yellow lines in many cases. I found the
Linden Hill decals very easy to use and they certainly add a touch of
realism to the finished model.
With all of these aftermarket
sets included I was well on my way to a presentable finish but in order to
get the best from them a certain amount of scratch building and modification of
kit parts was in order.
In part three of this article I'd like to explain what I
did.
Guy
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