Suchoj T-58Sh/Su-15Sh/Su-21D +++ kitbashed & finished

[Dizzyfugu]

Pls. see below for info about the completed model - original post/WiP is kept up


Well, early WiP (conceptual stage) pic, and this won't be a big secret to the local crowd, I guess?
Yet, I have never seen a model of this thing, so I am working on a 1:72 kitbash.
Have a guess, more to come soon...  


New whif project by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Mossie]

I'd cheat and say I guessed, but I followed your Flikr link!  Good project.

[Librarian]

Could be a Grumman Super-Tiger . NICE .

[Dizzyfugu]

Could be a Grumman Super-Tiger . NICE .

Noooo.... Its' bigger, more menacing, and Soviet: a scratch-built T-58Sh - a projected ground attack derivate of the Su-15 interceptor(!). 

Stay tuned... 

[Librarian]

Right. Just found it in the Sukhoi book. Very nice . Look mforward to results....

[buzzbomb]

Yes.. this should be interesting

[Dizzyfugu]

More pics from the work bench. Progress is good and quick - easier than expected. Already working on the paint job!

An earlier close-up at the cockpit/fuselage intersection; the cockpit comes from an Academy MiG-27 (leftover from the Q-6 kitbash ):


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H') - What-if/Kit-bashing - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The lower side, almost done. The main landing gear installation had to be carved out of the donation wings, and the landing gear wells in the lower fuselage had to be moved forward by about 5mm, too - the biggest problem during the build (otherwise, the wing position would have been too far back):


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H') - What-if/Kit-bashing - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Rise! Standing on its own legs, looking impressive. The air intakes lost the large/long splitter plates, in the foreground one of the Kh-29T missiles that will find their way under the T-58Sh's wings soon...


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H') - What-if/Kit-bashing - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Painting is already in progress - scheme is inspired by a East-Germany-based Su-17 from the late 80ies, of which I have some pics from various perspectives. Colors are guesstimates, but it looks convincing so far.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H') - What-if/Kit-bashing - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Doing some counter-shading, and later I will add a few painted panel lines, since the kit has a rather plain surface:


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H') - What-if/Kit-bashing - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Tophe]

unusual & nice!

[Librarian]

What green is the lighter shade?

[nighthunter]

Looks great, was kind of hoping for the F11F-F1 Super Tiger, but this is still awesome!

[Dizzyfugu]

What green is the lighter shade?

I used Humbrol 159 (Khaki Drab) as basis, and added some counter-shading with 151, and later even with a mix of 80 to the latter. Full WiP description will follow with beauty pics, including info on any color that was used. Guessing Soviet/Russian colors is fun, as no aircraft seems to look like another, and frequently the cammo schemes are repaired by anything what is at hand.

In the meantime, we are closing in on finishing touches - e. g. some "virtual", painted panel lines, as the kit is rather devoid of any surface detail... 


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Decals have also already been applied, here's a close-up of the cockpit area, before we might see pics of the completed thing (ETA next weekend, still details to do, as well as the ordnance load)


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Comrades, stay tuned...

[Weaver]

Guessing Soviet/Russian colors is fun, as no aircraft seems to look like another, and frequently the cammo schemes are repaired by anything what is at hand.

Can't be wrong them can it? 

This is a great project: I remember looking at this in Soviet Secret Projects and thinking it needed building - well done! 

[Dizzyfugu]

Well, the eagle, er, "Flagon H" has landed, prematurely. Enjoy!


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Some background:
The Su-21 attack aircraft had its roots in the Su-15 interceptor, which itself was a development of Sukhoi's tailed-delta Su-9 and Su-11 interceptor fighters. Construction of the Su-15 (internal project designation T-58) began in mid-1960, state acceptance tests of the respective T-58-8M1 interception complex with radar and air-to-air missiles started in August 1963.

In 1966 series production at Novosibirsk began, the first pre-series Su-15 interceptor made its first flight from Novosibirsk on 6 March 1966. Once identified as a new service aircraft, NATO christened the type 'Flagon'. While the Su-15 was in series production, a number of improved design features were developed, tested and subsequently introduced with a new production series of the interceptor.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


In 1969, under the influence of the Vietnam conflict and the conclusion that dedicated ground attack aircraft were needed in a modern battlefield, the Sukhoi OKB investigated options for a new close-support "mudfighter" aircraft. One option was a derivative of the Su-15, designated the "T-58Sh" -- the suffix "Sh" stood for "shturmovik (storm bird)", a general Soviet name for a close-support aircraft.

