Ciro 1/48 Su-17UM-3 Fitter Conversion First Look

By Fotios Rouch

First Look

Intended for the KP/Kopro Su-17 or Su-22 kit Price: $62.00 Purchased from : Linden Hill Imports

The Su-17/Su-22 series was the Sukhoi OKB's attempt in a variable geometry wing version of the Su-7 fighter bomber. They were code named Fitter by NATO.

The Su-17UM3 (Fitter G) and its export version the Su-22UM-3K is were our subject comes from. This was a revised trainer coming from the Fitter E with a taller tail fin and a removable ventral fin. This variant retained the moving intake cone and could reach Mach 2.1 at high altitude. The need for a back seat instructor necessitated the removal of certain combat avionics.

Ciro has done some great conversions. Another great two seat conversion was the Mig-15 UTI which was superseded by the Trumpeter kit.

This Su-17/22UM-3K is another great example of their work. This is a very complete conversion containing two vac canopy sets, masks for the canopies, photo-etch frets, lots of resin and detailed assembly and painting instructions.

The resin is of very good quality with no bubbles or pinholes. There are two baggies full of resin. One bag contains numerous small resin parts for the cockpits and the other bag contains the new fuselage additions for the extra cockpit and the fuel spine.

The photo-etch is done by Eduard and is of the quality we come to expect. It includes the instrument panels, seat belts, ejection seat details, periscope, etc. It also includes complete exterior frames for the vac canopies. A square of gloss paper is provided with printed instruments to place behind the photo-etch instrument panels.

Ciro gives two vacuform canopy sets in this kit. Good idea in case there is a mishap while trying to superglue the photo-etch on the clear vac! There are detailed instructions on how to pose the canopies in the up position.

The vacuform canopies will be easy to paint with the aid of a mask set provided in the kit.

What really surprised me was the instructions provided by Ciro. They are gorgeous. They are not only telling you how to cut the plastic and adapt the new parts. They are replacing the KP instructions completely with a full set of detailed steps from beginning of assembly and all the way to the end fully integrating the new parts presentation into the kit as if it was designed as two-seater from the beginning! It also gives a schematic with all the different armament options. The painting instructions are great too. The only problem is that there are no decals provided for any of the five schemes depicted in the instructions. I wish Ciro had included decals in this conversion set.

They went to all the trouble to include great photo-etch and paint masks. Maybe some small decal set with all the special and unique decal components could have been provided.

I am thinking that this Ciro set combined with the great Cutting Edge wing and speed brake set will make for a killer model!

Very much recommended to modelers that are not afraid to cut up their KP Su-22s!