[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:200 Boeing 757-200 G-STRX "Ed Force One" The Final Frontier World Tour 2010-11 (Herpa)

That is pretty cool. Still remember the day when my wife and i landed at Bangalore aiport for the maiden concert and we saw Ed Force One parked at the airport and i near on lost my mind.

Epic stuff

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

If only an Air India A319 was available, it would have completed the Air India A320 family.

I guessing you have the complete current Air India fleet apart from the the A319 that too all in 1:200.

A photoshoot is definitely due

Does any manufacturer make an Air India A319 in 1:200? I'm guessing it would be very rare. I see its available in 1:400.

[sajands]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

That is pretty cool. Still remember the day when my wife and I landed at Bangalore airport for the maiden concert and we saw Ed Force One parked at the airport and I near on lost my mind.

When did Ed Force One land in Bangalore? There was no news about this anywhere..... Man, you should have clicked some pics if possible

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

I guessing you have the complete current Air India fleet apart from the the A319 that too all in 1:200.

Yes. Pretty much so.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

A photoshoot is definitely due

Yes, am planning to. The weather over here is pretty miserable. Dark, wet and cold for the past 4-5 days. Hoping for the weather to clear up to do a photoshoot of a 1:72 jet I got recently too. With Rain, Thunder & Lightning around, it won't be ideal to do a photoshoot in the open, unless I wish to get whacked by a Thunderbolt.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Does any manufacturer make an Air India A319 in 1:200? I'm guessing it would be very rare. I see its available in 1:400.

No one made an AI A319 in 1:200 scale, which is a pity because that it is the only one left that would complete AI's A320 family fleet. Aeroclassics made a 1:400 A319 in the "Indian" Livery.

Originally Posted by sajands

When did Ed Force One land in Bangalore? There was no news about this anywhere..... Man, you should have clicked some pics if possible

They did do a standalone concert in Bangalore much before their Somewhere Back in Time Tour in 2008(in which they visited Mumbai). May be from then or May be a stopover at BLR during their 2008 tour enroute to Australia?

[skanchan95]

1:72 Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II VMFA-211 "Wake Island Avengers"/"Bastion Defenders", United States Marine Corps (Hobbymaster)

The F-35B Lightning II is the VSTOL(Vertical and/or Short Take-off & Landing) variant of the F-35 and features a vertical lift fan and pivoting engine nozzle to deliver vertical landing and short takeoff capability(
very similar to and rumored to be a direct & much improved copy of the technology from the Yak-38 & 141). The F-35B is a direct replacement for Harrier IIs that were operational around the world.

Unlike the F-35 & C variants, the F-35B has no landing hook. The "STOVL/HOOK" control instead engages conversion between normal and vertical flight.

The B variant is considerably “fatter” and bulkier than the F-35A as a result of the integration of the lift fan. The image below overlays the fuselage shape of the F-35A over the F-35B, with the B being in orange. As a result of the increased frontal profile, the B has more drag.


This makes it slower to accelerate and harder to turn. Practically, the F-35B takes approximately eighteen more seconds to accelerate from Mach 0.8 to Mach 1.2 compared to the F-35A.

The increased profile and different weight also affects the potential turn rate, but practically, the F-35B is limited to pulling 7Gs maximum to avoid damage to internal components.

The B also has less internal fuel, but this is to be expected as it has additional parts that take up space in the fuselage that the A doesn’t. This limits its effective combat range versus the A, but it still is far superior to the other VSTOL aircraft that preceded it.

Weapons-wise, there are a few small but important differences between the F-35A and F-35B. The most obvious one is the omission of the gun at the wing root on the F-35B due to the different fuselage shape.The F-35B instead can carry the GAU-22/A Avenger Gunpod on the centerline station with a stealthy fairing. This pod can carry an additional forty rounds versus the F-35A’s internal gun, and could potentially be more accurate as it’s directly center relative to the HUD and cockpit.

The weapons that the F-35B can carry internally are also different than the F-35A. Again, due to different requirements and fuselage shapes, the internal weapon bays of the F-35B carry less weight than the F-35A.

