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A new modeling company has burst onto the scene with their first kit announcement. Working under the name Aviation Art (which is said to be a working name only - and may change) has announced a coming release of a 1:48 Su-33 (NATO Flanker-D). This is the navalized version of the Su-27. Primary differences include folding wings for carrier handling and storage, beefed up landing gear as well as canards for improved maneuverability and low-speed handling.

The kit is said to be tooled by a top-tier tooling facility so expect the kit to feature polished parts with fine surface detail. So far only CAD renderings have been supplied. These show an excellent level of detail in the kit. The CAD model shown is the second refinement in their design process. It is currently undergoing a third round of updates after which the tooling will be cut from hard steel molds. There is currently no timeline for release.

The first release will be for the Su-33. The kit will include photo-etch details, and include the weapons shown. A second release has already been promised to cover the Chinese J-15 version of the Sea Flanker. We will keep up to date with this release and other coming releases from this new manufacturer - which are said to already be in planning stages.