Soviet 'Vark

Historical Background

In 1961, the Soviet Air Force's Frontovaya Aviatsiya (Frontal Aviation) took delivery of Sukhoi's Su-7B (NATO : Fitter) ground-attack aircraft. However, as a pre-requisite of FA accepting the aircraft, the Sukhoi Design Bureau was required to develop an all-weather variant of the Su-7 with the capability for precision attack, to be tied with an advanced nav/attack system codenamed Puma. Sukhoi set up preliminary work using the Su-7 airframe but quickly realised that the design was too small to accept the required avionics. At about the same time, the USAF revealed its TFX requirement (eventually emerging as the F-111). The TFX featured variable-geometry wing, allowing for greatly increased payload, range low-level capability. Not blind to this development, Sukhoi set to develop an aircraft design mimicking the F-111's capability but without the usage of the rather complex VG wing structure. In 1962-1963, Sukhoi built a mock-up designated S-6. It was of delta wing design and powered by two Tumansky R-21F-300 turbojet engines with the crew seated in tandem. The lack of progress with the Puma system, coupled with some limitations discovered during tests meant that the S-6 progressed no more.

In 1964, Sukhoi started on the S-58M, a modified version of the SU-15 'Flagon' interceptor. At the same time, the V-VS revised their requirement; it now includes STOL capability with ability to cruise at supersonic speeds at low level. The powerplant was changed to two Tumansky R-27F-300 plus another four Koliesov RD-36-25 lifting engines for STOL operations. A larger Orion radar was fitted and the crew accomodation was changed to side-by-side seating. To test the arrangement, the SU-15 prototype was converted into S-58VD 'flying laboratory'. The S-58VD was then redesignated T-6 in 1965. Initial flights were performed without the lift jets installed. The lift jets were installed in October 1967 and at the same time the engines were changed to Lyulka AL-21F. STOL tests confirmed data from S-58VD flights that the aircraft suffered from severely reduced range as the lift engines occupied spaces normally reserved for fuel. They also cause the deletion of two underfuselage hardpoints. In addition the T-6 suffered stability problems during transition from vertical to horizontal flight. The six-engine configuration was eventually abandoned.

In the meantime the F-111, despite its protracted development, began to be shown to the public, most notably during the 1967 Paris Air Show. It demonstrated the practical advantages and solutions to tehnical problems of the VG design. On 7 August 1968, the Sukhoi OKB was officially tasked with the application of the variable geometry wing on the T-6. The VG T-6, designated T-6-2I was first flown on 17 January 1970. Four further prototypes were built and were tested until 1976. At the same time, the teething problems with the Puma nav/attack system was solved and provided all-weather capability to the FA for the first time. The system consists of two superimposed Orion-A radar scanner, Relyef terrain-avoidance radar which provides automatic flight controls at low level and Orbita 10-58 computer. Trials with the Puma system continue until 1974, even though the first production aircraft rolled off the assembly line at Zavod No. 153 at Novosibirsk in 1971. The T-6 was formally accepted into service as the Su-24 on 4 February 1975. The Su-24 was actually designated Su-19 by NATO until 1981 and was given ASCC codename of 'Fencer'.

The Su-24 has a long fuselage which was slab-sided for most of its length (and earning it the nickname 'suitcase' from its crews). The crew sit side-by-side on Zvezda K-36D zero-zero ejection seats under a split canopy. The high-mounted, variable-geometry wing feature four sweep settings: 16° for take-off and landing, 35° and 45° for flights at different altitudes and 69° for low-level dashes. The Su-24 is powered by two Lyulka AL-21F-3A afterburning turbojets rated at 24,700-lb thrust each. In early Su-24 (Fencer-A), the air intakes feature variable ramps. However as its main mission is low-level strikes, the ramps were deleted to reduce maintenance and weight. While the deletion did not affect the low-level performance, absolute speed was reduced to Mach 1.35 (from Mach 2.18) and ceiling was reduced from 17,500 meters to 11,000 meters. The slab-sided rear fuselage was quickly changed on the production line with a more contoured exhaust shroud to reduce drag. The Fencer is fitted with a GSh-6-23 23-mm rotary cannon together with 500 rounds of ammunition mounted to the right of the fuselage underside. The cannon is covered by an eyelid shutter when not in use. It can also carry up to 17,640 lb of disposable stores across eight (later models nine) hardpoints with the outermost pylons swiveling with the wing sweep. The Fencer was cleared to carry all ordnance the Soviet inventory including nuclear weapons.

The initial Fencer-A was followed by the Fencer-B as mentioned above and they were followed by the Fencer-C with improved ECM capabilities. Sukhoi however did not have separate designations for these variants. In 1983, the Su-24M ('Modified') entered service. Designated Fencer-D by NATO, the Su-24M feature inflight-refueling capability, Kaira-24 laser designator and PNS-24M inertial navigation system. The additional equipment however resulted in the loss of 85 liters of internal fuel. The radome was revised in shape and the forward fuselage lengthened by 30 inches. The Su-24M was offered for export as the Su-24MK with downgraded capabilities. Other variants of the Su-24 are Su-24MR Fencer-E tactical reconnaissance variant and Su-24MP Fencer-F ELINT aircraft. The Fencer was used by the successor states following the break-up of the Soviet Union such as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Ukraine and the Russian Federation and was exported to Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Angola and Sudan (the latter using ex-Belarussian aircraft).

