Trumpeter 1/72 Sukhoi Su-27UB
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Overview
When Trumpeter released their 1/72 J-15 kit, many expected a stock Su-27 to follow. Changing things up, Trumpeter has released their 1/72 Su-27, but not as a single seater. This time around, we get the Su-27UB two seater.
The Kit
The kit comes molded in the usual Trumpeter gray plastic and features recessed panel lines, lots of detailing, and plenty of external stores. The decals include markings for several options, a good selection of stenciling, cockpit details, and weapon markings.
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Jumping into the construction, the cockpit is the first stop. This features two nice looking ejection seats and a pair of control sticks. The instrument panels fit into the upper fuselage half, and both the instrument panels and side consoles are detailed via decal. Under a closed canopy, this should be adequate, but for those wanting more detail, it would probably be best to seek out aftermarket resin and/or photoetch.
With the interior done, construction happens very quickly. With two exhaust pieces inserted into the lower fuselage half, along with the cockpit, the top fuselage half can be glued in place and immediately this model is looking like an Su-27. Upper fuselage details include an open airbrake, while the lower fuselage gets a complex yet nicely done air intake assembly. This includes separate splitter plates, engine face, and antenna bits. The completed intake sits over the wheel well, covering up the one error that's tough to fix: the wheel wells are at the wrong angle. This really is not very noticeable, though, so it's easy to pass this one up.
The landing gear is nicely done, with the nose wheel featuring a separate wheel that is trapped between the halves of the fender. This is a nice touch, as it will look much better than if it was molded together. The main gear is simpler, but still captures the look of the original. The nose cone is separate, so you can wait until you get the model on its landing gear legs before adding nose weight (if needed). The remaining construction consists of adding the vertical and horizontal fins, canopy and upper cockpit details, exhausts, and weapon pylons.
For weapons, the kit comes with six R-27R, six R-27T, and six R-73E missiles. Both of the R-27 missile types come with two separate rear fins and two separate front fins, while the R-73 has two separate rear fins. This will simplify assembly while maintaining a consistent appearance across all of the fins. The loadout diagram on the back of the instructions indicates that the plane can carry four R-73Es and six R-27s (all of one or a mix of the two). A full load will really look impressive.
For decals, these are comprehensive and well done. There are two options provided: Red 58 and Red 64. The markings are mostly the same between the two, although Red 64 features eyes on the nose and a hawk on the tail. The separate decal sheet for the missile markings also includes markings for the launch rails. All together, the decals in this kit will create a very realistic and attractive model.
Conclusion
This is a very nice kit to have, as it is an accurate and detailed Su-27UB. My thanks to Stevens International for the review sample.