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

[Dizzyfugu]

This thread starts early in the construction phase. This build has been inspired by a post/discussion from fellow user Jesse220 in the "Idea bank" section about an updated Su-17/22. That was... inspiring, as well as the fact that some time ago I stumbled across THIS nicely photoshopped Su-17U in foreign service...



Basic idea: close the nose intake, add a radar for N/AW duties, and move the intakes somewhere else.

Another teaser to tackle this build is tha fact that I never, in 35 years of model building, had a Su-7 or Su-17 on the bench.

More about the original discussion here: http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,39478.0.html



My build has already become concrete:

• Basic kit is the Smer Su-17M4
• Nose radar cone from a F-15
• Air intakes with splitter plates from a PM Model Su-15
• Probably new/longer exhaust from a F-16

Idea is to make it a missing link between the late Su-17 versions and the Su-24 tactical bomber, while the Su-27 was already on the bench but primarily as a heavy fighter. Aircraft will be in Soviet Navy use, time frame is the early 90ies; armament will include a pair of Kh-31A anti-shipping missiles (from the ICM air-to-ground weapons kit), drop tanks and a pair of R-60 AAMs.
Livery will be based on typical Su-24 look: upper sides in light grey, lower surfaces and leading edges in white (will use a very pale grey). Very simple, but that's part of 'selling' the thing...  

[Dizzyfugu]

First pics from the bench:

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

[PR19_Kit]

That's a BIG aeroplane! 

[Army of One]

Oooooh......looking forward to this.........

[Captain Canada]

Oh yeah. The new intakes look awesome ! Love to watch your work...thanks !

[Tophe]

Great!

[Dizzyfugu]

That's a BIG aeroplane! 

It is. All the Su-7/9 family aircraft are HUGE beasts, only a F-105 is bigger... Progress is good - only critical issue so far is the sloped nose of the late Su-17 versions. In the profiles it looks more streamlined than the early versions's air intake (which has a rather uniform diameter), but in real life/on the kit this turns out to be VERY wide around the cockpit. The radome has already been fitted, and it looks somewhat weird - also due to the slightly drooped nose of the late Fitter versions!  That will certainly take some more brains or even body sculpting - with the intakes inplace it looks less strange, though, but I am uncertain about the overall result/impression. 

[McColm]

Can't wait to see the finished article.

[Dizzyfugu]

Can't wait to see the finished article.

Me too...

[Dizzyfugu]

More progress: major sculpting around nose and tail - you get am impression how FAT the nose is... 

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


...and the Kh-31A missiles - painted by real life pics, the blue fairings for the ram jet intakes are authentic!

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

[tc2324]

 

[kerick]

Thanks for stepping up to the plate, this needed to be built!

[Captain Canada]

The big nose makes it look like a Flying Leopard !

The big missiles are loooking good. Besides, what's wrong with a missile looking flashy...that's pretty much what it's designed to be !

[Dizzyfugu]

The thing looks weird and familiar. It also reminds a lot of a single-seat F-4C/D, while the boxy air intakes look strongly like a Su-15 (where they come from). The Flying Leopard also came to my mind - overall, the thing really has a Chinese look to it. Somehow it also reminds me of the Q/A-5 ground attack derivate from the license-built MiG-19 - just a LOT bigger!

There were even plans and prototypes for naval attack versions with a radar fitted in a wacky nose section...



"My" Su-18 could be the late answer to that!

Anyway, more progress with the nose:

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

Parts of the flanks have also been treated where the air intakes will go. So far, the conversion looks very straightforward!

Another issue is/are the landing gear wells of the Smer kit: they are empty, at best. I have pics of the real aircraft at hand, but I won't scratch anything. Instead I use a transplant from a cookie box blister(!) to fill the void with some structure. With some grey paint and a wash, this should suffice. 

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

More to come soon, stay tuned! 

[NARSES2]

The cookie box blister is a neat idea