LANDING GEAR BAYS SU-30SM 1/32

Landing gear bays for the Su-30SM 1:32 from Temp Models

The set replaces the landing gear bays on a model of the Su-30SM in 1:32 scale with printed inserts carrying full internal detail. A bay from a kit tends to be shallow and smooth, because a mold cannot get into it. A printed insert brings the ribbing, the runs of lines, the tanks and the plumbing, which are clearly visible with the landing gear down.

The real subject

On modern fighters the landing gear bays are full of hydraulic runs, wiring and structural members. On the aircraft of the Su-27 family the main legs retract forward into the fuselage and the nose leg into the space under the cockpit, so both bays are open and conspicuous when the aircraft is parked. Machines in service have the characteristic discoloration, dust and traces of hydraulic drips in the bays. For a model it is one of the things that most reveal how carefully it was built.

Building and painting tips

First wash the 3D printed parts in warm water with a little dish soap, so that they are rid of the residue of printing resin. Cut the supports off with a sharp blade or a fine saw as close to the part as possible and sand the marks down with your airways protected. Resin does not bond with cement for polystyrene, so use cyanoacrylate glue. Lay a thin coat of primer on before painting, otherwise the paint holds poorly on a smooth print. Number the small parts before you cut them off the supports, because once separated they are easily mixed up.

Who the set is for

• Inserts for the landing gear bays of a model of the Su-30SM in 1:32 scale
• The internal detail of lines and ribbing that a mold cannot manage
• A resin 3D print with fine resolution
• An accessory set, not a model of an aircraft
• Calls for cyanoacrylate glue and a primer under the paint

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.