7 replies to this topic

[Ralph_S]

Even before I started building my Su-24 two months ago, I'd looked at building its smaller cousin: the Su-25.

One of the reasons why I didn't was that I had some doubts about being able to build the jet's camouflage. However, two weeks ago I decided to give it a go, after having bought a few more dark green parts. The Su-25 was primarily designed for the Close-Air-Support role and in similar fashion to the A-10 'Warthog', it's closest western equivalent, is armed with a 30 mm gun and can carry a wide variety of armament on a large number of hardpoints. To improve survivability in the face of air defences many vital systems have been duplicated or are surrounded by armour.

Su-25 Frogfoot (1) by Mad physicist, on Flickr

More modern versions of the Frogfoot have been developed, but most of the versions in service are relatively simple bombers equipped with unguided weapons. My model carries four 500 kg general purpose bombs, four S-24 unguided rockets and two AA-8 'Aphid' IR-guided air-to-air missiles for self defense.

Su-25 Frogfoot (4) by Mad physicist, on Flickr

Soviet Su-25s saw combat during the war in Afghanistan. A number of aircraft were shot down after the Mujaheddin received Western air-to-surface missiles, such as Blowpipe and Stinger. To increase survivability, many Frogfoots were fitted with extra flare launchers above the engine exhausts.

Su-25 Frogfoot (6) by Mad physicist, on Flickr

The undercarriage on the model can be retracted. It doesn't work in quite the same fashion as on the real aircraft (in which the main wheels seem to end up lying flat in the bottom of the fuselage), but it looks correct when extended and the doors that cover it do have the right shape.

Su-25 Frogfoot (10) by Mad physicist, on Flickr

The shape of this plane isn't particularly complicated, but the  parts palette in reddish brown and in tan isn't particularly extensive, making this a fairly tricky build.

Cheers,
Ralph

Edited by Rufus, 13 June 2011 - 11:27 PM.
Indexed

[Rufus]

Oooh, nice!  

You've got the lines perfectly.  I'm very impressed with the working undercarriage, and the slight sweep-back of the horizontal stabilizers looks like it must have been tricky to achieve.  Are those working flaps too?  

My only niggle is that it would look cleaner with a more studless build, but I imagine that would be near-impossible while still having the camouflage design.

Great stuff!

[lightningtiger]

'Ralph_S' a huge   on this attack craft's design !
Oh, look at all those weapons !
I will admit though I prefer the A-10 over this one though.....I like a flying gun !
Brick On Fly On 'Ralph_S' !

[KielDaMan]

Wow, another excellent creation Ralph! My jaw literally dropped at the sight of these beauty. I'm particularly impressed with the way you achieved the camouflage pattern effectively, it's one thing getting the proper pieces and an even harder task to get them in separate colors that you want. One thing I'm curious about is the front cockpit piece, is that a standard LEGO piece?

[Ralph_S]

Rufus, on 13 June 2011 - 11:20 PM, said:

Oooh, nice!  

You've got the lines perfectly.  I'm very impressed with the working undercarriage, and the slight sweep-back of the horizontal stabilizers looks like it must have been tricky to achieve.  Are those working flaps too?  

My only niggle is that it would look cleaner with a more studless build, but I imagine that would be near-impossible while still having the camouflage design.

Great stuff!

Thanks. I am glad you like it.
The flaps can indeed be lowered and I can open the wing-tip mounted dive-bakes as well.

Su-25 Frogfoot (5) by Mad physicist, on Flickr
Mounting the stabilizers at a small angle is a fairly easy thing to do (and they are actually rigidly mounted), but not particularly easy to explain. I probably should make a picture that shows how it works. I know some people prefer studless builds, but I don't have that stud lovers icon under my name for nothing  

lightningtiger, on 13 June 2011 - 11:25 PM, said:

'Ralph_S' a huge   on this attack craft's design !
Oh, look at all those weapons !
I will admit though I prefer the A-10 over this one though.....I like a flying gun !
Brick On Fly On 'Ralph_S' !

Thanks. Would you believe it, compared to prototypes that have been shown at air shows over the years this one is actually quite lightly armed   I too prefer the A-10, but I already have one which I built a few years ago. I did take a few pictures that I intend to usefor a comparison of the two, but haven't gotten around to editing them yet.

KielDaMan, on 14 June 2011 - 01:51 AM, said:

Wow, another excellent creation Ralph! My jaw literally dropped at the sight of these beauty. I'm particularly impressed with the way you achieved the camouflage pattern effectively, it's one thing getting the proper pieces and an even harder task to get them in separate colors that you want. One thing I'm curious about is the front cockpit piece, is that a standard LEGO piece?

Thanks. In some respects the camouflage makes things a bit easier. I couldn't have built this if I couldn't mix the colours, because I have used some parts in brown that I don't have in tan, for instance (tan cheese slopes). The trick lies in grouping same-colour parts such that you get a nice size and shape of the spots with relatively few straight lines (longer than about three studs) between them.  In tan and brown this was fairly easy. The dark green was more difficult. The only plates I used on this in dark green are 2x4 and 1x6 studs ones. Fortunately I was able to compensate for the lack of small plates by using a fair few tiles.
The canopy 'glass' is non-LEGO transparent plastic, so non-purist.

You can see how I constructed the frame for it with LEGO parts (lightsabre blades stuck into clips, among other things) in this Work-In-Progress picture from more than a week ago:

Su-25 Frogfoot Work In Progress by Mad physicist, on Flickr

It's not to everyone's liking, but I prefer the overall look to any of the purist alternatives that I have considered.

Cheers,
Ralph

[Ralph_S]

Yesterday I finally got round to making the comparison pictures with the A-10.

Adversaries: Frogfoot vs. Warthog (1) by Mad physicist, on Flickr


Adversaries: Frogfoot vs. Warthog (2) by Mad physicist, on Flickr

Cheers,
Ralph

[Legostein]

Hello Ralph!

As a fan of jets you have to like this! It's again an amazingingy complex structure resulting in the perfect shape. The camouflage pattern works pretty good, and I am most fascinated by the cockpit. For me a cockpit is one of the things that make a vehicle unique and recognizable. The sub strcutures to the cockpit screen with those bars is excellent as well as the rounded side elements.

Cheers,

~ Christopher

[Ralph_S]

Legostein, on 18 June 2011 - 09:34 AM, said:

Hello Ralph!

As a fan of jets you have to like this! It's again an amazingingy complex structure resulting in the perfect shape. The camouflage pattern works pretty good, and I am most fascinated by the cockpit. For me a cockpit is one of the things that make a vehicle unique and recognizable. The sub strcutures to the cockpit screen with those bars is excellent as well as the rounded side elements.

Cheers,

~ Christopher

Thanks Christopher. I always start my models by figuring out the parts that I reckon will be the most difficult to build. It probably won't surprise you to know that for the Frogfoot the canopy was one of those.

Cheers,
Ralph