Dragon PLA J-15 "Flying Shark" 1/144

Back in December I kinda got tired of work in progress posts, so I've been trying to actually finish something.  I'm pretty close on a few things, but meanwhile here's the latest kit to catch my attention.  Modern jets are not particularly my area but something about this one caught my eye - probably the box art!

Nice crisp molding.  Panel lines somewhat overscale but par for the 1/144 course really.

Here's the kicker though - notice the identifier numbers on the sprue.  Reading up a little on this plane, it develops that a) it's not actually in service until 2014 or so, and b) it's repeatedly described as seriously resembling the Russian SU-33, or the Sukhoi Flanker family in general.  So the seeming wonder of how Dragon could produce a kit of a plane that's still undergoing presumably top-secret design trials is no great mystery - this is a reboxed SU-27 with Chinese decals and sexy new box art.  Might bother some, doesn't worry me.  I just want to build it (maybe even OOB for once!!)

Always seem to read good things about Cartograf decals, so that's promising.

Canopy looks nice and thin, and comes in its own little bag (decals too) - a nice little touch.

Love how the pilot figure looks like he's slouched deep in some kind of futuristic La-Z BoyTM, glued to a big-screen HDTV.  Certainly the most relaxed pilot I've come across yet...actually he looks a bit robotic as well. 

The exhausts could probably use some thinning around the edges.  Generally though the exterior detail looks very nice and I'm really looking forward to starting this one.  I guess it's kind of a "future what-if" in a way, and I do love a what-if.