The T-58Sh design was based on the Su-15 fuselage and engine installation with two Tumansky R-13-300 turbojets, but with considerable modifications. These included totally new wings and stabilizers - the orginal delta wing for high speed gave way to tapered wings with a constant 40° sweep, and the horizontal stabilizers were modified, too. The original fin was kept, though, as well as most of the landing gear installation, even though the front wheel retracted backwards now, since the complete nose up until spar no. 10 had been redesigned: instead of the interceptor's large radome, a slanted, considerably shorter nose improved the field of view for the pilot. In its tip it housed a 'Fon' laser rangefinder as well as a missile guidance antenna. A Doppler radar was housed under the nose, too, and an ASP-PF gunsight and a PBK-2 bomb sight optimized for lob-bombing were installed. The cockpit was completely armored, as well as parts of the lower fuselage around the engine section. All internal tanks (holding 4.500kg/9.921lb of fuel in the fuselage as well as in the wings) were self-sealing.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Another novelty was the freshly developed, built-in Gatling cannon, the GSh-30A, also known as 9A-621. This formidable, six-barreled weapon had a pneumatic mechanism (instead of en electric system, which was used in US types like the M61 'Vulcan' gun), fired 30mm shells and achieved a staggering fire rate of 5.000rpm. The cannon's magazine held 280 rounds - a shift of fuel tanks from the fuselage into the new wings with more internal space allowed the belly installation behind the front wheel well. Furthermore, a total of nine external weapon hardpoints allowed an ordnance load of up to 5.500kg (12.115lb), which included laser-guided smart bombs/missiles as well as tactical nuclear weapons.

Two T-58Sh prototypes were completed, and the first of these flew on 6 April 1968, the second on 26 September 1968. After State Acceptance Trials the Su-15Sh entered service in 1970 - in parallel, OKB Mikoyan was also working on a ground attack variant of its MiG-23 VG fighter, the later MiG-27, which flew in 1971 for the first time.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


This advantage in time to service worked in favor of the Suchoj aircraft, which was so different from its Su-15 origins that it received a new service-designation, Su-21 (which was, by Western observers, often miss-attributed to the late Su-15 interceptor versions with ogive radomes and new double-delta wings).
By 1972, four squadrons were equipped with the new aircraft. Interestingly, none of the Su-21 were deployed to Afghanistan. Instead, the new fighter bombers were exclusively allocated to Attack Regiments in the potential Western conflict theatre, two of them based in Poland and two in Eastern Germany.

The basic version of the aircraft was produced at Factory 31, at Tbilisi, in the Soviet Republic of Georgia. Between 1969 and 1975, 182 Su-21 were produced. Much like the Su-15 interceptor variants, there were no exports, the Soviet/Russian Air Force remained the only operator - the more versatile MiG-23/27 filled that role. Later, foreign customers would receive the Su-25K from Sukhoi's export program, as well as the Su-20 and 22 VG fighter bombers.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


During its service career, the Su-21 was constantly upgraded. One of the most significant changes was an MLU programme which, among others, introduced the 'Shkval' optical TV and aiming system, which was coupled with a new 'Prichal' laser rangefinder and target designator in an enlarged nosecone. This system enabled the aircraft to carry out all-weather missions, day and night, and also allowed to deploy the new 'Vikhr' laser-guided, tube-launched missiles, which were very effective against armored vehicles.
These updated aircraft received the designation Su-21D ('dorabotanyy' = updated). Two respective prototypes were built in 1982–84, and all aircraft were brought to this standard until 1988.

The only engagement of the Su-21 in a real combat scenario was its employment during the First Chechen War - which also signalized the type's retirement, after the conflict was over. Together with other Russian Air Force air assets, The Su-21s achieved air supremacy for Russian Forces, destroying up to 266 Chechen aircraft on the ground. The entire Air Force assets committed to the Chechen campaign between 1994 and 1996 performed around 9,000 air sorties, with around 5,300 being strike sorties. The 4th Russian Air Army had 140 Su-17Ms, Su-21Ds, Su-24s and Su-25s in the warzone supported by an A-50 AWACS aircraft. The employed munitions were generally unguided bombs and rockets with only 2.3% of the strikes using precision-guided munitions.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The Su-21 was a controversial aircraft. It was relatively reliable, benefitting from its two engines and solid armor, which was seen as one of the most important features for a true battlefield aircraft - inofficially, it was nicknamed 'ома́р' ('lobster') among the crews.
It had a high payload and was a very stable weapon platform. But the type suffered from the fact that it was an interceptor derivate which had originally been designed for dashes at Mach 2.5 at high altitudes. Consequently, the airframe had to be enforced to withstand higher G loads at low level flight and with heavy external loads, so that it was basically overweight. The extra armor did not help much either.