The biggest implication is that the F-35B cannot carry the massive two-thousand-pound bombs stealthily, in order to employ them they must be hung from the external weapon pylons. Most of the United States’ “bunker-buster” bombs weigh that much, so the F-35B would not be able to perform a stealthy mission against a deep hardened target, whereas the F-35A would.

The two and ten pylons on the wings also can carry less weight, so the F-35B has less overall munitions capability than the F-35A in that regard as well. However, it’s unlikely that the F-35B would want to operate at its max load in the first place given that it cannot vertically land with the maximum weight. If the F-35B took off with the maximum takeoff weight, it either would have to expend its stores in combat or jettison them before landing.

All of these limitations may make it seem like the F-35B once in flight is by and large just a worse version of the F-35A. While this is true, it’s important to consider the roles of the aircraft. The F-35B is far closer in capability to the F-35A than the AV-8B was to the F-16C.

The AV-8B couldn’t even go supersonic, it had significantly fewer hardpoints, and its radar, while decent was worse than the F-16C. The F-35B, by comparison, is pretty much the same aircraft as the A, with just some limitations on maneuverability and weapons. It features the same top-notch sensor systems, radar, and datalink capabilities that the A brings to the table.

The F-35B was designed to operate from austere bases and a range of air-capable ships with its short takeoff/vertical landing capability, the F-35B can also takeoff and land conventionally from longer runways on major bases. F-35Bs have been delivered to the U.S. Marines, Royal Navy/Air Force( jointly operated), Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) and Marina Militare(Italian Navy).

The F-35B has a Lift Fan just behind the cockpit and am engine nozzle that can swivel 90 degrees when in short takeoff/vertical landing mode. Because of the Lift Fan, the F-35B variant has a smaller internal weapon bay and less internal fuel capacity than the F-35A. Unlike the F-35A, the F-35B uses the probe and drogue method of aerial refueling.

The F-35's low observable stealth allows it to safely enter areas without being seen by radars that 4th generation fighters cannot evade. The combination of the stealth features, the F-35’s active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar technology, and the aircraft’s ability to carry weapons internally means the F-35 can engage ground targets at long ranges without detection and use precision weapons to successfully complete air-to-ground missions.

F-35's Lift Fan
The Rolls-Royce LiftSystem, together with the F135 engine, is an aircraft propulsion system designed for use in the STOVL variant of the F-35 Lightning II.

The Pratt & Whitney F135 is an afterburning turbofan developed for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, a single-engine strike fighter.

The F135 family has several distinct variants; a conventional, forward thrust variant and a multi-cycle Short Take-Off Vertical Landing STOVL variant that includes a forward lift fan.

There are 3 F-135 variants: the -100 engine, -400 engine, and the -600 engine.

The -400 is similar to the -100, the major difference being the use of salt-corrosion resistant materials.

The -600 is described below with an explanation of the engine configuration changes that take place for hovering.

The engine and Rolls-Royce LiftSystem make up the Integrated Lift Fan Propulsion System (ILFPS).

The lift for the STOVL version in the hover is obtained from a 2-stage lift fan (about 46%) in front of the engine, a vectoring exhaust nozzle (about 46%), and a nozzle in each wing using fan air from the bypass duct(about 8%).



There are two primary components that provide the vertical lift necessary for hover – the LiftFan and 3-Bearing Swivel Module (3BSM).

The LiftFan is mounted horizontally right behind the cockpit. As the aircraft transitions to hover mode, two doors open on top of the aircraft and the two counter-rotating fans blow about 20,000 pounds of unheated air straight down, producing almost half of the downward thrust needed for a pure hover mode.

The majority of the remaining vertical thrust is provided by the 3BSM at the rear of the aircraft. With the ability to swivel ninety-five degrees downward in just two and half seconds, the 3BSM can direct up to 18,000 pounds of heated thrust from the engine exhaust.

For stabilization and control, there are also two roll posts under the wings that provide approximately 10 percent (up to 2,000 pounds each) of the downward thrust drawn from engine air flow.

Most importantly, the two roll posts are used to control aircraft attitude, or its orientation in relation to the earth, in the roll axis.

The exhaust areas of the two roll posts can be varied independently.

The posts, therefore, control roll by expelling different amounts of thrust between the two sides of the aircraft.




