Tupolev SB-2 M-100A from ICM in 1:72 scale is a challenge that has been waiting for its time in my workshop for many years.

The kit was first purchased at the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, sold after deciding to abandon the small scale, and bought again this year, out of sympathy for the silhouette of the plane, slender, with wings of a vast span compared to fuselage length. Beautiful, in its twisted way. 

An undervalued plane in scale modeling. SB is persecuted by bad luck regarding the availability of decent models. The new kit in 1:48 scale is probably lost with the collapse of the modeling company (supposedly, one can hunt vacuum-formed MPM for a lot of money, but you know…), Frog’s or MPM injection products – either primitive or almost impossible to build, and finally ICM – which in the box it looks nice, especially when it comes to surface details, but it is so fragmented, even shredded, that it can be discouraging.

But somehow, I made it to the end. No, it’s not my top achievement; I just glued it together and painted it.

Rob Taurus canopies are, in my opinion, a must-have accessory for this model. I also added the harness in the cabins (Eduard) and applied Print Scale decals – that’s it. My Katiuska is painted with MRP and AK Interactive 3G paints. Weathered with Modelers World washes, some subtle highlights are done with Oilbrushers from Ammo Mig (dry brushed).

The model is supposed to represent a Republican aviation machine – 24th Group, Barahas, Spain, April 1939. I hope you like it!