1/48 OEZ Sukhoi Su-25

by Ricardo Cornejo Z.

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History

The development of the Su-25 began in 1968, and the first prototype, designated T-8-1, flew on February 22, 1975 with Vladimir Ilyushin in the control. This prototype to be selected for the manufacture in series after competing and conquering Ilyushin IL-102. In 1977 it received the provisional name RAM-J when a North American satellite obtained photos of bad quality on the center of tests of flight Ramenskoye, (at present, Zhukovsky). This airplane attack was designed specifically for missions of nearby support, that is to say to ground, his principal targets are tanks, armored cars, fortifications, hangars etc.

The versions of series are equipped by two turbojets without post combustion Tumansky R-95Sh, an internal cannon bi pipe of 30 mm, 10 stations under the wings to load a maximum of 4.000 kg (bombs, not guided rockets, pods with cannons, missiles against car, even missiles air-air for self-defense). Also have shielding of titanium for the pilot and other important areas of the plane.

Besides there was constructed the version instruction two seat that there preserves the capacity of attack of the one seat, it is designated Su-25UB, and has the second seat in tandem for the instructor.

The Su-25 is (or it was) used by the air Forces of Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, North Korea, Perú, Russia, Ukrania.

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Kit

Injected of the plastic it has a detailed low acceptable relief, and the proportions of the pieces are good. A whole of 154 pieces has in gray plastic more 9 transparences (one seat), and 166 + 9 in the instruction version, respectively. It is not a too complex kit to assemble but it is necessary to align correctly the nacelles of the reactors with regard to the fuselage due to the fact that they are assembled separately. The same thing happens with the fin or tail. The transparent covering of the cabin is two pieces in the one seat and one piece in the instruction version and they are of good quality. 

Cockpit

The panel of instruments is a piece injected in transparent plastic (both versions) what allows to simulate the details of the clocks in the later face. The floor, the stick of control and the lateral consoles simulate well the interior but the seat, in my opinion, it is not very exact, I used copies in resin of seats Verlinden for the one seat and instruction version. The result is much more real! The color interior of the cockpit is Light Grey, the black satiny seat and the badge armoured on the seat (Light grey blue). Also I added the beams or frames in the internal face of the covering of the cockpits and inside the frontal panel of the windscreen, in both kits. The stairs of access to the cabins were constructed in two versions with plasticard white. The badges to support the feet and periscope in the rear seat for the instructor version, idem method.

Fuselage and Tail

Before joining with glue the halves, it is necessary to assemble the cockpit and add weight inside the nose. The wedge is not perfect but applying putty in few quantity, a good result is obtained. For a firmer union of the leeway, I preferred doing two holes in the fuselage and adding two points of support in the base of the leeway. To give more realism I cut the vertical ailerons of this one. 

Nacelles of the turbojets

The quartering is slightly complex (8 pieces each one) but it is ideal because it brings the pipeline towards the turbine composed of two halves, these pieces must be done with light grey. Due to this there is seen the piece that simulates the compressor of the reactor (color metal). The nozzles come detailed with two pieces in the shape of star of 5 tops, I painted these pieces mixing aluminium, black, red and yellow. 

Wings

The ailerons and slats are not separated pieces but I decided to cut the external ailerons and the ailerons (for the planes of tail, of the one seat only). It is an extra, a bit complicated work, but that offers excellent results!. They exist kits scale 1/72 of the Su-25 with the aerial brake in the wings tip with the option ‘open or enclosures’, nevertheless kits OEZ only brings them in position 'closed'.

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Undercarriage

The principal paws are thick and his four joints or arms represent well the structure of the undercarriage. The wheels of the principal train come in two halves and on having joined them, have the correct thickness. The front wheel is of the only one piece and the paw comes in two halves. The undercarriages, the wells and the internal faces of the lids are in light grey. 

Weapon

Both kits bring enough variety of armament to install in 5 supports under every wing. In the one seat I installed (from the internal support) a pod bi-pipe SPPU-22 with cannons retractable of 23 mm (aluminium), not guided rocket B8M1 (aluminium), a free fall bomb of 250 kg and a missile air to air R-60 (satiny white).

In the two seat version: a missile guided by laser air-to-ground Kh-25ML (satiny white), this missile does not come in kit, I used and modified one similar content in kit Su-17M4 OEZ 1/48; not guided rocket S-24 and a missile R-60 in the external support. 

Scheme of colors and Decals

Due to the fact that only I use paintings of the type acrylic lacquers for cars, I do not have the codes or numbers of the colors applied in my kits, except in the interiors (Humbrol) as cabin, wells of the undercarriage, nozzles etc.

For the version one seat I chose an interesting scheme used in the war of Afghanistan, plane with the code red 04 with white line of outline. To the standard camouflage of factory of this copy sand and average green added irregular spots in color. The code red 04 after operating in Afghanistan served in ex-RDA where after the over aull red 30 was re-registered by the code. The code 04 was painted directly on the fuselage with airbrush. The emblem of the archer in the leeway was painted by brush on a piece of transparent decal.

In the two seat version I used a scheme (three view) appeared in Internet, I ignore the exact link. The colors are a sand, kaki, pale gray and pale blue-gray in the low surfaces. The emblem of the bear to the sides of the nose was painted by brush in a piece of transparent decal. I liked this scheme more than other camouflages standard of the two seat versions, it is beyond the common.

The sheet of decals brings many records and technical legends (around 100!). It is possible to choose of a series of numbers to decorate the nose of kit, so much for the Russian or Czech version. You trace them they are of good quality, his adhesion is good and his colors are intense and without displacement. 

Conclusion

I think that the best and most precise kit 1/48 of the Su-25 is the OEZ. A pity that this Czech firm already does not continue editing kits of Soviet airplanes in 1/48. I do not know still kit Revell.

The precision of the models OEZ like the Mig-21, Su-7 and Su-17 is extraordinary and I believe, it was the result of a meticulous study realized to the real airships in service in the Czech Air Force. 

Ricardo

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Photos and text © by Ricardo Cornejo Z.