Lt Col Chris "Otis" Raible's Heroism
In April 2012, VMA-211 "The Wake Island Avengers", then equipped with AV-8B Harrier IIs deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in April 2012. They moved from Kandahar Airfield to British-run Camp Bastion in July 2012. The squadron's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Christopher "Otis" Raible, was the first to land at Camp Bastion.

The Taliban raided Camp Bastion on the night of 14 September 2012. The base hosted British, American, Danish and Tongan military personnel at the time of the attack.

Lt. Col. Raible was nearing the end of his combat deployment in Afghanistan. Just after 2200 local time, Lt. Col Raible was returning from dinner after flying a combat mission in an AV-8B Harrier earlier that day. Fifteen Taliban insurgents wearing stolen U.S. uniforms infiltrated Camp Bastion’s security perimeter and attacked U.S. Marine AV-8B Harriers parked inside the compound using rocket-propelled grenades , machine guns and suicide vests.

In response after insuring the safety of his Marines, Lt. Col. Raible, armed only with a sidearm, hurried to the area of the attack. Lt. Col. Raible determined the well-organized insurgent force had split into three groups: two tasked with destroying Marine AV-8B Harriers and the third group moving to kill U.S. Marines in their sleep.

Lt. Col. Raible ran 100-yards across open area under insurgent fire and rallied a group of aircraft maintenance personnel to mount a counter attack against the insurgents. Armed only with a handgun, Lt. Col. Raible’s swift, aggressive action temporarily stopped the Taliban insurgent attack and enabled Marines to organize an effective counterattack that lasted over four hours. The counterattack by the Marines eventually neutralized the infiltrating insurgents after they had destroyed six AV-8B Harriers. Unfortunately, Marines Lt. Col. Chris Raible and Sgt. Bradley Atwell were killed during the counter-offensive. It was also the greatest loss of U.S. Marine aircraft since the Vietnam War.O ne Marine wounded during the attack later told a reporter about Lt. Col. Raible’s gallantry, “My commanding officer never feared death and would want us to keep fighting. That’s what he would do.”

The Taliban claimed that the raid was in response to the film, Innocence of Muslims, and have also stated that Prince Harry, who was stationed at the base at the time, was the target of the attack. To replace the aircraft lost in the attack, the USMC deployed 14 Harriers to Afghanistan 36 hours after the raid.

After returning from Afghanistan, VMA-211 conducted their last AV-8B Harrier flight on 6 May 2016 and received their first two F-35B Lightning IIs on 9 May. On 30 June 2016, VMA-211 was redesignated as VMFA-211, becoming the second fleet squadron in the Marine Corps to operate the F-35B Lightning II as their primary aircraft.

In September 2018, VMFA-211 deployed aboard USS Essex as part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group deployed to the United States Central Command area of operations. On 27 September 2018, the squadron's F-35Bs from USS Essex carried out an air strike using a precision-guided bomb against a Taliban position in Afghanistan, marking the first US combat use of the F-35. It was this strike Successful Strike that Honored that the squadron's former CO - Lt Col Raible. Lt. Col Chris “Otis” Raible’s name was painted on one of the F-35B's in the strike force to honor his memory an the remarkable story of hus heroism while commanding the very same unit that flew this historic first U.S. F-35 strike.

On the other side of the aircraft, it carried the name of Major Henry Talmage "Hammerin' Hank" Elrod. Maj. Elrod was the first Marine airman to be awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II. On December 4, 1941, then Captain Elrod of VMF-211 flew to Wake Island with twelve F4F-3 Wildcats, twelve pilots, and the ground crew of fighter squadron, VMF-211. Hostilities in the air over Wake Island commenced on December 8, 1941. On December 12, he single-handedly attacked a flight of 22 enemy planes and shot down two. He executed several low-altitude bombing and strafing runs on enemy ships; during one of these attacks, he became the first man to sink a warship, the Japanese destroyer Kisaragi, dropping bombs onto the destroyer's stern, causing the depth charges to explode.

Over the next few days, when all the U.S. aircraft had been destroyed by Japanese fire either on the ground or int the air, he organized remaining troops into a beach defense unit which repulsed repeated Japanese attacks. On December 23, 1941, Captain Elrod was mortally wounded while protecting his men who were carrying ammunition to a gun emplacement. The Japanese eventually captured the Island.