The Fencer first saw action in 1984 during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. It was used to tackle fixed fortifications used by the Mujahideen and was noted for its precision, speed and variable weapons loadout. Four aircraft were lost due to technical problems. The Fencer next saw action during the 1992-1997 Tajik Civil War where a Su-24M was claimed to be shot down by a Stinger missile. They were again in combat during the Second Chechen War, where one was shot down and was heavily involved during the South Ossetia War in 2008. Outside the Soviet Union/Russian Federation, the Su-24 was used by Ukraine in the ongoing Donbass conflict, by Libya during the Libyan Civil War 2011 and during the Syrian Civil War.

The Kit

Originally, I was quite confused with the origins of this kit, whether its actually a Dragon re-box of an Italeri kit, or vice-versa (it was originally an Italeri kit, as I found out later). In any case, the kit was released in 1992, just after the fall of the Soviet Union. While the kit has nicely engraved details, online reviews mention that dimensions are suspect. The fuselage is too deep while the front fuselage is too long and the rear fuselage too short. In a way, it was not surprising as the kit came out at the time when accurate measuring of former Soviet equipment was few and far between. While external details are quite OK, interior details are quite sparse, especially in the cockpit. External stores are included but just comprise of free-fall weapons. I believe a few guided weapons such as the AS-7 'Kerry' should be included as the 'C' version have limited ability to carry precision guided munitions (something like the F-111A). Decals provide markings for two aircraft: Blue 03 and White 39. No other details were provided.

Construction

Construction started at the cockpit. However for this kit, I used Neomega's excellent resin replacement set. They are a far cry from the very basic cockpit included in the kit with crisp details all around. Furthermore, the resin cockpit is a drop-in replacement for the kit cockpit, simplifying the job tremendously. The cockpit was assembled but I left off the seats and the console in-between the seats at this time. After a test fit, the cockpit was superglued to the lower fuselage half. The wing was then assembled as they need to be trapped between the fuselage halves. There is quite a gap between the upper and lower halves of the wings, but as the joint line is on the lower half, it cannot be readily seen and I left it as it is. The wings were then placed on their pivot mounts on the lower fuselage, aligning while placing them. The upper fuselage half was then cemented to the lower half. And yes, I decided to build the model without correcting the wrong dimensional issues. There is a bit of a fit problem here.

Once the  basic fuselage was completed, the nose and the tail were added. The exhaust 'can' was painted first, stuck to the fuselage and the shroud was then slipped over it. Unlike the kits of the Su-24M/MR, the nose of this kit is in two pieces. The fit wasn't great, leaving a seam line in the middle and a step between the radome and the fuselage. Before cementing the nose to the fuselage, a lead fishing weight was superglued inside the former. The tail pieces were cemented and put into place. The less vulnerable small parts such as cannon fairing and the ventral fins are cemented prior to painting.

Painting and Decaling

There were only two marking schemes for the model: 'White 39' is grey/white while 'Blue 03' is grey with camouflaged spine, fin and upper wing surfaces. I decided to paint the model in grey/white while using bort number '03' as the decals are so old that the whites (and the carrier film) have yellowed. By using the blue numbers, I was hoping that the yellowing issue can be minimised (yes, I know, let the decals soak in bright sunlight for days but it has been raining and/or cloudy for days at the time I build this kit and I'm not really a patient guy). Anyway, the white is painted using Tamiya Spray TS-27 Flat White while the grey is Tamiya AS-26 Light Ghost Grey. The latter might not be right, but it does look like the grey used on Fencers.

Despite the age and yellowing problem, the kit decals behave suprisingly good. They went on without any problem and respond well to Mr Mark Softer. Despite using markings for Blue 03, I left the 'Sukhoi Wing' emblem on the nose, turning the model into an even more generic Su-24. To further minimise the yellowing problem, I try to cut out as much of the carrier film as possible.

Finishing

I began by assembling the landing gear. They have been already pre-painted on the sprue and after assembly was complete, I retouched the paint at the sprue gate scars. And I must also mention that there isn't much detail for the landing gears. Once the cement has hardened and the model can now stand on its own, I added the pylons and weapons. As stated before, Dragon only include a small number of ordnance to hang on the pylons. Thankfully I have in my stash an equally old Dragon Soviet Modern Aircraft Weapons Set 3 - Rockets and Bombs. I decided to hang FAB-250 GP bombs and PROSAB-250 cluster munitions on my model with the cluster bombs hanging from a centreline multiple ejector rack. There aren't enough of them to fill the racks however, being one short. The GP bombs were hanged from the wing and two other underfuselage pylons.

With the weapons done, the rest of the parts can be permanently fixed. The ejection seats were superglued into place but I decided to just place the canopies into their places without cementing and friction take care of them. Finally, the multipart (just two actually!) probe, the T-shaped aerial on the back and a few other carpet monster-fodder were superglued. The model then received a sludge wash, made lighter because of the colour scheme and finished with a spray of Tamiya Semi-Gloss Clear.

Conclusion

The Italeri/Dragon Su-24 is a creature of the 1990s at the time when kit manufacturers had to rely on just published photos and rather inaccurate drawings as starting points. Even though the Cold War was thawing by the time this kit was made, full access was not available to them, hence the rather wrong dimension for the kit. Nevertheless, it provides a good base for those who are able and willing to do some surgery on the kit in order to get a more accurate profile. The Dragon Fencers has been reboxed by others, including Zvezda but they remain the same as this one. They have been surpassed by the Streem offering but the latter is harder to find, at least here in Malaysia.

As an addendum, while I try my best to publish an entry every week or so, the actual build process actually have taken place weeks, if not months (even years) ago. The Fencer was the first kit I built after a break of some three months due to illness (December 2012-February 2013).