I would like to clear
some space on my shelves, so I need to part with some of my collection. Kinetic
Model Kits has been very active in producing high quality 1/48 scale aircraft
with an emphasis on interesting subjects. The carrier-based Sukhoi Su-33
Flanker D (Sea Flanker) was derived from the Su-27 Flanker air superiority
fighter. It will eventually be replaced by the MiG-29K but has had a long
service life that continues today through modifications and upgrades. Due to
the breakup of the Soviet Union, only two dozen were produced which is enough
for their small carrier “fleet”. This kit started as a project of the Aviation
Art model company, but they were not able to get it to market back in 2014.
Kinetic stepped in and finished the work and the result is this outstanding product.
There are over two
dozen listings for this kit on eBay (almost all from China or Europe), but as a
Top Rated Plus US Seller, I have this in stock and can reliably ship this item
very quickly. Here are a few examples of the abundant praise for the quality
and copious detail of this kit from around the web:
The Kinetic
Model Kits website just has a simple page showing the glorious box art but no
other information about the kit. From other sources, I have found this
impressive list of features:
·
Super
detailed cockpit
·
Super
detailed engine nozzle
·
Folding
wings option
·
One-piece
slide moulding missiles: R-73, R-27E, R-27EM
·
Super
detailed Main Landing Gear (MLG) and Nose Landing Gear (NLG) bays
Scalemates.com has a
listing showing this is a brand-new 2015 tooling. The site provides a link to download
the complete 21-page instruction set and full-color painting guide. There are
also loads of links to aftermarket parts, reviews and photo galleries of Flanker
projects.
Michael Benolkin posted a detailed First
Look Review on the cybermodeler.com site. He gives you large, detailed photos
of all the sprues, decals and the PE fret. He compiled a very long list of
features and options for this kit, as well as some links to Flanker videos on YouTube.
He thought this would be a good kit for all modeling levels and said: “This
is a really nice looking kit that isn't complex, so this should be an easy
build for most modelers. The Flankers have always had some interesting color
schemes but the Sea Flankers are especially eye-catching with their tri-blue
camouflage patterns.”
KlausH published the definitive In-Box Review on
the German-language kitreviewsonline.de site. You get over 120 high-resolution
photos highlighting many of the extremely detailed parts, as well as the
author’s amazed praise at the precision and quality of the moldings. He was
absolutely stunned by the model and his Summary had one of the most
enthusiastic opening statements I have ever read, saying: “The Su-33 from
Kinetic is very close to the perfect kit for me. In terms of construction and
details, this is definitely the case in my opinion.”
Brett Green delivered an excellent First Look Review
on the hyperscale.com site. There are over two dozen professional photos
showing the insane detail of the sprues, decals and the PE fret. He highlighted
the multi-part engine exhausts as particularly beautiful and cleverly molded.
His admiration for this kit is obvious in his Conclusion: “This is a
deeply impressive kit. Kinetic's 1/48 scale Su-33 features state-of-the-art
surface textures, a very high level of detail, plenty of useful options and
poseable parts, and all delivered via a manageable parts count and sensible
engineering. This will be a large and impressive model when finished.”
florymodels gives us a 30-minute
Unboxing Video on YouTube. After walking through the instructions, we get a
good look at the decals, the very thin PE parts and then the sprues. The two
camera setup is a very nice way to present the parts and add commentary. He was
pleased with the improvements that Kinetic has made over the years and this kit
is one of the best he has ever seen.
This kit is in a large,
beautiful box about 18.5” x 12” x 3.5”. As you can see from the pictures, the box
is in outstanding shape and is still sealed with tape strips, so I consider it factory sealed and absolutely gift-ready.
This item contains one complete injection
molded plastic model kit with over 250 detailed grey and 10 clear plastic
parts, a large sheet of awesome Cartograf
decals (designed by Cross Delta Decals) and even some photo
etched metal parts to make a sharp-looking Sea Flanker. It requires cement and
paint to complete as shown. I use eBay Managed Payments, but I no longer ship
internationally. Auction winner pays the winning bid and for a limited time,
this large item is offered with $12 Flat Rate Shipping in the US!
No reserve and a low starting
bid. Check out my other great auctions and listings for combined shipping. Good
luck!
Those familiar with my listings can tell
that I really enjoy these products and the modeling hobby. I like to provide
more than just the bare facts about the items, trying to lead you into
discovering more about the subjects and optimizing your builds (if that is your
goal). I started out picking up models that I was interested in, with the eye
toward building them when I had time. Always a bargain-hunter, I accumulated
many more than I can build, so I found myself in a Collector status (sounds
nicer than a hoarder).
As I am sure you have noticed, my items
are almost always sealed and in mint condition (I call them Gift-Ready), since
I only open them when I am ready to build them. Now I enjoy making these
products available to my fellow modelers; both Builders and Collectors. For the
Builders, there are probably better (at least cheaper) ways to add to your
project lists than buying from me, but you know you are getting top quality.
For Collectors, my goal is to save you a few bucks over the competition for the
same item in factory sealed and collectible (or resellable) condition.