Additionally, the R-13 jet engines (basically the same that powered the 3rd generation MiG-21MF) were thirsty, even when running without the afterburner extra power, so that the type's range was very limited. Its ability to dash beyond Mach 1 even at low altitudes was of little tactical use, even though its high rate of acceleration and climb made it ideal for suprise attacks and delivery of tactical nuclear weapons - the latter was the main reason why the type was kept in service for so long until it was replaced by Su-24 bombers in this role.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Another source of constant trouble was the GSh-30A cannon. While its firepower was overwhelming, the vibrations it caused while firing and the pressure blasts from the nozzles could badly damage the aircraft's lower fuselage. There had been several incidents when the front wheel covers had literally been blown apart, and in one case the gun itself detached from its fuselage mount while firing - hitting the aircraft itself from below!

In the end, the Su-21 could not live up to the expectations of its intended role - even though this was less the aircraft's fault: the military demands had been unclear from the beginning, and the T-58Sh had been a second- choice solution to this diffuse performance profile.
Eventually the MiG-27 and also the Su-17/22 family as well as the biggher Su-24 tactical bomber, thanks to their variable geometry wings, proved to be the more flexible aircraft for the ground attack/fighter bomber role. But the lessons learned from the Su-21 eventually found their way into the very successful, subsonic Su-25 ('Frogfoot') family. The last Su-21D was retired in January 1997, after a service career of 25 years.



General characteristics: [/b]
Crew: 1
Length (with pitot): 17.57 m (57 ft 6 1/4 in)
Wingspan: 12.24 m (40 ft 1 in)
Height: 4.84 m (15 ft 10 in)
Empty weight: 11.225 kg (24.725 lb)
Loaded weight: 17.500 kg (38.580 lb)

Powerplant:
2× Tumansky R-13-300 turbojets,each rated at 40.21 kN (9,040 lbf) dry and at 70.0 kN (15,730 lbf) with afterburner

Performance:
Maximum speed: 1.250km/h (777mph/674nm) at sea level
Range: 1.380 km (855 ml)
Ferry range: 1.850 km (1.146 mi)
Service ceiling: 17.000 m (55.665 ft)

Armament:
1× GSh-30A gatling gun with 280 RPG in the lower fuselage
9× hardpoints (three under the fuselage, three under each wing) for a weapon load of up to 5.500kg (12.115lb),
including iron bombs, unguided missiles and rocket pods, guided weapons, napalm tanks or gun pods; two R-60 (AA-8 "Aphid") AAMs were typically carried for self-defense on the outer pylon pair



The kit and its assembly:
This whif actually has a real background, as outlined above - OKB Sukhoi actually worked in the late 60ies on a Su-15 derivate as a specialized attack aircraft, since the Soviet Forces lacked that type. The ground attack types then in service were the vintage MiG-17 and converted MiG-19 fighters, as well as the fast but very limited Su-7 - either outdated fighters or a fighter-bomber with insufficient range and payload.
Specifications for a ground attack aircraft were unclear at that time, though. Supersonic capability was still seen as a vital asset for any military aircraft, and WWII tactics were still the basis for close air support duties. The T-58Sh was eventually one design direction that would keep development time and costs low, starting with a proven basic airframe and adapting it to a new (and very different) role.

The Su-15, from which the T-58Sh was derived, originally was a Mach 2 interceptor, solely armed with missiles. Making THIS a ground attack aircraft surely was a huge step. The projected Su-15Sh, how the aircrfat was also called, was still to be supersonic, since this was seen as a vital asset at that time. This concept would eventually be a dead end, though, or, alternatively, result in the lighter and much cheaper MiG-27 tactical fighter in the 70ies. But it should still take some more years until a subsonic, simple and dedicated aircraft (the T-8, which made its maiden flight in 1975 and became later the Su-25 'Frogfoot') would be the 'right' direction for the new shturmovik. The Su-15Sh actually never left the drawing board, the swing-wing Su-17/20/22 more or less took its place in real life.

With that background my idea was to build a model of the ground attack Su-15 derivate in front line service in the mid 80ies, at the Cold War's peak and used by the Group of Soviet Forces in (Eastern) Germany. The Su-21 designation is fictional. But since the aircraft would be SO different from the Su-15 interceptor I can hardly imagine that it would have been called Su-15Sh in service. Since its cousin, the MiG-27, also received a new designation, I decided to apply the Su-21 code (which was never applied to a real aircraft - those Su-15 versions called Su-21 are just misnomers or speculations of Western 'experts' when the Iron Curtain was still up).

As a coincidence, I had all 'ingredients' at hand:
● Fuselage and fin from a PM Model Su-15
● Nose section from an Academy MiG-27 (leftover from the Q-6 kitbach)
● Wings and horizontal stabilizers from an ESCI A-7



1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The A-7 wings have slightly more sweep than what the drafted T-58Sh had (45° vs. 40°), as far as I can tell from profiles, but otherwise they fit in shape and size. I just cut the orginal leading edge away, sculpted a new front from putty, and the result looked very good.

