New year, new project.
A&A released a 1:72 model of this very unique looking aircraft last year. Having its roots basically in WW2 era Il-2 Sturmovik attack aircraft, it is so much more bizzare, that this aircraft of archaic looking design was still marketed in early 1990s. Only one flying prototype was made, which made around 250 flights in period between 1982 and 1984 when engines livese expired. The aircraft can now be seen as one of the gate guards at Gromov Research Center at Zhukovski, Russia.
The aircraft being of quite a modular design, I've decided to skip the usual assembly flow of starting with the cockpit and tackled the engine nacelles first. The engines are designed to include the full length intakes and exhausts.
While the turbine blades look convincing enough, I was less impressed by the intake itself. Composed of two halves, the plastic was too wide to fit around the curvature of the turbine. I ended up shaving away around 1mm of plastic on each mating surface to achieve a fit. However this worsens the seam itself which will have to be carefully puttied and sanded from the inside. A job I am not really looking forward.
While turbine blades are normally of a darker metallic colour, I normally paint them in a much brighter aluminum and put on a black wash to accentuate the shadows. The reason is, that these parts are sitting deep in the intakes where little light reaches them and are thus more visible.
The whole engine assembly dryfitted to the interior of the engine nacelle half. While the intake parts itself had a more serious fitting issue, the middle connecting tube and the exhaust itself were much better fit. Especially the latter with a single piece outside part helps to hide any seams on the inside.
Il-102 main landing gear was stowed in such gondolas. Multipiece affair but it goes together rather well and fits perfectly into the wings. Also nicely detailed with combination of raised rivets, engraved lines and delicate interior frame work.
So, if you wish to pose open bomb bays, you have to cut the doors out of the lower wing half; Just carefully follow the engraved line with a scriber and you'll be fine.
The result of the cut bomb bay doors. Pretty neat result with the help of that engraved line on the inner side.
You have an option to either build the aircraft with closed or open bomb bays. If you choose the later, you have to install the bomb bay sidewalls onto the inner side of upper wing half. Again like MLG gondola, nice interior detail and perfect fit.
