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1/48 Egyptian Mig-21 - War of Attrition


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Hi all

Following is my build of an Eduard 1/48 Mig-21 PFM using the Profipack version. The aircraft I am building is an Egyptian Mig-21 PFM from the War of Attrition period flown by Capt Samir Aziz Mikhail.

So far, I have been really impressed regarding the Eduard kit. It appears that Eduard have put some consideration into how the model will go together, a fair percentage of the fuselage seams are covered by other parts such as the spine and the overall rigidity of the fuselage is strengthened by the inclusion of two spacers. I wish they had done this with the Mirage...

The color photo etched instrument panel and console panes have fitted well and really look impressive. My paint mix for the Soviet cockpit blue green was Gunze H25 Sky Blue and H46 Emerald Green in a 2:3 ratio.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/eduardPFMbox.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-052.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-051.jpg

cheers

Shane Lovell

Canberra, Australia

Edited by Shane_Lovell
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Excellent start. I have built Eduard's MiG-21 SMT and totally agree with your observations of how well engineered it is. I will follow your build with interest.

Cheers,

Tom.

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Shane is 'good, old mate' from our joint times at the DAK forum (DAK = Deutsches Afrika Korps), years ago, and the topic in question is highly interesting, so couldn't resist supporting him fully in this project.

BTW, the subject in question is another - and very authentic - Egyptian MiG. A MiG-21PFM from No. 47 Squadron, flown by Capt Samir Aziz Mikhail on 20 June 1969, when he scored a confirmed kill against an Israeli Mirage (two MIrages went down that day, one of pilots was captured, the other ejected over the Sinai)....

The plane featured prominently on the cover of Arab MiGs Vol.4 too. ;-)

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Hi all

Please see attached a profile by Tom Cooper of the aircraft I am building. Thanks Tom for permission to post this.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/EAFMiG-21PFM8097.jpg

The plane was delivered to Egypt just few months before. It was camouflaged in beige BS381C/388, black green BS381C/298, and either green BS381C/283 or olive drab BS381C/437 on bottom surfaces. Lower surfaces were painted in light admiralty grey BS381C/697. Notable is ventral fin painted in light blue: this was a sort of unit insignia for No. 47 Squadron UARAF as of that time.

Does anyone have any thoughts regarding a suitable model paint colour for BS381C/388 Beige?

cheers

Shane

Edited by Shane_Lovell
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We had a lively debate about the best shade of beige (that's something you'll only hear on a modelling forum I'm sure!) in some of the threads in the group build

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/463-mig-21-single-type-group-build/

I went with Tamiya XF-78 for my PF

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234954420-148-academy-mig-21pfs-or-fl-egyptian-af/page-3

It looked spot on until I glossed it, Tamiya paints go a bit darker under gloss.

The other option is Akan paints

Bosse used Akan for his builds

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234954417-eduard-148-mig-21-mf-egypt-airforce-mig-21bis-syrian-airforce/page-5

Depending on where you are in the world will depend how easy they are to get hold of...

Worth a look through Bosse' build as he spotted an issue with the fit around the front of the lower wing part on the Eduard kit.

Hope that helps!

Phil

Edited by SaintsPhil
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Hi all

Thanks for the kind comments. Currently, I plan to use the following paints to represent the BS colours

Beige - Gunze H336 - Hemp

Green - Gunze H78 - Olive Drab(2)

Black Green - Gunze H65 - RLM 70 Black Green

Light Admiralty Grey - Gunze H334 - Barley Grey

For an interesting history of the BSC 381 / 381c range of colours have a look at http://cpwstonehouse.com/colour-systems-part-2-british-standard-colours/

The nose cone and wheels were painted in Gunze H26 Bright Green. The wheels then received a wash of Windsor and Newton Sepia oil paint.

Some new progress pictures -

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-071-1.jpg

The exhaust was painted with a mixture of Tamiya TS-17 Gloss Aluminium, Modelmaster Metalizer - Steel and Gunze Mr Metal Colour 212 Iron. The TS-17 was sprayed directly from the can rather than being decanted and then sprayed through my airbrush. I used the same colour for the forward and rear wheelwells.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-091.jpg

The body of the seat was painted with Tamiya Neutral Grey and the lighter components with Humbrol 64.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-092.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-093.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-094.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-094.jpg

The seat certainly dominates the cockpit, though enough of the colour photo-etch consoles are visible to still make it look beautiful.

