Clunkmeister

I’ll most definitely build this one, too. Huge contest table of grey plus some blue and white transports coming up. Might be a good idea to grab a 1/72 A400M while they’re still out there for semi reasonable prices, too...

Well, they’re never getting Antonov back, unless they invade the rest of Ukraine as well. Antonov’s old days are over, they’re future’s with the West, so swallow the pride and at least get some relevant legacy designs back in production.

Aaaand, after watching Nige’s video and being reminded about the stabilizer swap needed, we just went and did it. No big deal actually. The way the pins are attached makes it super easy to remove two and plant them into the correct half. I spent more time cutting off the bunches of little locator pins than I did swapping the attaching pins. After Smitty reminded me what side the inspection holes face I swapped them around.

I thought it was dead, too. Nice looking transport, though. She certainly has “the look”. Antonov’s got some serious issues even producing legacy designs these days, never mind new stuff. They need a western partner. If not Boeing, then what about Airbus or Bombardier? Or even Embraer?

A400M is one seriously cool bird

And they even put “Luftwaffe” on the side as a friendly hint. Just in case you needed an extra clue

Not as much luck with this wingtip. Out comes Radu’s magic wheel and scribes. I decided to watch Nige’s video for the second one. :-/

Meanwhile, in my part of Texas...

Brokeback Marine. That has a ring of truth to it....

Russian and Ukrainian transport aircraft have always been notoriously stiff winged. But just look at the flex in those huge wings! Antonov always used those twin nose landing lights. They’re absolutely unmistakable at night from miles away. Looked like automobile headlights in the sky.

Gaz, everytime you post, I have a feeling I'm about to be overrun by the Chasseurs and Hussars.

Gaz, thanks for that. Great idea! For some, the potential pitfalls could be enormous, though, as in first and foremost, making sure those really were HER pantyhose.

Now THAT’S interesting. I have a decent sized building area now, and that B-36 is going to need a third hand

LOL! Yup, even C-46s, Gaz. But, give a schmuk like me an opening......

Yesterday’s 109s are today’s Coca Cola cans.

That’s cool.

It’s pretty rare for any heavy,lifter to crash. They’re usually crewed by some pretty experienced guys and girls. All the more amazing because they all operate out of some nasty third world airports at times.

Hmmm

China’s supposedly going to build the 225 in China and is buying the second airframe at Antonov. Antonov needs to get off their collective arses and put these back in production. They’ve said the market is easily 200+ for the civilian 124M alone.

I had seen a press conference a few years back with Lockheed-Martin execs talking the same thing. But others pointed out that it would fly in the face of reason with them, directly competing with the C-5a and C-17. The 124 was westernized, I thought. But it’d be a world beater with Western power and systems. Once upon a time, the IL-96 was supposed to receive Western engines and systems for sales to the west, but Boeing went nuts and Congress blocked the sale of engines. The IL-96 would be a genuine Boeing and Airbus competitor with Pratt, GE, or Rolls engines. A new build stretched IL-96;with two of those massive 777 style power units would be crazy wild

Such is my reasoning with modern Russian fighter jets as well. 1/48 is a good size for them. An Su-34 or 35 in 1/48 is a nice size. 1/32 is nice, but I wouldn’t be able to build as many as I want to. Early jets like the F-84, 86, and Mug-15, 17, 21 are cool in 32.

A Model’s Antei looks perfect when built. They built in the perfect anhedral droop that the wings assume at rest, and there’s so much room for super detailing that cargo hold. I wish A Model would revisit their 124. Producing that kit without a cargo hold and lowered ramp was pretty silly. I know a lot of people in this Country who’d build a good 124 kit. People know the aircraft, as they’re a fairly common sight in our skies around here.