The Su-18 ('Fitter N') - a missing family link [pics & story on p. 4]

[Dizzyfugu]

Holy funky chicken! That looks more Chi-Com than Russian, in my humble opinion, Master Dizzy.

Yup.  Some serious Chinese flavor... sweet-sour, maybe?

[Dizzyfugu]

Painting makes serious progress, and with grey and white added the Su-18 looks better and better. Yesterday evening I added a pale grey radome, and since THEN the thing even convinces me... 

[Dizzyfugu]

Catching up with real time:

1:72 Sukhoi Su-18 (NATO 'Fitter N'), aircraft "24 Yellow" of the Soviet Naval Aviation Baltic Fleet's 66th OMShAP; Veshchovo AB, Vyborg District/Russia, 1991 (Whif/Smer kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Lower side is "painted" with acrylic car paint from the rattle can - actually a VW tone called "Grauweiß", a dull white:

1:72 Sukhoi Su-18 (NATO 'Fitter N'), aircraft "24 Yellow" of the Soviet Naval Aviation Baltic Fleet's 66th OMShAP; Veshchovo AB, Vyborg District/Russia, 1991 (Whif/Smer kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Upper sides are mabe by hand/brush - basic tone is Humbrol 167, RAF Barley Grey:

1:72 Sukhoi Su-18 (NATO 'Fitter N'), aircraft "24 Yellow" of the Soviet Naval Aviation Baltic Fleet's 66th OMShAP; Veshchovo AB, Vyborg District/Russia, 1991 (Whif/Smer kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Small details like the blank aluminum saddle tank add to the overall impression (hope so...):

1:72 Sukhoi Su-18 (NATO 'Fitter N'), aircraft "24 Yellow" of the Soviet Naval Aviation Baltic Fleet's 66th OMShAP; Veshchovo AB, Vyborg District/Russia, 1991 (Whif/Smer kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

With the radome painted this looks like an aircraft - even like a baby Tu-22M!?  

1:72 Sukhoi Su-18 (NATO 'Fitter N'), aircraft "24 Yellow" of the Soviet Naval Aviation Baltic Fleet's 66th OMShAP; Veshchovo AB, Vyborg District/Russia, 1991 (Whif/Smer kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

BIG progress there Thomas! It's looking very good indeed. 

I didn't realise that the fuselage tapers out all the way from the exhaust forward, so much so that the maximum width is in FRONT of the cockpit! 

[nighthunter]

Looking Fantastic, Thomas!

[Captain Canada]

Nice....that's looking so good ! Love this one.

[Dizzyfugu]

I didn't realise that the fuselage tapers out all the way from the exhaust forward, so much so that the maximum width is in FRONT of the cockpit! 

Remember my concerns about this thing being rather nose-heavy? The Su-17's fuselage is pretty area-ruled, and the late versions (M3 onwards) have this pronounced "bulge" around the cockpit that narrows considerable at the wing roots - I guess it's due to the very thick wings. Around the rear there's also the classic coke bottle shape. It's not so obvious in profiles and even pics, but the model has "strong curves". With the radome painted things look rather balanced, though. Still a fat nose, but it looks as if it makes sense... 

Thanks a lot for interest and feedback - painting is going on, just finished a black ink wash and started dry painting on panels. Looks VERY good now!

[comrade harps]

It looks like a mini-Backfire, so your planned Soviet Navy scheme makes perfect sense. 

[NARSES2]

It looks like a mini-Backfire, so your planned Soviet Navy scheme makes perfect sense. 

Well spotted. I knew it triggered something in the memory banks

[Dizzyfugu]

That's the plan behind it! The more it becomes concrete the more believable the Su-18 becomes. You think "Su-24", bu, no, just one engine. And the wings are low. A Tu-22M? No, too small... WTF!? 

[Dizzyfugu]

Behold... Black in wash first:

1:72 Sukhoi Su-18 (NATO 'Fitter N'), aircraft "24 Yellow" of the Soviet Naval Aviation Baltic Fleet's 66th OMShAP; Veshchovo AB, Vyborg District/Russia, 1991 (Whif/Smer kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


And then some dry painting for panels and weathering:

1:72 Sukhoi Su-18 (NATO 'Fitter N'), aircraft "24 Yellow" of the Soviet Naval Aviation Baltic Fleet's 66th OMShAP; Veshchovo AB, Vyborg District/Russia, 1991 (Whif/Smer kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Sukhoi Su-18 (NATO 'Fitter N'), aircraft "24 Yellow" of the Soviet Naval Aviation Baltic Fleet's 66th OMShAP; Veshchovo AB, Vyborg District/Russia, 1991 (Whif/Smer kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[McColm]

Wow!
Got to practice that finish on my next batch of builds. Great work.

[Dizzyfugu]

Thank you! BTW, what the Su-18 also reminds me of... 

[kerick]

That is the ugliest damn bird ever! It looks like it was made out of spare parts God had left over after creating everything else (even after the giraffe and the platypus). I'd say it was prehistoric if there wasn't a house in the background. Is it related to the blue footed booby?

[NARSES2]

Think it's a Shoebill ?But I've never seen one posing like that which does make it look odder still