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The next part of the report from the construction of the Tiger Su-22, you can read the first part of the article HERE

SU-22UM-3K TIGER „707” PART II

When the emotions subsided after applying the decals with the tiger motif, I had to face probably the most time-consuming and monotonous stage during the construction of each model (at least for me). There was a small sheet waiting for me with almost 300 operating inscriptions on it ... Some manufacturers or set decals greatly simplify or omit many operating inscriptions, in the case of a tiger set there is no mercy. After a quick review of the instructions, I found that I had a few busy evenings to get to grips with.

After looking at the photo documentation, I can say that the colors of the inscriptions are perfectly rendered. The printing is also at the highest level because a large part of these inscriptions are almost microscopic in size, and yet you can clearly distinguish individual lines of text divided into words. In 1/72 scale, of course, we cannot expect to be able to read what is written there, however, good mapping and appropriate print quality have a large impact on the final effect.

I dealt with all the inscriptions within 3 evenings, after which I felt almost identical relief when I finished applying decals with the main tiger motif. At this point, I could tell that it was actually downhill from there. When the decals were properly dry, I applied a layer of Tamiya X-22 Clear Gloss acrylic varnish on the whole model.

I started the so-called weathering of the model by growing the parting line. I'm not a fan of black wash, so I used Starship Filth from the Abteilung 502 palette, which has a dark gray color and looks more natural than the black wash most often used for this purpose. Then I moved on to discoloration on the surface of the airframe. My favorite means for this are Oilbrushers by AMMO MIG, which have been popular for some time. I will not describe in detail the individual stages of making traces of exploitation, because this is a river topic and there are many different guides in the Internet resources.

When I dealt with the discoloration, I covered the entire model with varnish again, this time semi-matte. It is a good base for adding more accents with crayons or pigments. Last Christmas I found a complete set of AK Interactive crayons under the Christmas tree and after a few tries I knew that I would use them often. They can be used dry or wet, and when we are not satisfied with the effect, we wash them off with a slightly moistened cosmetic stick.

After confirming that the "soiling" stage was over, I was able to apply the final layer of varnish to the model. For several years I have been using Light Sheen nail polish from Alclad for this purpose. It creates a uniform satin surface and hides many imperfections created during painting, I can recommend it with a pure heart.

I left the model for 24 hours so that everything would dry well and I could start assembling the remaining elements of the model. I started by making imitations of hydraulic lines in the recesses of the main landing gear. For this purpose, I used a lead wire with a diameter of 0.2 mm. Working on shavings once again confirmed that Modelsvit did a great job when designing this model. The method of mounting the shin looks exactly the same as in the original! All braces and brackets fit perfectly in the places indicated in the instructions.

The next step was to glue the covers of the landing gear bays, pylons and other small equipment. The model was always placed on a special stand to minimize manual manipulation, which could cause damage to the chassis, etc.

In the next part of this article I will describe the work on the upper part of the hull, the accessories and attachments I used and briefly tell how I made the base. And most importantly, I will probably show off the photos of the final gallery!

Until next time!

Pawel Adamczyk

Paweł's model will be on display this weekend at the Moson Model Show, where of course we will be there too.

Comprehensive information on this subject tomorrow!

Best regards

ModleMaker Team