SU-47 Berkut
I've decided to abandon the idea of building all my aircraft models in 1/32 for two reasons. Firstly, there are a lot of fantastic kits in smaller scales and also there are certain historically important aircraft which have never been released in 1/32. Secondly, my house isn't big enough!
This is the Hobbyboss kit of the Sukhoi SU-47 Berkut ( Golden Eagle ) in 1/72. It's a fairly simple kit but is definitely good value for money for under a tenner!
The project was first launched in back in 1983 but funding from the Soviet air force was frozen when the USSR dissolved. The project continued with sole funding from Sukhoi, with the intention of building a one off to serve as a technology demonstrator. It eventually made it's first flight in 1997.
The jet showcases an advanced fly by wire system and internal weapons stores, features which were later installed into the SU-35BM and the T-50 PAK FA. The forward swept wings were a distinguishing feature of this aircraft allowing great manoeuvrability at sub-sonic speeds. The commander in chief of the Russian air forces claimed in 2014 that research from the SU-47 is still being used for the development of forward swept winged prototypes which will be unveiled in the future.
The actual jet has a black colour scheme, but I wanted to add a ' what if ' element and went for something that entered production. I turned the 01 decal upside down and transformed it into the number 10 plane with a splinter camo. So apologies yet again for defacement!
I might even build it again in the future in it's original markings for that price! Cheers and thanks for looking.
Richard, I like your scheme better. Looks like some science fiction plane!
Thanks for bringing me up to date on this, I've gotten away from the modern stuff.
Thanks Bernard. They do look mega futuristic, but this was twenty years ago still!
Excellent job on that splinter camo scheme, Richard. Did you replicate an existing version or did you "wing it"?
I did a series (F-4, F-15, F-14) with a similar pattern ala Kieth Ferris, but did 'em in my own colors/shapes. Visit my blog and you can see what I mean. Yours came out spectacularly.
Cheers Craig, thanks! I've been wanting to do a splinter scheme since I first seen the F15 you did, I remember all them well!
I done the top half using reference pics from a SU-35 and winged the bottom of the plane.
Well done Richard…..great looking scheme.
Cheers Jack, thanks very much!
Very impressive! And not a kit/subject that one would see built that often. Well done
Thanks very much Martin, much appreciated!
This is a very attractive looking camo scheme on an equally impressive looking aircraft. Well done Richard!
Cheers mate, glad you like it!
Great job! interesting subject.
Thank you Robert, much appreciated!
I'm with you on the space problem, Richard, I'd love to have a go at that Tamiya Mosquito, but what would I do with it afterwards? Nice work on this by the way, very neat.
Cheers George, thanks. I want to buy a house in the next couple of years, but till then I have no idea how much space I'm going to end up with. I still have a couple of 1/32 jets in the stash as well!
Looks great!
Cheers Greg, thank you.
Thats awesome Richard, the striking paint work looks simply great. Congrats !
Cheers mate, thanks very much!
I did not know he was in such a camouflage, well presented, I like it
He wasn't, I just made it up! Cheers mate!