At first I thought this was something that I was embarrassed to admit, but now I think that I’m proud of the fact that before I created these SSJ-100 (Sukhoi Superjet) templates, I always thought that Sukhoi was a Japanese company. I’d be willing to bet that most people could admit that it is a very Japanese sounding name, so you can’t blast me too hard for thinking something like that.
But why am I proud of this? Quite simply, its confirmation that I’m not as much of an airplane nerd as I thought I was! 😃 Not that being an airplane nerd is a bad thing – but I’ve always been a car guy and I have been feeling bad about neglecting my main hobby so much over the past few years. I love to draw cars (and the automotive industry in general), so it was a bit disconcerting that my aviation knowledge was slowly surpassing my knowledge of all things automotive.
So yeah. Sukhoi is a Russian company with a Japanese sounding name. I’m actually glad I received so many requests to illustrate this aircraft because it opened my eyes a bit to how large (and amazing) the Russian aerospace industry is. The Russians definitely know how to build airplanes, and a bit of research resulted in a long list of new aircraft I want to illustrate – starting with the Antonov 225. That thing is a beast!
Another thing I learned while doing this template of the SSJ-100 is the fact that Boeing was a consultant for the design and engineering phases of its development. I never would have expected that, simply because Russian aerospace technology is very advanced and I would think they would prefer to keep everything “in house” rather than seek the help of an American company. But that’s globalization for you!
A side profile illustration of an all white Sukhoi SSJ-100 Superjet over a white background with and without the landing gear deployed
A technical side profile line drawing of a Sukhoi SSJ-100 Superjet over a white background with and without the landing gear deployed
Stylewise, the Superjet isn’t really pushing the envelope. To me, it looks like a less-aerodynamic Bombardier CS100 with small Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines, and that’s unfortunate because most commercial airliners are starting to look the same these days. I will give the Sukhoi designers credit for the really aggressive (and cool looking) windshield though – it’s not so impressive from a side view like this, but the shape is very pointy and sleek from the front view and unlike anything I’ve seen on a commercial aircraft before.
Unfortunately, the SSJ-100 isn’t so common here in the US yet (much like other Russian aircraft) so if you want a ride on one you’ll have to catch an Interjet flight out of Houston or Miami to Latin America. I’ll admit that I’m a wee bit tempted…
Norebbo
My name is Scott, and I started in the design industry over 20 years ago with a bachelors degree in Industrial Design from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI. I have an extensive background in both 2D and 3D illustration, and these days, I spend a majority of my time creating aircraft templates and airliner art. I’m basically an airplane dork.
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