Mistercraft Su-22m4/R 'Desert Storm' 1/72 ***FINISHED***

[iggie]

I'm not sure why I started this alongside my on-going Jaguar, as I normally only ever work on one kit at a time, but here it is; the monstrosity delight that is the Mistercraft Su22. It will be hammered into shape crafted into an Iraqi version such as might have been seen (briefly) bugging out in the general direction of Iran as our chaps were heading into Dodge!
The instructions appear to relate to an entirely different kit; witness the detail shown on the bang-seat on paper compared to that which can be clearly not seen on the kit parts... No location pins anywhere, flash to make you blink, and clunky approximations of details such as undercarriage etc
Oh well!
The 'barf-green' is a home-brew (not as tasty as Arcwelder's beer I would guess) of one part Humbrol 5003 'Buckingham Green' and 4 parts Humbrol 248 'Himmelblue'; I'm quite pleased with it although it could have been a tad paler..

[DavidWomby]

Looks a big beast!!

David

[iggie]

Cheers David; yes, it's certainly a big lump!
Further progress:
It's all stuck together....I'm not going to spend ages trying to make the paint job a masterpiece (not going to happen anyway even if I tried! ) as the kit itself isn't worth it. So I'm brush painting with light blue lower fuselage and wing surfaces, and then a dark green base topsides with the darkest brown I can find for the camo on top....
The assembled lump with green base-coat; 2nd coat to go

[iggie]

And at risk of waking up those of you snoring at the back, the beast progresses.....
Green second coated, and dark brown applied. 'Radome' green added to panels on tail, spine and beneath nose (you won't see that 'cos underneath is a bit of a shambles) and a gloss varnish added ready for decals and a bit of touching up here and there

[splash]

I'm awake honest Guvnor, is that enamel or acrylics your using?

[iggie]

I'm awake honest Guvnor, is that enamel or acrylics your using?

Acrylic; the green in a Humbrol RLM 70 Schwartzgrun and the brown is Tamiya XF10 Flat Brown....I might try to pick out some panel edges in a lightened version of each to represent the wear that is seen on these old planes:

[shangos70]

Quick work again Iggie, I have one of these and thought about the group build but as you have said it will take a fair bit of bashing together and I haven't got a great track record of building to a timescale. Given the amount of Soviet era aircraft they are a bit lacking when it comes to modern kits. Airfix should do a couple to offset the new Swift / Harrier.

[iggie]

I have to say that the low parts count certainly speeds up the assembly process! Although if you were to go by the instructions you'd be forgiven for thinking the build would take longer because of all the fine detail.....NOT!

Anyway, yet more (relentless ain't it?) progress:
Final paint touch-ups, some bare metal panels added, and decals on....I have to confess that the numbering below the cockpit isn't prototypical, but I added it for a splash of colour! There are no stencils...at all...despite the aircraft being covered in them according to the box-art Oh well..
Still to do: Pitot x 2 on nose, weathering and matt varnish, possibly some weaponry but unlikely as most that escaped to Iran were flown in unarmed (wise move I suspect given the then recent animosity between the two countries )

[Purplethistle]

Not hanging about, are you? Damn fine work you've done on that

[DavidWomby]

Now that's turned out really well (but I still think it's an ugly plane).

David

[iggie]

And that's a wrap!
Grubbied it up a bit with some Flory Sand wash, but the panels lines were only ever really an impression so they've not held the wash well....slapped a matt varnish on, plus pitot tubes at the sharp end. Not the best kit ever, and certainly not my best effort either, but it looks like a Fitter so it'll have to do!

[Purplethistle]

You can't get quicker than an Iggie Fitter!
(re-tread of an old UK tv advert)

Nice silk-pursery there

[splash]

You can't get quicker than an Iggie Fitter!
(re-tread of an old UK tv advert)

Nice silk-pursery there

I agree.

[Old_Tonto]

Great build Iggie. She is a big girl!

[MDT]

Nice result Iggie. Quite like the old 'Fitter', the staple of most Russian supplied forces...and it's still knocking around in numbers.