AER SRL - Moldava 1/48 Sukhoi Su-1

AER SRL - MOLDAVA 1:48 SUKHOI SU-1
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Ioaea (rec.models.scale)

'In-Bag' Review

Background.

Once upon a time, long before there were dreams of Frogfoots, Fishpots and Berkhuts -Pavel O. Sukhoi and his merry OKB crew installed a Mikulin 105-P into the prototype medium-altitude Su-1 (I-135 or I-330, depending on how passionate you are about these things) hoping for great achievements to come.

However, performance at high altitude was not good, so ways were sought to improve it. Turbo compressors units were added which proved to be somewhat problematic -endless teething difficulties with these turbos eventually meant that the Su-1 was never to go into production. A further example, the 'Su-3' existed in prototype only. At the time these shenanigans were taking place, A. S. Yakovlev's I-26 (Yak-1) was showing the way forward -and the I-135 project, although showcasing Mr. Sukhoi's innovative design processes, died off quietly -perhaps beneath the bomb-bay of a Heinkel, somewhere, it is said.

The Kit.

A Su-1 in quarter scale is not to be scoffed nor chuckled at. All those LaGGs, Yaks and Stormoviks in 48th fetch a pretty penny, let me tell you -this kit was lurking unobserved on page X of a certain online auction site for less than the price of a couple of Hobgoblin beers, so naturally I scooped it up, feeling pretty darned happy and smug with myself.

Inside the A4 sized poly bag I received, I got two whole sprues for my money. One of which in grey-brown injection-molded, the other clear. And it's all fine quality stuff too -no flash, finely engraved panel lines, nicely attempted fabric control surfaces and the look of the Su-1 is captured perfectly when compared to the few technical drawings and photos available at sukhoi.org and others out there. The clear sprue has a two-piece canopy and the control panel, nicely transparent and so on. Now, as the little green fellow knows full well, hate leads to loathing, loathing leads to...whatever it was it led to, and fear...leads inexorably to 48th scale, sooner or later. It's a dark path one treads, but even so...if any single model has tempted me to go the way of Anakin, this is it.

The Omissions.

Inside the cockpit, detail is about as plentiful as the sources on which to depend. There were two prototypes, and so little information remains as to what lay around and above the seat and control panel. Speculation is key, but that's not the fault of the manufacturer. Wheel-well detail is, again, lacking. However, my gut instincts might lead me to study its kinda stable-mate the MiG-3 for a passable similarity in this area.

Decals, insignia.

None what-so-ever, as in the real McCoy. An image at Sukhi.org reveals to us a red star on each wing undersurface, but perhaps, perhaps not, this photo is of the Su-3 after all, so again it's all speculative, in the end. Go with your instincts.

Instructions.

Clear and concise, in a fold-out sheet, giving Revell paint numbers. A B&W illustration reveals what the box might have looked like, if there had been a box. A threateningly dark cloudy sky with a Su-1/3 superimposed upon it. Very nice too.

Options.

Your basic aII-green topside, and all-blue beneath, one would guess. All fabric control surfaces are positionable. No other codes or whatnot, but see above.

Overall.

Very highly recommended if you can find a copy. The quality really is top-notch. Are Hasegawa/Tamiya kits this good? -I've never tried any - and we must forgive our talented friends at dear old AER SRL MOLDOVA for the absence of interior detail -who knows what the Su-1 was really like beneath the hood?

Top marks.

Thanks to Sukhoi Aviation Corporation, for the image/boxart above -to be found at:

http://www.sukhoi.org/eng/planes/museum/su1_3/

and all those shiny, happy people at the VVS research pages

http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/index.html

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