Su-33 Flanker D

The U.S.S.R/Russia may have lost the Cold War in 1989 but not because they had second-rate military equipment. One of Russia’s most impressive military aircraft is/was the Su-33 Flanker D Navy Carrier Borne Fighter. Loaded with an impressive arsenal of weapons: air-to-air and air-to-ground, the Su-33 Flanker made a formidable foe wherever you may have encountered it.


Hasegawa Hobby Kits’ 1:72 Scale model of the aircraft was recently released. Consisting of an upper and lower fuselage and four part trees, the model also comes with detailed instructions containing historical facts and specs.


Commissioned by the Russian government in the 1970s as a true carrier-borne fighter the Su-33 has a converted landing gear upgraded to two wheels for the heavy pounding the aircraft would take when landing on a carrier. Its flexible canard wings allowed it to maneuver quickly and smoothly during combat and several modifications made it easier to store while on a carrier.


Wing and fuselage mounted missiles and machine guns made/make the Su-33 an airborne killer that strikes with lightning speed. Full paint and decal instructions assist modelers recreate the aircraft marking perfectly while the landing gear and canopy can be positioned as if simulating flight or stationary on the ground or carrier deck.


Like all Hasegawa models the Su-33 is perfectly scaled and modeled recreating the full-scale aircraft. Parts have little or no flashing and detach easily from their respective part trees. This is a first-rate model best assembled by seasoned modelers.