Sukhoi Su-18 Flasher

[Radish]

Chaps,

Welcome to the Sukhoi Su-18 Flasher.
Developed from drawings and details garnered through espionage of the highest quality, the Su-18 Flasher (NATO code name) was called the "Starski" by the Soviet Air Force.
It closely resembled the Lockheed F-104.
A number of versions of this high-performance fighter were built, and after Soviet use, were exported to a number of countries.
One exploit for which it became infamous was the participation in the attempted military coup in the Soviet Union in 1964. General Bollockov had had his aircraft fully fuelled for a dash to Moscow, but with the failure of the coup, he committed suicide in his office prior to departing.
I have modelled Bollockov's aircraft ready to depart for Moscow, fully laden with fuel tanks. Natural metal with green panels as appropriate.
It will appear on the Stafford stand at Cosford under the title:

"Starski and Putsch"

[Supertom]

[Beats Radish with a large herring]

"WHEN - WILL - YOU - GET - A - CAMERA - AND - START- POSTING - PHOTOS - FOR -US - HERE!!!"

[Radish]

 

[Shasper]

All in favor of a Camera for Radish fund?

Shas

[Radish]

Well guys, I do actually HAVE a digital camera......

[Joe C-P]

"Starski and Putsch"

You're a bad, bad man. 

[Maverick]

Rad,

At the risk of causing precipitation upon your march, Soviet fighters were given odd numbers by NATO planners.  Even numbers were reserved for bomber/attack, transport and maritime patrol types.

Regards,

Mav

[gooberliberation]

I thought design numbers were decided in-house and that the whole odd vs. even thing was a law that died with Stalin(and became a tradition for only MiG)

But I suppose western observers in the mid 50s could see it and assume it was odd numbered and arbitrarily assign "SU-19" or whatever until the real designation was known.

[Maverick]

Goober,

The numbering system was Soviet in origin, not NATO however, Western analysts rarely had any idea about sub-designations, etc especially during the Cold War, although they used what they believed to be the Soviet number designators.

Antonov An-12 - Transport
Antonov An-124 - Transport
Ilyushin Il-10 - Ground Attack
Ilyushin Il-18 - Maritime
Ilyushin Il-28 - Bomber
Ilyushin Il-76 - Transport
Sukhoi Su-25 - Ground Attack
Sukhoi Su-27 / 33 / 35 - Fighter
MiG-15, 17, 19, 21, 23 - Fighter (with the odd exception of the MiG-23BN Ground attack aircraft)
MiG-25 - Fighter
MiG-27 - Ground Attack
Yak-15 - Fighter
Yak-17 - Fighter
Yak-25 - All Weather Fighter
Yak-28 - Bomber (except for the -28P/PM 'Firebar' all weather fighter family)

etc, etc.

It might be noted that given the service entries of some of these, Uncle Jo was long dead.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Mav

[Radish]

Su-17/20/22 Fitter?...the one that breaks the rule?

Anyway, there ain't an Su-18 in real life, so it becomes the Su-18 flasher.

Of course, it could become a Polikarpov....whatever happened to them?

Or Lavochkin, but sitting on " a Lav" doesn't give a great image for the USSR.

So whatever the purists say, mine is a Sukhoi Su-18.

I could have used the Su-21 designation (eroniously used by NATO) but I'm keeping that for another idea

SUKHOI Su-18.....it's on the way.

[r16]

su-17 was a fighter , Russians were still intending it to be a low level fighter ; Indian experience shows Su-7 could hold its own against a Mig 21 .Though the Sidra Gulf clash might have cooled them a bit . Su-20s on the other hand are export machines in intention , they were less capable in the beginning . So the story should go.

[Radish]

I'm sticking with Sukhoi Su-18 so there.
It was given that number to confuse Weatern analysts
But there are a lot of Yak numbers available I see, as well as the Su-19? so no doubt there'll be more Soviet aircraft coming along, comrades.

[Radish]

The actual "build" doesn't take long using the italeri (ESCI) 1/72nd F-104A/C, and as it was done when SWMBO was in Poland (she'd got the camera) you'd have had NO photos anyway.
BUT, I will take a pre-spray photo tomorrow morning as SWMBO is back now.
I'll also take a photo of the finished item, but it might be quicker to wait for the chaps to publish theirs from the forthcoming Cosford Show.
There will be 4 (at least) new models (to you lot, anyway) at Cosford:

Su-18MF
Su-15RAD
Blackburn Blackbeard (Su-34)
Sopwith Camel (as flown by Capt.Biggles)
possibly, also, a Japanese postwar F4U-4 and a Rhodesian F-86F.

But back to the Su-18.....needs a base now.

[Radish]

Well it didn't make it to Cosford, but is now "on target" for Hinckley on Sunday, along with a Grumman F19F-6 Viggen in USN colours.

[cthulhu77]

No photos? No photos?  No photos?  wtf?