Sukhoi T-50 (Su-57) by Academy

1/72 scale
Kit No. 12433
Decals: One version
Comments: Engraved panel lines, intake trunking; optional position two-part canopy

History

The Sukhoi T-50 is the company’s internal designation for the Su-57, a Russian fifth generation fighter developed by Sukhoi Aviation under the PAK FA project, designed to counter the F-22 Raptor and its sister fighter the F-35 Lightning II in the international market. It will replace the MIG-29 Fulcrum and the Su-27 Flanker. After the debut of the F-117 Nighthawk and the F-22 by the United States, the Soviet Union began work on what would be its own stealth aircraft in 2007. The predictable challenges associated with developing a high performance stealth aircraft delayed its initial service introduction date of 2016.

Most of the former Soviet Union’s military projects ended abruptly with the government’s collapse in 1990, but development of a stealth fighter was one project that continued to have high priority, even in leaner times, spurred by the American development of the F-22 Raptor, a long-range interceptor capable of evading Russian radar. The first flight of the Sukhoi T-50, the result of a program called PAK-FA “Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsy” ‘or “Study of aerial system for Frontal Aviation” took place on January 29, 2010 at the Komsomol’sk-na-Amur Airport. After a lengthy development and a litany of modifications, it entered service with the Russian Air Force and Navy as the Sukhoi Su-57 on December 25, 2020.

Designed to meet the requirements of the Russian and Indian Air Forces, it is the first fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi since the collapse of the Soviet Union, capable of supersonic flight at speeds of over 2,000km/h (Mach 1.6) along with continuous in-flight refueling. It will feature short take-off and landing capabilities, and can achieve greater agility, low radar visibility and low heat signature. The aircraft does not have rudders but its vertical tails are completely movable. The tail fin design is similar to the V-tails incorporated into the Northrop YF-23.

Armament includes two 30mm internal Gsh-30-1 cannon and eight R-77 air-to-air medium-range missiles. The aircraft features eight hard-points (four on each wing) on which the missiles can be mounted, but like the F-22, it has internal weapons bays. For air-to-air combat, the Su-57 is expected to carry four beyond-visual-range missiles in its two main weapons bays and two short-range missiles in the wing root weapons bays. The main bays can also accommodate air-to-ground missiles such as the Kh-38M, as well as multiple 250 kg (550 lb) KAB-250 or 500 kg (1,100 lb) KAB-500 precision guided bombs. The aircraft is powered by two Saturn-Lyulka 117S (upgraded AL-31) turbofan engines. Each engine can produce a maximum of 150kN of thrust after burner. The 117S is an upgraded model of the AL-31F engine.

The Kit

A re-issue of the Zvezda kit first released in 2011, Academy’s Sukhoi T-50 came on the scene two years later while the actual aircraft was still under development in Russia. The T-50 is injection molded in grey and consists of 68 parts, including five clear parts for the two-part canopy, gunsight, and navigation lights. The airframe, consisting of top and bottom halves, each integrating the fuselage and wings into a single part, bears fine engraved panel lines and a boxed-in wheel well for the nose gear.

In the cockpit, the tub is smooth with no raised or engraved detail of any kind, with Academy relying on decals for the main and side instrument panels. The ejection seat assembly is fairly detailed, consisting of six parts including separate parts for the straps and ejection actuator. There is a separate control yoke and a single piece to be cemented to the port side instrument panel which is otherwise bare — the instructions provide no clue, but it may be the throttle.

There are two intake assemblies, each of them consisting of four parts including intake fan faces. When complete, these are cemented into the lower half of the airframe, complementing the exhaust fans which are cemented to the upper half. In an indication of the level of detail, the exhaust fan assemblies are completely separate from the two large exhaust nozzles. The canopy can be open or closed; if open a boarding ladder is provided for the pilot. There is no weaponry provided since the prototype T-50 may never have carried it; in service the Sukhoi Su-57 will carry its weapons internally like the F-22 Raptor.

Markings

Decals are provided for a single prototype version. The few markings include stencils and are clear and in register, with red star outlines for the national insignia. The markings for the cockpit instrumentation appear to be a bit large and may have to be trimmed. The sole paint scheme covered by the instructions is a splinter camouflage pattern of Light Ghost Grey, Medium Grey, and Sea Blue.

Conclusion

This is an interesting kit of an early version of Russia’s first true stealth fighter, which has only recently come into service as the Sukhoi Su-57. Highly recommended for its historical interest.

References

• www.airforce-technology.com
• military.wikia.org