SCALE MODEL NEWS

THE HASEGAWA 1:72 scale Sukhoi Su-33 is a decent kit of Russia's premier carrier warplane, and today's video provides some good detail shots, allowing model makers to add extra sparkle to this kit. Box art (below) is to a high standard, and it's no surprise to see that it's been painted by  Shigeo Koike , one of the world's grand masters of aircraft illustration. The Hasegawa kit is not brand new, though it's no worse for that. And at least for the time being, it's the only 1:72 scale kit of the Su-33 available. We found this open-the-box video (below) from Russia. We don't speak the language, but it's interesting to watch, all the same. The model pix here come courtesy Hasegawa, and depict the company's 1:72 offering. It comes with 204 components, and comes with two sets of markings, featuring Tiger and Eagle tail logos. The kit is generally up to Hasegawa's normal standards, and even at the relatively small 1:72 scale, still has an assemble...

SMN report: Pre-orders are now being taken for the Revell 1:72 scale Sukhoi T-50 Stealth combat aircraft, with deliveries of the kit due to start on April 7, 2012. Moving jet nozzles Strictly speaking, we are looking at the PAK FA, which is the flying prototype for the production T-50, due to start rolling out of the factories from 2015. The handsome machine was shown off last August, at the 2011 Russian International Air Show, displaying advanced features that include electronically-controlled vectored engine nozzles, which adjust the angle of the jet exhausts to boost manoeuvrability and improve handling.  Radar-proofing Nano-tech surface materials are used, and Sukhoi claims these enable: “85 percent stealth success” whatever that means! Let’s just say the T-50 - being co-produced with India, incidentally - may be a worthy combat competitor for the current Top Gun, the US F-22 Raptor. Like the Raptor, the T-50 will house weapons internally, as ordnance hung under the wings and ...

David Jefferis reports from the show The SMN crew spent yesterday at the UK’s premier business-orientated aerospace show. The weather was fantastic (which just goes to show how useless the predictions of some iPhone weather apps are...) and it was a real pleasure to watch high-power aerobatics and more genteel flypasts in bright blue skies, with puffy clouds to set them off. Stealthy delta Highlights of the day included new aircraft like the Airbus A400M military airlifter, and old-stagers such as the delta-wing Avro Vulcan, currently maintained in flying order by an enthusiast group, and good for them. The Vulcan’s shape gave it stealth-like abilities long before stealth became a design essential for survival in aerial combat... A380 airliner For model fans, shows like this are fantastic. Wandering round the real machines parked by the flightline reveals so much detail you just never see in photos. And as for weathering, one look at the A380 demo airliner should give you airbrush mode...