1/48 Academy Sukhoi SU-30 MkI

by Suresh Patel

--------------------

 

This is the Academy SU-27UB converted to the SU-30MKI. I finished the kit by adding parts from a donor SU-27 kit that was a spare, with it I added canards and shoulders which were made by adding a couple of spare MIG 25 pylons on to the fuselage for the shoulders and cutting parts of the stabilizers from the donor kit to make the canards and lots of filling and sanding. I made a refuel probe by using the actuator from the air brake. I cheated royally with the nose wheel by simply turning the nose wheel axles from pointing in to out and attaching a couple of spare wheels to it. The mudguard was made by adding a spare piece of mudguard to the existing two pieces. I added rudder extensions by slicing a piece from the donor rudders and again lots of sanding and filling. I made the variable nozzles by slicing the donor nozzles near the root and simply sanding them to an angle, then adding the kit nozzles to them making sure they were about the same size. I moved the IR port by adding the existing front of the port to the back end of a missile and sanding to shape. I replaced the cockpit instruments with MFD’s, but didn’t detail the insides too much. A coat of primer and a coat of Medium Sea Gray, add some IAF decals ( I didn’t add the aircraft numbers as I couldn’t make them very well by myself)…… shake rattle and roll there you have a SU-30MKI !

Suresh

Click on images below to see larger images

  

Photos and text © by Suresh Patel