Capt. Elrod was posthumously promoted to Major on November 8, 1946, and his widow was presented with the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the defense of Wake Island. This is how VMF-211 were bestowed with the name "Wake Island Avengers" for the heroism of the squadron during the Battle of Wake Island.















Bomb markings & Cannon firing markings on the nose gear door:














The Terma A/S multi-mission pod (MMP) carrying the GAU-22/A cannon and 220 rounds; mounted on the centerline of the aircraft and shaped to reduce its radar cross-section. In lieu of the gun, the pod can also be used for different equipment and purposes, such as electronic warfare, aerial reconnaissance, or rear-facing tactical radar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbrmnsAJUWg

[skanchan95]

VSTOL Mode




























For lateral stability and roll control, bypass air from the engine is used in a roll-post nozzle in each wing. For pitch control, the areas of exhaust nozzle and LiftFan inlet are varied while keeping the total lift constant. Yaw control is achieved by yawing the thrust vectoring nozzle at the rear of the aircraft. Forward, and also backward, motion is controlled by tilting the thrust vectoring nozzle and vanes in the LiftFan variable area vane box nozzle

[skanchan95]

Lightning does strike Twice














The F-35B's canopy is smaller. The space behind the cockpit is occupied by the Lift Fan on the F-35B, which makes it to look as if the F-35B's pilot sits lower than is the case for the F-35A & F-35C — but it doesn't.




My Marine Fighter Wing














The Original Jumpjet and it's spiritual Successor

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

[u]1:72 Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II VMFA-211

Splendid model with a lot of details. Interesting to see the panels can be opened and the engine details are present inside.

Originally Posted by skanchan95

very similar to and rumored to be a direct & much improved copy of the technology from the Yak-38 & 141).

This fact is not well known and was kept under wraps for a long time, probably Lockheed Martin didn't want to give credit to the Soviets.

Air Force Magazine even mentioned the Yak connection in a 1998 feature on Joint Strike Fighter after Lockheed’s F-35 was selected for production.

“The swiveling rear exhaust is a licensed design from the Yakovlev design bureau in Russia, which tried it out on the Yak-141 STOVL fighter. It was all or nothing … If the propulsion concept didn’t work, we obviously weren’t going to be competitive.” Daniels, the Boeing executive, said the lift fan concept was “probably the single most important feature” of the competition.”

The Yak-141 was a technological marvel for the 1980s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R18uBA-QfY&t=308s

From the comments section:

Both have:
-Single duct fan in the middle
-Dual tail rudders
-Same design Thrust vectoring nozzle


Yak 141: f 35, I am your father.

F35: Noooooooooo!!!

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Splendid model with a lot of details. Interesting to see the panels can be opened and the engine details are present inside.

Yes, I dare say HM's F-35B is their most complex model to assemble. Even the internal weapon bays are modelled but I was too lazy(and hesitant) to attempt that.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

This fact is not well known and was kept under wraps for a long time, probably Lockheed Martin didn't want to give credit to the Soviets.

Yes, Lockheed improved upon that tech and aced the stablity of the aircraft by adding roll nozzles on the wings for stability and that is one the reasons why the F-35B looks so stable and effortless while landing vertically.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Yak 141: f 35, I am your father.

F35: Noooooooooo!!!

Indeed

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

The Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut (Russian: Сухой Су-47 Беркут, lit. 'Golden Eagle') (NATO reporting name Firkin), also designated S-32 and S-37

The rarest of the rare. This aircraft offers a tantalizing glimpse of what we could have expected had the USSR survived. The aircraft has that deadly predator look. Must read up on forward swept wings. Foxbat, did you assemble and paint the model. Congratulations on another unique model for your collection and thanks for sharing it on this thread. I wonder where the aircraft is now. I hope it got preserved.

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:200 Boeing 757-200 G-STRX "Ed Force One" The Final Frontier World Tour 2010-11 (Herpa)

In continuation of my earlier post about the Iron Maiden 747, I got my hands on another Iron Maiden model - a 757 from their earlier 2011 world tour.

The plastic body of both your 747 and 757 gives the paint work a lovely glow. One learns something new each day - I had no idea that anything other than my wifey was called Iron Maiden!