What became tricky were the landing gear wells. Part of the Su-15 landing gear retracts into the lower fuselage, and mating this with the Corsair's wings and the potential space for the landing gear there did not match up properly -the wings would end up much too far behind.

After some trials I decided to cut out the landing gear wells on the lower side of the wings, relatively far forward, and cut out a part of the lower fuselage, reversed it, so that the landing gear wells woukd be placed about 5mm further forward, and the wings were finally attached to the fuselage so that these would match the respective openings on the fuselage's bottom. This was more or less the only major and unexpected surgery, and the original Su-15 landing gear could be retained.

Using the A-7's stabilizers was also a bit off the original concept (the T-58Sh appeared to keep the original parts), but I found that the more slender but wider A-7 parts just made the aircraft look more homogenous?

Grafting the MiG-27 cockpit (which was taken OOB) onto the fuselage was not a big problem, since the intersection is of simple shape and fits well by height and width. I made a vertical cut on the Su-15 fuselage in the middle of the air intake area, which would later be hidden through the air intakes. The latter were taken from the Su-15, but simplified: the intake became simple and "vertical", and the large, orginal splitter plates were replaced by the shorter speiceimen from the MiG-27 kit. The fit almost perfectly, are just a bit short, so that a small hole had to be filled with styrene strips on the lower side.

The fin was taken OOB, just as on the propsed real aircraft. The resulting side profile reminds VERY much of a Dassault Étendard on steroids...? The whole thing also looks a bit like the missing link between the Su-15 and the later Su-24 fighter bomber - esp. when you know the Fencer's fixed-wing T-6 prototype.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Externally, the gatling gun (also taken from the leftoevr MiG-27) and a total of nine hardpoints were added - three under the fuselage, flanking the gun, and six under the outer wings.
Since the Su 15 is a pretty large aircraft, I used the opportunity to equip the aircraft with serious air-to-ground ordnance, a pair of TV-guided Kh-29T (AS-14 "Kedge") missiles from an ICM USSR weapon set and a pair of R-60 AAMs, leftover from an ESCI Ka-34. Furthermore, chaff/flare dispensers were added to the rear upper fuselage, as well as some antennae and the pitots.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Actually, this kitbash was less complicated as expected. Needed lots of putty, sure, but this would also have been needed on the OOB Su-15 from PM Models, as it is a primitive and crude model kit. Here, it found a good use. One drawback is, though, that the surface lacks detail: the PM Model Su-15 is bleak (to put it mildly), and the re-used A-7 wings lost much of their engraved details to leftover paint or sanding - paint tricks would have to mend this.


Painting and markings:
As a frontline service aircraft, this one would receive a tactical camouflage pattern. The Soviet Air Force offers a wide range of options, ranging from boring to bizarre, and  I settled for a typical four-color camouflage with light blue undersides:
● Humbrol 119 (Light Earth)
● Humbrol 159 (Khaki Drab)
● Humbrol 195 (Chrome Oxide Green, RAL 6020)
● Testors 2005 (Burnt Umber)
● Humbrol 115 (Russian Blue) for the lower surfaces

The paint scheme was inspired by a East Germany-based Su-17, the colors are guesstimates, based on pictures of real-life Soviet aircraft.

Cockpit interior was painted in typical, infamous Soviet/Russian turqoise (*Argh*), the complete landing gear was painted in Aluminum (Humbrol 56); the wheel discs became bright green (Humbrol 131), di-electric panels (e .g. the fin tip) received a coat in Forest Green (Humbrol 149, FS 34092).

The model was weathered through some counter-shading with lighter tones of the five basic colors, a wash with black ink and some additional stains and blotches with different shades of green and brown, including Humbrol 98 118, 128, 151 - even some RLM 82 from Testors found its way onto the aircraft!

Decals and markings were puzzled together from various aftermarket sheets, and are based on real life pictures of Soviet/Russian aircraft based in Eastern Germany.


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Sukhoi Su-21D (T-58Sh/Su-15Sh, NATO code 'Flagon H'); aircraft '02 Blue' of 20th GvAPIB, 125th ADIB, 16th VA, Soviet Air Force; Templin (GDR), April 1985 (What-if/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Since the kitbashed model was pretty bleak, I tried to add painted panel lines - using a thin brush and a mix of matt varnish and black. The counter-shading applied before enhances this effect, and if you do not look too closely at the model, the result is O.K.

Finally, everything was sealed under a coat of matt acrylic varnish.

[Librarian]

  just about sums it up. And some holiday reading to go with it. Phenomenal  .

[Logan Hartke]

Very nice.  Strikes me a lot like a blockier Nanchang Q-5.

Cheers,

Logan