PAK FA

Modelling the Sukhoi T50

'Centroplane' - made from thick plastic card....

.... with the cut-down wings from a Hobby Boss F-22 Raptor....

.... and the engine nacelles from a Flanker.

I made a vertical profile - and added the flat centroplane to either side...

Flat top surfaces added - with sloping sides being attached.

Top of fuselage 'planked in'

Plastic card added to create sloping centre section - plus engine nacelles...

White nacelle is from an old Nakotne Flanker kit - the grey section is from the Revell Flanker.

I decided to re-skin the front fuselage sloping sides with thicker plastic card.

The flat-bottomed underside has been added.....

....complete with sloping sides. I have used Green Stuff to blend in the curved edges.......

.... which has to be done before I can add the lower engine nacelles (temporarily in place here).

The first crude application of Milliput - to blend in the wing roots, fuselage and engine nacelles.

As soon as it sets, there comes a marathon sanding/re-filling/sanding session.

First sanding session on the port side reveals that I have got the leading edge too low where it meets the fuselage.

Pencil lines drawn on to highlight the curves.

'Canard' and Hobby Boss F-22 wing temporarily attached - this highlights where the root of the canard is too low.

Leading edge fixed with more Milliput - which is then sanded smooth. It all loks great until you apply a coat of primer....

....which reveals dozens of areas to fix.

While the top surface filler is hardening, I turned to the underside. The cut-down Nakotne engine nacelles are added.

I have also added the boundary layer diverter between the wing surface and the intake roof....

....then more plastic card to form the intake roof.

I am bodging the intakes from a Revell Su-27 to make the T50 intakes. Here the inner wall is added.

The outer sides of the intakes - cut down from the Revell parts.

Port side intake almost completed - it still needs a bit of 'fettling'.

This view of the starboard intake shows the two side walls - cut down from the Revell kit.

I can even use the Hobby Boss F-22 canopy - suitably cut down.

Cut-down Hobby Boss Raptor wings attached.

The horizontal stabilators will be carved from thick plastic card.

Russian resin kit of PAK FA

Revised intakes under construction....

Old intakes at top, new, straighter intakes at bottom.

Much better!!

Underside just about complete..

Hasegawa jetpipes added.

Horizontal stabs cut from thick plastic card - shaped to airfoil section at top.

Making the TVC nozzles - Hasegawa Su-27 cans with plastic tubing for the 'lobsterback' section

The 'gubbins' under the wingroots - possibly housing IR missiles.

Fin root fairings from plastic card - fins are cut-down Airfix Su-27 horizontal stabs.

Hasegawa Su-27 mainlegs - modified to have an angled top section.

Nearly there......

Revised upper engine nacelles.

Final primer coat.

Ready for painting.

Painting started - grey is acrylic car spray can, yellow is Humbrol enamel.

It still needs more work - and tidying up!

Fins temporarily attached.

Finished PAK FA...

Coming soon from Russia !! ...

Resin model of PAK FA - in 1:72 scale.

It should be available at the end of May 2010.

Ken Duffey

February 2010