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:200 Airbus A321-211 Air India VT-PPX (Herpa)
This model will always be special to me. VT-PPX, as Flight No. AI679, from Mumbai was the first ever domestic flight to taxi into and disembark passengers at the new Terminal at Mangalore Airport. My family and I were onboard that flight back in the first week of August 2010 and there was quite a welcome at the new terminal. Earlier that morning, an Air India Express Boeing 737 from the Middle East had arrived at the new terminal making it the first ever aircraft to do it.

Thy Air India collection groweth and groweth Sire. And soon they will introduce a new livery and that will give you an excuse to buy a whole new set again. Better ask your Mrs for some more cabinet space. On a serious note you must be having the largest Air India collection in the world now - literally

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:72 Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II VMFA-211 "Wake Island Avengers"/"Bastion Defenders", United States Marine Corps (Hobbymaster)

A fantastic finish by Hobby Master matched only by the quality and comprehensive narration you posted. What a remarkable aircraft and clearly one we shall see flying for another 2 decades and more. Thank you for all the trouble you took over the explanation of its lift system and weapons. The pose with the Harrier is an interesting comparison in size and wing planform and air intakes. To design the same aircraft to be with and without vertical takeoff is simply mind blowing - weights distribution, CoG movements in both variants would be so different. Once again your photography excels.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

This fact is not well known and was kept under wraps for a long time, probably Lockheed Martin didn't want to give credit to the Soviets.

Air Force Magazine even mentioned the Yak connection in a 1998 feature on Joint Strike Fighter after Lockheed’s F-35 was selected for production.

“The swiveling rear exhaust is a licensed design from the Yakovlev design bureau in Russia, which tried it out on the Yak-141 STOVL fighter. It was all or nothing … If the propulsion concept didn’t work, we obviously weren’t going to be competitive.” Daniels, the Boeing executive, said the lift fan concept was “probably the single most important feature” of the competition.”

Wow. This I simply did not know. Thank you for this factoid.


Two Sukhoi's cometh. In the works.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

I had no idea that anything other than my wifey was called Iron Maiden!

You Sir will be sleeping in the couch if your wife ever comes to know that. Just Kidding

Apart from the band, Iron Maiden was the name of a medieval torture device - a casket with spikes on the inside which could be closed slowly, impaling the living person inside, leading to a slow and painful death.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Thy Air India collection groweth and groweth Sire. And soon they will introduce a new livery and that will give you an excuse to buy a whole new set again.

I shall surely be kicked out of the house then!!!

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Better ask your Mrs for some more cabinet space. On a serious note you must be having the largest Air India collection in the world now - literally

She was supportive when I said I was planning to get acrylic risers made to use the empty space between the partitions in the cabinet and to ease the traffic jam in the cabinet. I must have done some good karmas in my previous life!!!

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

On a serious note you must be having the largest Air India collection in the world now - literally

I wouldn't know about that but at one point in time, I had considered getting rid of my entire airliner collection, to make space and convert to an all Military collection. But I am glad I didn't go ahead with that as most of those models now are difficult to get.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

A fantastic finish by Hobby Master matched only by the quality and comprehensive narration you posted.

Thank you Sir.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Two Sukhoi's cometh. In the works.

Can't wait to see them!!! I guess at least one of them would be an MKI!!!

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Foxbat, did you assemble and paint the model. Congratulations on another unique model for your collection and thanks for sharing it on this thread. I wonder where the aircraft is now. I hope it got preserved.

Yes I made and painted it. I think the only Su-47 ever made still survives but maybe not in flying condition. The Su-47 Berkut was exhibited at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019 show held at Zhukovsky International Airport, Moscow, in August 2019.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Two Sukhoi's cometh. In the works.

Make that three

I guessing yours are a IAF Su-30MKI and Su-7.

[Foxbat]

The Sukhoi Su-35 (Russian: Сухой Су-35; NATO reporting name: Flanker-E) is the designation for two improved derivatives of the Su-27 air-defence fighter. They are single-seat, twin-engine, supermaneuverable aircraft, designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau and built by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant.

