References also indicate that the aircraft will only carry two weapons each in the two main bays rather than the six supplied.
These are the original version with the rear lattice controls that fold forward, although references indicate that the Su-57 has tested the R-77M, an upgraded version with AESA seeker, conventional fins and two-pulse motor. Supplied weapons include six R-77 medium range active Radio Frequency (RF) seeker missiles (NATO designation AA-12 Adder) for the internal bays and two for external, under-wing hard points. The two under-wing, short range air-to-air weapon bays are moulded closed, probably because there is currently no information on how they actually work.
Su 57 cockpit windows#
The final two are not represented at all, which is not too big a deal because I had to paint all six windows anyway.Īs noted above, the main weapon bays can be modelled open but the kit supplies an alternative single piece to represent the doors closed. The IRST ball and DIRCM domes are represented nicely but the MAWS apertures, which on the aircraft are UV cameras behind small windows, are represented by etched outlines for four of the six locations. The canopy parts are scale thickness and crystal clear, as is the two-part, wide-angle Head Up Display (HUD).
The clear parts are made from a soft, flexible plastic and are some of the best that I have seen. Mind you, that didn't prevent me from knocking one or two off a couple of times. I thought that the four small hinges would present problems, but their fit in the corresponding slots is precise and they almost don't need glue. An example is the attachment of the open weapon bay doors. While the kit has deceptively few parts, the engineering and fit is, for the most part, very precise and a joy to assemble. The fit of these parts is excellent although the wing leading edge is quite sharp so a little care is needed to get them right. The kit is split into top and bottom parts that combine the fuselage and wings. My example, however, was quite satisfactory in these areas, so perhaps Zvezda refined the moulds. When it was released, the kit had some mixed reviews with early examples exhibiting a rough surface on the upper fuselage-wing and some soft details. The Su-57 NATO reporting name is “Felon”. A second pre-production aircraft, T-50S-2, no 51002, also “Blue 01” took to the air on the 31st of October, 2020.įive production aircraft, no 52201, 52302, 52303, 5235 (known Bort numbers “Blue 52”, “Red 02” and “Red 52”), are believed to have been produced in 2021 and at least a further two (RF-81777 “Red 53” and RF-81778 “Red 54”) in 2022. In July 2017, the T-50 was designated Su-57 for service with the Russian air Force.Ī further nine flying prototypes were produced before the first pre-production Su-57, T-50S-1, no 51001, Bort “Blue 01” was rolled out in 2019, but crashed on 24th December during factory trials, the pilot safely ejecting. In April 2002 Sukhoi was announced as the winner of the PAK FA competition but it wasn't until the 29th of January, 2010, that the first prototype, T-50-1 Bort “Blue 51” (later 051), made the type's maiden flight. Leading-edge vortex controllers (LEVCON) that are adjustable to improve high angle of attack control and stall recovery. Tandem internal main weapon bays and auxiliary under-wing weapon bays housing short range missiles N036-1-01 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) X-band radar coupled with the N036B-1-01 side looking X-band AESA and N036L-1-01 wing leading edge L-band arraysġ01KS electro-optical suite composed of the 101KS-V infrared search and track (IRST) forward of the cockpit, 101KS-O directional infrared counter measures (DIRCM) in the domes behind the cockpit and under the nose, 101KS-U ultraviolet missile approach warning sensors (MAWS) either side of the cockpit, under the nose and between the engines on the upper fuselage, 101KS-P thermal imager for low altitude flight and landing mounted in the port under-wing weapon bay fairing and 101KS-N navigation and targeting pod for air-to-surface mode The Sukhoi company developed the T-50 to the requirements which include stealth features, advanced, integrated avionics, super-manoeuvrability and a super-cruise capability. In 1999 Russia initiated the PAK FA (Perspektivnyy Aviatsionnyy Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, Prospective Aeronautical Complex of Front-line Air-forces) program for a next generation combat aircraft.
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