Small Scale Military Headquarters

For anybody who prefers the Gaincorp Flankers over Witty, I ran across this lot on Ebay today...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 3D1&_rdc=1

SU-27 Flanker #25
SU-34 Strike Flanker #43
SU-33 Sea Flanker #65
SU-47 Berkut #01

If someone could snag the lot at the opening bid price, it would probably be a good deal versus buying them individually.

Good for anyone looking to get an instant GC Flanker and Berkut collection

These are beautiful models, a definite massive presence about them when displayed with other planes, especially the Strike Flanker

Even with buy it now price plus shipping, gonna be reasonable compared to getting these individually, if you can even find them.

gouchy wrote:......Even with buy it now price plus shipping, gonna be reasonable compared to getting these individually, if you can even find them.

Agreed. I've been taking a closer look at Gaincorp's Flankers lately, mainly because they make an SU-30 in a grey Russian scheme that I like a lot.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-72-GAINCORP-Sukho ... 43a32b32ef

Gaincorp also makes a nice looking Chengdu J-10 (a sort of Eurofighter Typhoon copy) the main problem with many of these GC models is they are only available direct from China, and the shipping costs can quickly run the tab up close to $100 per model, and that's bit more than I can justify budget wise at the moment.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-72-China-Fighter- ... 1e5bea76b9

You'll be glad to know the SU-30KN will soon be available at major etailers, just a quick glance at one, the flying mule, has it on pre-order at $60 with free shipping. Jumblies has it too if you're across the atlantic.

I happen to view in hand the GC 1/48 and 1/72 J-10 in the same scheme as your link, was impressed enough to bring the 1/48 one home. Its better detailed and just looks more impressive compared with the 1/72.

The J-10 2-tone grey colors are even better then shown in pics, not as washed out by camera flash, really darker, sleek and nice. In the link below, The second last pic (5-plane photo) with the J-10 in middle is close to seeing actual color tone without flash

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-72-Fighter-plane- ... 1e5bd0dee1

Learned to live with its fixed gear and armament are not garishly colored which is a bonus.

I recommend 1/48 if you can find one reasonably priced and dont mind the scale

I have that Su30KN, and it is the best Su that Gaincorp have made so far. And I have almost a dozen different ones. Got mine about a year ago from a seller in China, and it was about $120 with shipping. But relatively hard to come by at the time, and a great looking scheme.

However, Gaincorp need to pack their models better, as the styrofoam cradle that they use just doesn't give the model enough support.It can work loose during shipping, and knock bits and pieces off the model. A simple glue fix, but still.

As Gouchy has said the Flying Mule will be carrying this Su30KN, and the Su47 in the very near future, for substantially less than these were selling for not that long ago.

In regards to the 4 pack of Flankers. It also has the Su34, a side by side, two seater. Much like the F-111. These were pretty rare, and hard to find, and I was fortunate to get all three of them from a seller in China who didn't realize what a hard to find model he had. He had a few of these for sale, and the response was pretty strong, and he kept raising the price, but they kept selling. These were apparently selling for $200 when they showed up rarely on Ebay. Pretty sure they wouldn't fetch that price now, but these Su34's are still pretty hard to find.

Might be worth getting the 4 pack just for the Su34.

Gaincorp are a unique, and kind of quirky company. Based in China, and with no real distribution to the West.They make lots of different Su27's and variants. Gear down only option, which I am not a fan of. However, I do like my Gaincorp models. Not the absolute best quality, but pretty good, and they are a different kind of company.

I would definitely recommend the Su30KN.

http://www.flyingmule.com/products/GC-WA72022

The funny thing about Gaincorp's packing was that there was also the clear plastic cradle packing (base cradle and top lid), exactly in the style of Hobby Master, used for their Sea Flanker with folding wings.

Wonder why they could not use that for the rest of their models but decided to go with the styrofoam style? The Flanker is basically resting at a slight cant on the foam at the nosecone and back fuselage near the nozzles, every other part is hanging out there in mid air. A few tumbles in shipping and self repair with glue is required of the buyer.

Agreed with Snake that Gaincorp is unique, in a niche market with some of their models that no-one else has made. The Berkut, some Flankers and PLA Helos and Jets.
They even had a PLA AWAC jet, 40cm length apparently I can't remember the scale, that I saw in the flesh, it was mighty impressive and decided not to buy it with a some regret as I was only interested in 1/72 at that time. Link below is exactly the same one

http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/40CM-China-A-50- ... 20ae32a498

They even had a PLA AWAC jet, 40cm length apparently I can't remember the scale, that I saw in the flesh, it was mighty impressive....

That is an impressive model. The Beriev A-50 "Mainstay" is a development of the Soviet/Russian Ilyushin IL-76 military transport, sometimes referred to in the West as "AWACS-Ski". I believe the Chinese have about four of them in service, with options on another four.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia-- ... b15a5b15c3