The type was originally developed by the Soviet Union from the Su-27 and was known as the Su-27M. It incorporated canards and a multi-function radar giving it multi-role capabilities. The first prototype made its maiden flight in June 1988. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union Sukhoi re-designated it as the Su-35 to attract export orders. Fourteen aircraft were produced and used for tests and demonstrations; one example had thrust-vectoring engines and was in turn redesignated the Su-37. A sole Su-35UB two-seat trainer was also built in the late 1990s that resembled the Su-30MK family.

Su-27M (factory designation T-10M) project was initiated in 1982 as an upgrade to the then Su-27, among the more important updates stands out the possibility of engaging ground targets. The Su-27M was equipment with a new N011 radar range of 350km, a new self-protective equipment RWR systems, Sorbtsiya ECM jammers and APP-50 chaff / flare. Su-27M also had a modernized cockpit, this includes multi-functional screens, improved HUD (head-up -display). IRST (infra-red search and track) sensor is shifted to the right for better visibility at the front of the pilot. Ejection seats is set at an angle of 30 degrees to the pilot easier to fight large g-forces that occur during flight.

The Su-27M (early Su-35) has a newly designed nose cone got the canards and the new AL-31FM engines. Another new feature, the Su-27M have refuel probe and the front landing gear instead of one wheel, now has two wheels.


1/72 Scale Su-27M (early Su-35) "Flanker-E" in fictional colours of the Russian Air Force













A Russian Air Force Su-27sm in a similar livery.


With its Indian sibling, the Su-30MKI. I think the Russian colours are more eye catching by a mile!


This is from a very crude and dated kit by Zvezda which I ordered at the start of the Corona pandemic about two years ago from mother Russia. It was the first model I ordered from abroad from eBay and I was unsure if it would actually be delivered so picked the cheapest one. It finally arrived after 10+ followups after 9 months and I never opened the packet after reading the reviews of the kit online. After numerous attempts to sell it or even gift it failed I decided to try making it.

I almost gave up at the beginning after seeing the lack of detail and crude shapes of the missiles and landing gear. However I realised my Zvezda Su-30sm kit came with a lot of spare parts and I ended up using the landing gear, exhausts, pylons, decals, missiles and bombs from the kit.


Another problem arose in the painting when I realised the blue spray paint I had was too bright for the original Su-27m livery so I decided to go with this Su-27sm scheme.


Overall happy with the results taking into consideration the crude kit

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

The Sukhoi Su-35 (Russian: Сухой Су-35; NATO reporting name: Flanker-E) is the designation for two improved derivatives of the Su-27 air-defence fighter. They are single-seat, twin-engine, supermaneuverable aircraft, designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau

This is from a very crude and dated kit by Zvezda which I ordered at the start of the Corona pandemic about two years ago from mother Russia. It was the first model I ordered from abroad from eBay and I was unsure if it would actually be delivered so picked the cheapest one. It finally arrived after 10+ followups after 9 months and I never opened the packet after reading the reviews of the kit online. After numerous attempts to sell it or even gift it failed I decided to try making it.Overall happy with the results taking into consideration the crude kit

Great model and a wonderful painstaking effort to bring it to life. I love its rugged looks made more appealing by the knowledge that this is your labour of love. Did the Su-35 go into full scale production? Where sheer pentadactyl carnivorous power goes the Su-27/30/35 family takes the cake.

With its Indian sibling, the Su-30MKI. I think the Russian colours are more eye catching by a mile!

Exactly what a combat fighter wants to avoid. But hey what the hell it looks swell.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Did the Su-35 go into full scale production?

The 2nd version of the Su-35 went into full scale production and 142+ have been made and are in service with China, Russia and Egypt.




In 2003, Sukhoi embarked on a second modernization of the Su-27 to serve as an interim aircraft awaiting the development of the Sukhoi PAK FA (Su-57) program. Also known as the Su-35, this version has a redesigned cockpit and weapons-control system and features thrust-vectoring engines in place of the canards. The type made its first flight in February 2008. Although it was designed for export, the Russian Air Force became the launch customer in 2009, with the production version designated Su-35S. China's People's Liberation Army Air Force have also placed orders.

According to Russian sources they have scored several air to air kills in the "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine. Unfortunately their victims have been previously brotherly Mig-29s, Su-25s and Su-27s.