Confession

When I saw this item posted for review I immediately knew I wanted it, and volunteered to prepare the review. Only later after I had clicked the send button for my request did I think about what kit this accessory was meant for? I did some searching and found it was for the Hobbyboss kit. Great! I had the Kittyhawk kit. I immediately sent an email to Phil Peterson confessing my sins, and he responded that I should give it a go anyway.

I went on line to search for the instructions for the Hobbyboss kit and compared what I found to the parts for the Kittyhawk kit. On-screen and on paper things looked like they just might work. The parts breakdown between the two kits were very similar, except the parachute container on the Hobbyboss kit is molded integral with the vertical stabilizer. Now, I needed to wait for the parts to arrive for a real comparison and a chance for vindication.

History

The Sukhoi Su-17 (NATO reporting name: Fitter) Fitter) is a Soviet variable-sweep wing fighter-bomber developed from the Sukhoi Su-7. It enjoyed a long career in Soviet, later Russian, service and was widely exported to Eastern Bloc, Arab air forces, Angola and Peru as the Su-20 and Su-22. It is the first variable-sweep wing of Russian/Soviet origin. The Su-17 set a number of world records

The Su-17 entered service with the Soviet Air Force1970. The aircraft was used by both the Soviets and the Afghanistan government forces during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. High-altitude airfields and hot dusty climate created special operational challenges. In the summer, the takeoff roll of the Su-17 increased 1.5-fold and landings frequently ended with burst tires and brake fires. Avionics failures were common due to heat and sand contamination.

Contents Description

The two petals are cast side-by-side with two protective resin "arms" on the ends of the casting. A thin web of resin holds each part in place, and a sharp, pointed knife blade is required to separate the parts from the webbing. The edges where the webbing was cut will require just a stroke or two of a fine sanding stick to make smooth. Removal of the parts was easy and quick. I was ready for the test-fitting.

Instructions

There are no instructions provided or required.

Installation

Installation of the resin parts requires some minor surgery for the Hobbyboss kit. The Hobbyboss and Kittyhawk kits' parts are designed to be fitted together to represent the parachute container in a closed rather than a deployed configuration. With the resin set the modeler has an opportunity to create a bit more interest in the tail section of the model by mounting the resin parts in an open position. Being resin the attachment arms are delicate and therefore some care is required when installing the parts in place. the resin parts should be painted separately and mounted after the model has been painted, decaled and weathered. All that needs to be done is scratch build the folded parachute to fit in the open parachute container.

Remember, this resin accessory is designed for the Hobbyboss kit. When I test-fitted the resin to the Kittyhawk parachute housing at the base of the vertical stabilizer I found the parts would not properly fit. The Kittyhawk housing is about 5 cm in diameter, and the resin container is about 6 cm in diameter. Just enough not to fit properly. It appears that the resin could not be easily adapted or modified to fit the Kittyhawk model.

Conclusion

The Aires/Quickboost parachute container is a highly detailed accessory. The addition of the parachute container offers the modeler the opportunity to add some visual interest to a model of the Su-17/22 offered by Hobbyboss. The parts are a bit pricey at $6.50,

Looks like I now need to add a Hobbyboss Su-17 to my collection. The two-seater is what I need to complete this review.

Even though both Hobbyboss and Kittyhawk have issued models of the very same Su-17 aircraft there are some differences in component sizes that will not allow interchangeability for some aftermarket accessories. Most manufacturers of resin, photoetch and sometimes decals will note their product has been designed for a specific model brand. As modelers we need to heed this information. Lesson learned.

Many thanks to Aires/Quickboost and to IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this fine resin accessory. Highly recommended for the additional detailed offered to the modeler.