Iraqi Backfire

[Glenn Gilbertson]

Looking really good - and still like a Backfire!

[McGreig]

Finished!!

And thanks for all the positive feedback, which helped a lot  . When I started I was convinced that I'd made the wrong choice but, now that it's finished, I feel quite pleased with it. Roll on the next one week GB - I've got this Trumpeter Blackjack in the stash - - -

[McGreig]

A few more photos.

[Brian da Basher]

Yowsa McG outstanding work! The camo is a natural with those Iraqi markings!

Congrats on getting in before the deadline!

Brian da Basher

[Eddie M.]

Outstanding work and a beautiful finish! This is really enjoyable to look at.
     Eddie

[anthonyp]

Awesome!!!  I had to reread your writeup because I missed where you called out the ordinance.  I thought you'd come up with some sort of mutated Brahmos or something 

Very nice!

[nev]

That really looks the part - could probly fool a fair few people at shows with that one 

[kitnut617]

They came with the kit. When Esci first issued this kit in the Eighties it came in three versions, two of which had the original style of intake. I know that AMT reissued it in the USA and Canada, but the only AMT boxing that I've seen was of the Backfire-C with the wedge intakes, so it's possible that the version with the early intakes never made it beyond Europe.

The recent Italeri reissue was also just of the Backfire-C. This is a pity because, while it's still too short and slightly too deep, the nose, wing and fin are more accurate for a Backfire-B.

Hi McG,

Love the build, very nicely done. 

I'd be interested in more details of the modifications that need to be done to this kit as I just picked one up from a second hand webstore (influenced of course by these two builds that's going on right now). I've already got the AMT 'C' version in the stash, do the mods need to be done on this version too?  If you don't want to go through it all here, drop me a PM.

Robert

[Captain Canada]

Wow, did she ever come together nicely !



Great job ! Now, I have to admit to feeling sorry for all the other suckers in the 1WGB.....oh, did I say that out loud ?

[Mossie]

Very nice, makes a change from grubby grey!

[Ed S]

Are you sure that's a WHIFF?  It looks pretty convincing.

Nice Job

Ed

[Mossie]

I know what you mean Ed, reminded me of the Libyan Blinders.

[McGreig]

I'd be interested in more details of the modifications that need to be done to this kit as I just picked one up from a second hand webstore (influenced of course by these two builds that's going on right now). I've already got the AMT 'C' version in the stash, do the mods need to be done on this version too? 

Robert,

The following is a brief summary of the main changes that you would need to make to the Esci kit to make a really accurate Backfire. To see a detailed, step by step conversion, go to Ken Duffey's website www.flankerman.fsnet.co.uk/modl_tu-22.html and look at his model.

For all variants:
1) insert 10mm plug in fuselage and intakes ahead of wing
2) reduce depth of nose section by 4mm
3) reduce fuselage depth of main section in a wedge shape - 4mm at leading edge of wing reducing to nil at the tail
4) move wing back by 10mm (this will prevent the sweep mechanism from working and mess up the undercarriage bay alignment, so an alternative would be to remove 10mm from the fuselage behind the wing and add a 20mm plug instead of the 10 mm at point (1)
5) the window for the rear cabin is too low and should be further back
6) the main wheels are not evenly spaced - there is a bigger gap between the front and middle pair than between the middle and rear and the middle pair have a wider track than the front and rear set.
7) a strengthening strip should be added about one third of the way up the fin where the taper changes
8 ) from a point approximately 1/3 of the way back from the wing leading edge all the way to the afterburner cans, the fuselage has a distinct "double bubble" appearance as it curves out over the intake trunking and engines

For the Backfire-C specifically
1) the intakes need to be modified to show the distinct downward slope of the top surfaces
2) the nose needs to be lengthened by approximately 20mm and reshaped to show the distinct upturned shape of the radome and its flat lower line
3) the rudder, gun turret and wing gloves are OK for a Backfire-B but, for the "C", the rudder hinge line needs to be rescribed, the gun turret replaced with a flatter version and the wing glove enlarged with the fence moved outboard.

Ken is a member of the IPMS UK Soviet Aircraft SIG and we've often had his model in our display. However, while it's undeniably more accurate and sleeker looking, I'm not sure that it's really worth the effort required - I suppose that it depends what you want to achieve and how much time you've got. If you build from the box (and don't sit it next to Ken's model!) the Esci/Italeri kit still looks like a Backfire. I think that, if I was to build a Backfire-C, I would probably extend and reshape the nose and modify the intakes to show the downward slope, as these are very visible, but leave the rest alone.

[kitnut617]

Thanks McG,  I will print this off and really study what has to be done.

[BlackOps]

This came out awesome!