TU-95 MS Bear in 1/72 Scale

Now it was time to put the two parts of the main fuselage together.

With the cockpit, the front gear, the bomb bay, and some of the view ports that were added, you have to be careful to get a good fit, and you have to ensure that you use enough glue to hold it together, and then clamps and rubber bands to hold it in position until the glue dries.

I then carefully painted the entire outer fuselage silver and then painted the forward radar dome white, and a rear access area white underneath, aft of the bomb bay as it is on the aircraft.

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Once this was completed, all of the major structural parts of the aircraft wee ready. So, I decided to dry fit them together to see how they would look.

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It is looking very, very nice. The TU-95 has such a sleek, menacing look, and those turboprops with the counter-rotating propellers really make the aircraft pop.

In my next session I now have a tremendous number of small details to add. Landing gear doors, rear turret, antennae, compartment/view hatches, the inflight refueling probe, the canopy, etc. I also hope to add scratch built pylons for more cruise missiles under each wing.

Another session after that will be required for final painting scheme, touch up, and then decals. I have ordered some decals specifically for this aircraft that I may have to wait on arrival before finishing.

Nice addition the rotary launcher !

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RUS TU-160 (Not Started)

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FORBIN said:

Nice addition the rotary launcher !

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Yes, but in truth the Kh-55 would not be there. If I find some of the smaller ALCMs, I will one day replace those three with six of the appropriate missiles.

But I wanted to illustrate the Tu-95s internal capabilities, and although this model came with bomb bay doors that could be shown open...it did not include anything to put in there...si I improvised. LOL!

The Build: Canopy, Antennae, refueling probe, sensors, gun, wheel doors, decals, touchup and completion - January 14, 2016

Lots to do in this session...but I had a lot of hours in the evening to spend this week...so I went to it.

First I decided to wait on the wing pylons....I do not want to put them on there until I have the appropriate missiles and I am having trouble locating them. Also...call me impatient...heck the model is just looking to good to let sit, and the special decals I wanted to order are out of stock...so I will use the decals that came with the kit from Trumpeter to complete the model. At least I did get the bomb bay done with the rotary launcher and the KH-55 missiles.

So, I started this session by adding the myriad of details...starting with the canopy. This canopy is molded very well, allowing me to make a go at painting it all by hand with no masking. it turned out well. I then began to add the various sensors and antennae, the rear gun turret and its glass, and then the doors for the landing gear. This took quite a bit of time, but was well worth it because the realism of the model is really coming out now.

I then did a little touch up and then it was time to add the decals.

The decals that come with the Trumpeter kit allow you to make either as a Ukrainian aircraft, or as a Russian aircraft. I chose the Russian markings. They are also very straight forward and only give the large, distinctive markings. The insignia, the aircraft number, and the Russian flag markings forward on the fuselage. Some day when I get the detail decals I will add them...because you know there are a lot of details, panel markings, warnings, etc. on an aircraft like this.

Anyhow, the decals available really have the aircraft looking like the Bear it is!

Now that is looking REALLY nice.

With all of the details added and the decals markings on there...it was only a matter of adding the finish coat and then showing off the aircraft in its complete form:

WOW! Despite not getting to do all I wanted... I just cannot get enough of the look of this aircraft. Here are some close-ups.


Now THAT is what I'm talking about. Your Russian TU-95M in 1/72 scale!

So, until I get more room for my models, I have used up the space to display my large, 1/72 scale aircaft. That means the B-52, B-1B, Tu-160, B-2, and the Space Shuttle are all going to have to wait. Too bad because I was really on a large aircraft roll after completing the B-36 and the Tu-95. Oh well, I do have room for my smaller 1/72 scale aircraft and I still have a lot of them to build. We are loking at using another room in the house later this year for my model shop and display area, so within a few months we may be able to get back at it.