1/72 Italeri Su-34

by Dima Mudrakou

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I became excited to begin my next model,  but I decided to challenge myself and move to a new level.  I had been studying the Su-34 and decided to make it my next project and chose the less than perfect 1/72 Italeri model of this jet.  I was determined to build a high quality model using the Italeri kit.

The model was finished using images and text from "Aeroplan" magazine from Belarus.  I also used photos of an "Su-34" by a publishing house "Poligon" and numerous photos from the Internet.  To me the plane with onboard number "45", Су-34 serial is the one I liked the most and this is the variant I chose to build as my model.

I used a cockpit from NeOmega, wheels from Elf and a photo etched set from Interavia.

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First of all, I began with the landing gear.  I used some ideas from this Russian article (it has detail photos of the landing gear) by Andrey Kapinus (http://gallery.rumodelism.com/gallery/img17/m353.shtml).
You can get this article translated by going here...
http://babelfish.altavista.com and entering the above URL into the box.  The technique is to use wire and attach it to the landing gear to replicate the hydraulic lines on the landing gear.  This wire is held in place with tiny "U" shaped brackets inserted into the landing gear (see the article for photos in the above link).  Missing details on the nosegear were added including the correct fender for landing on dirt landing strips.

The time has come to begin the fuselage.  After studying the instructions, I decided to insert pieces of plastic card 1mm thick at each end of the fuselage in the area behind the wings.  Excess card was trimmed away and remaining card was sanded smooth and polished.  The tails of the Kiel were moved apart to achieve the desired look.

Now I had to detail the nose gear well, by cutting and positioning the gear doors and scratchbuilding a new gear well.  I also decided to scratchbuild a new folding ladder.

Now I assembled and painted and weathering the NeOmega cockpit and installed it into the top part of the fuselage.  On a back wall inside the cockpit the entrance door is made which is visible through the entrance hatch.

On the top part of the fuselage I cut out a opening for the refueling probe.  I also cut
apertures for the cooling and ventilation of the gun.  Apertures for air intakes on the motor covers and the fuselage were also cut out. I glued the canopy after previously covering it with Tamiya tape.

On the bottom part of the fuselage I altered the air intakes.  I cut slots on the air intake channels for the engines for the air and shutter of adjustment of the air flow.  I also corrected the gap between the wing and air intakes as a wedge. Inside the air intakes I glued entrance channels for the engines from a set off a Nakotne/Zvezda Su-27,after I had removed them from the donor kit and resized them to fit my Italeri model.   On the topside of the air intake channels I made apertures. Now looking inside the air intakes you can see these just like the opening to the air intakes on the real plane and there are no holes from above inside channels. I removed the weapons attachment pylons and will attach new more accurate ones according to reference drawings.  On the exterior of the engine compartments I glued thin sheet plastic to simulate certain access covers.

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After gluing, half the fuselage was inserted into the nose and cut out as per the drawings with my X-Acto knife.

After some consideration, I decided to alter all panel lines on model according to drawings.  I scribed panel lines for access hatches.  Any panel lines that were sanded off were re-scribed.

I then tuned may attention to the tail beam. This area should be shortened according to the drawings, as this area is too long. Panel lines on the beam were altered, and she was safely glued into place.

The wings were altered and I dropped slats and flaps. On the underside of the wing root I made details for the amplification of the wing, which are well visible in photos. Where it was required, I altered panel lines and access covers panel lines to match those on the real plane. The front stabilizers were cut to the correct size. The transition on the fuselage from the base of the forward stabilizers to the wing was slightly curved.

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After comparing the Kiel tail to the drawing, I realised, that it was not that necessary.
The solution was found rather easily. I had a Kiel tail from a Nakotne/Zvezda Su-27 model, so I used that tail after studying the drawings and put the kit tail aside for possible use on another future model. It was necessary to alter the air intakes, front
fires and the aerials on Kiel tail. 

The stabilizers too were corrected. The headache arose where the part on the stabilizer that enters into a groove on the Kiel tail.  As I wanted to have my stabilizers tilted upwards as they are on parked planes, it was necessary  to cut all new details for the stabilizer attachment parts from slices of plastic.  At this point in the assembly process, I focused on the landing gear bays.  I added basic details and I cut an opening for the emission of a gun near the right air channel (on flight).

I didn't attach weapons yet, once I can find some accurate rockets and other better weapons for this plane, then I shall install them. The pylons for the weapons under the wings were not installed but the attachment holes are present on the wing, but the underwing pylons aren't always installed on this plane as can be seen on many reference photos.  I might install these at a later date.  I did install the weapons pylons under the engines as you can see in the photos.

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Before paint, I applied a base coat of primer from Hobby+Plus.  Colour paints were from the magnificent Russian paints from АКАN, and I'd like to send special thanks to my Moscow colleague Sergey Kulikov for his knowledge and helping me with the purchase.  Radiotransparent parts under the plane and landing gear wells were painted first. Then they were masked with tape and the main colours were applied.  After it was painted, looking at a photo, in my opinion, it turned out not too bad and looked authentic enough.

I then applied a gloss coat to apply the decals.  I only applied stencils that I saw in my reference photo.  I painted the panels of the gun, engines and exhaust nozzles using Model Master metalizer paints. I easily blackened the panel lines with the help of petrol Zippo and oil paint. In end the model was covered with a layer matt.

The moment of installation of all the fine details and landing gear has come. The fine details and aerials were made of a wire and thin plastic, all this was glued in place and they were tinted where it was necessary.

From photo etch, I made a ladder, painted it and the landing gear was inserted into the nosegear opening.  Time spent on the assembly of this model took approximately  one half-year, with breaks to rest after labour-consuming operations. How it turned out is for you to judge my friends.


Best regards!
Dima  from  Belarus

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Photos and text © by Dima Mudrakou