Howdy,
I have held off on doing this because I didn't really want to do a full build thread as several others have done (and have done VERY well). I suspected it would get too time consuming. So I will do what might be a
very time compressed build thread.
A few years back (2017) I was looking to do a scratch build project - and perhaps make a few builder kits if the project was going in the right direction. I was going in a couple different aircraft directions, but in the end, I decided to start to amass information / documentation on the Su-17 Fitter, because:
1.) The Polish Air Force still flies them and had just recently updated their aircraft with new color schemes, so recent photographs online were available,
2.) For modelers in the US, it is a relatively obscure aircraft (even though several countries had flown them), so I would not likely run into someone else building one (??
??),
3.) It is a somewhat complex aircraft, with lots of functions a modeler could add (inbd and outbd flaps, slats, swing wing, drag chute, involved main landing gear, etc),
4.) There are several viewable at museums (although unfortunately, not here in the US),
5.) Lots of color schemes available, if you can find the documentation (from bare metal finish, to various shades of Camo, and a few specially colored in almost sport-type schemes).
6.) It's mostly an attack aircraft, so one could add tons of different types of stores.
Polish Su-22M4 with updated colors, and wings full forward.
Su-17M3 with wings full aft, bare metal, at Monino Air Museum.
Czech Su-22M4 with wings mid-sweep.