Beriev A-50 Shmel

[Hobbes]

click to play Soviet anthem

Comrades!

Is glorious day for the Soviet Union!

Allow me to introduce yet another technological marvel that has kept the Rodina safe these past years. The Beriev A-50 Shmel (Bumblebee) has patrolled our borders since 1984, providing early warning services and guiding the fighter aircraft of the VVS. This much has been made public before.

Today we can reveal that this aircraft has had a surprise up its sleeve. Our cunning engineers have adapted the combat system of the Su-27, and they installed launchers for R-27 and R-73 missiles so this valuable aircraft could defend itself in an emergency.
This arrangement has been tested in combat twice, during treacherous border incursions by the backstabbing Chinese. When their inferior aircraft were summarily dispatched by the valiant A-50 crew, they soon learned not to meddle in our affairs.





(note from the CIA)
It seems the modification has been done in reaction to the loss of an A-50 in a border incident over Siberia.

[GTX]

Interesting.  I would have gone with R-33s myself so as to pick the pesky chinese off from afar, but if it's self defence...

BTW, how about some kill markings?

Regards,

Greg

[Hobbes]

Yes, I thought about doing kill markings today, but don't have any appropriate ones in the stash I think.

The R-27 comes in 2 versions, with 80 or 120 km range. You'll notice both are present.  Should be enough (and the R-33 has a quoted range of 120 km, I see).  

[gooberliberation]

Mmm sexy. While youre at it perhaps put the tailguns back on?

[Hobbes]

Nah, the tail guns were deleted to make room for more electronics. Despite being pretty big, the A-50 is apparently rather cramped. The crews much preferred the old Tu-126, which had more room and better sound isolation.    

[Hobbes]

The kit is the Trumpeter 1:144 item, by the way. It's built OOB, except for the missiles. They're from a Dragon Su-27 kit. I've modified two of the R-27 missiles: I've inserted an extra section into the missile body to create the longer-range version.

[lancer]

Brilliant Harro. Loved how she looked on the stand last weekend.

[B777LR]

I can just imagine the sight of A-50 outturning a chinese J-10!

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Ermmmm - Am I missing something here...... oh yes, the pictures, why can't I see the pictures, or have they been 'censored' by the powers that be.

Ian

[GTX]

They work for me - no censoring here.

Regards,

Greg

[Brian da Basher]

That's really cool, Hobbes! She looks every bit the business! You're right, IS Glorious day in Great Soviet Union! B)

Brian da Basher

[NARSES2]

She looked even better in the flesh Hobbes - terriffic clean build

Chris

[Hobbes]

Thanks for the kind words everybody. I started this build almost 2 years ago, it's a bugger to get right: the fit of the fuselage and wings isn't great and needs lots of filler, and I really didn't want to obliterate all that surface detail so PSR took ages. I'm pleased with how well it turned out.  

[Archibald]

Nice!
The A-50 presented here is the companion of the La-270 ultra-long range fighter (hunter killer teams )  ^_^  

[nev]

The people salute you Comrade Harro!