An old tooled kit, but still a
nice one in this scale. Requires a lot of correction however due to incorrect
details and maybe insufficient data when kit was in production post cold war?
Areas like the cockpit are completely incorrect and hence I scratch built
details there. Incorrect antennas on the tail boom, massive gaps around the
exhaust outlets all called for some extra detail.
Adding copper wire to the missile
rails and landing gear brought these areas to life and stretched sprue did the
trick for find control cables on the tail boom and the anti-static rods on the
tips of the stub wings and tail. Drilling out air scoops and vents, and the
ends of missiles to add that extra depth. And adding exhaust and APU covers to
overcome the nasty seam lines inside the exhaust ports.
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After checking loads of references on the internet, there are no two Hinds that are the same. Many different lumps and bumps across the models with upgrades here or there. Color schemes all vary with different tones or colors altogether for the under belly and rotors for example. Cockpit colors also have many variations.
Biting the bullet I chose a scheme that I was happy with for the era and used the Mr Hobby range of colors to give me the finish I was after.
My first Soviet aircraft, but certainly not my last. A truly magnificent beast of the skies. Beautiful in it's own ugly way.
Christopher Yee
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