1:48 Sukhoi Su-33 Air intake grilles

What the set offers

Photo-etched air intake grilles for a model of the Su-33 airplane in 1:48 scale. A photo-etched part is as thin as sheet metal in the correct scale and is genuinely cut through, so unlike a solid part from a kit the grille is not merely suggested by engraving.

The real subject

The Su-33 is a carrier-based fighter derived from the Su-27. It is set apart from the land-based version by its folding outer wing panels, the foreplanes, the strengthened landing gear and the arrester hook for landing on a deck. The engines of such a machine are sensitive to ingesting foreign objects while taxiing on the deck, and that is why the air intake has protection that is clearly visible from close up on a model. These places are among the first where a viewer notices whether a model has merely been glued together or genuinely finished.

Building and painting tips

• Separate the part from the fret with a sharp blade on a firm surface, not with nippers.
• Make the bends over a sharp edge or in a photo-etch bending tool, because photo-etch bends in one movement.
• Glue with cyanoacrylate glue applied in drops, best of all on the tip of a wire.
• Wash and degrease the photo-etched parts before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold on metal.
• Try the seating in the intake dry, because the opening in the kit usually needs adjusting.

What the delivery contains

This is an add-on set for a kit. The model of the airplane, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise. The recommended procedure and the exact placement of the parts are given in the manufacturer's instructions.