A fishing sinker and some shotgun pellets were glued into the nose cone. These were glued with white glue and left overnight to fully cure.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-094.jpg

So far, touch wood, I haven't stuffed anything up. Fitting the seat into the glued fuselage was very tight and I would recommend fitting it prior to gluing the two fuselage halves together.

cheers

Shane Lovell

Canberra, Australia

Edited by Shane_Lovell
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We had a lively debate about the best shade of beige (that's something you'll only hear on a modelling forum I'm sure!) in some of the threads in the group build

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/463-mig-21-single-type-group-build/

I went with Tamiya XF-78 for my PF

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234954420-148-academy-mig-21pfs-or-fl-egyptian-af/page-3

It looked spot on until I glossed it, Tamiya paints go a bit darker under gloss.

The other option is Akan paints

Bosse used Akan for his builds

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234954417-eduard-148-mig-21-mf-egypt-airforce-mig-21bis-syrian-airforce/page-5

Depending on where you are in the world will depend how easy they are to get hold of...

Worth a look through Bosse' build as he spotted an issue with the fit around the front of the lower wing part on the Eduard kit.

Hope that helps!

Phil

I think that most of us who built the MF Eduard kit had a similar slight problem the front of the lower wing. I also used Akan paints on my build and found them very good, and I don't usually use these types of paint.

Good luck with your build.

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Hi all

More progress pics. I'm now starting to analyse the painting sequence in order to minimise the chance of any stuff ups. Rather than spray the bare metal panels on the rear fuselage after putting down the camouflage pattern, it looks easier to put the bare metal down first and then mask it. My original plan was to use Alcad laquers for this so I painted the natural metal area with their undercoat. This is a fantastic product as its essentially a very fine liquid filler.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-121.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-122.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-123.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-124.jpg

So, no plan ever survives the first shot. I test sprayed the Alcad Duralium (thank god) and hated the colour and finish. As I had the Mr Metal Colour Aluminium and Dark Metal colours, I decided a mix and match approach would be a good experiment. I had hoped the paint finish would produce a dark metal. Unfortunately, it didn't but it will suffice for the lighter of the two panels. The finish seems very fragile so I will now need to put a clear overcoat on it prior to masking up the dark metal panel.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-135.jpg

The centre line drop tank was painted in Mr Metal Colour Aluminium and then lightly buffed. I have to admit the finish is better than anything else I have seen.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-136.jpg

cheers

Shane Lovell

Canberra, Australia

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Hi all

More progress and another update.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-16141236.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-16141125.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-16141113.jpg

The lower wing and fuselage section fitted beautifully with only a smidgen of filler being required.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-16141143.jpg

The only flaw I have found so far is a step where the upper right wing section meets the fuselage. This required a bit of sanding and filling.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-07-16141328.jpg

So now to finish off the lower fuselage, mask the metal sections and commence spraying the blue underside.

cheers

Shane Lovell

Canberra, Australia

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  • 2 weeks later...

Shane,

two minor details you can 'add' at this stage too: this was a 'late-production' MiG-21PFM, so it had a 'periscope' (with rear-view mirror) on the top of the cabin, plus two (instead of one) power-supply (?) connectors on left side of the fuselage, above forward airbrakes and behind auxillary intake. (The latter look like 'small circles with a hole in the centre' on most of line-drawings; though, most of line-drawings of PFMs show only one in this place.)

If you like, you can add the GP-9 gun-pod too: though, this was rarely used by Egyptians, because fuel (i.e. the 490-litre drop tank under the centreline) was so much more important.

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Colleagues

Painting the upper camouflage is now complete. Masking, however, removed some of the metallic finish on the rear fuselage so it will need to be repainted (bugger... bugger!)The next steps are to paint a medium grey into the panel lines.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-08-01130010.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-08-01125936.jpg

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-08-01125927.jpg

The following picture shows a test painting of the panel lines.

http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/shane_lovell/Eduard%20Egyptian%20Mig-21%20PFM/2014-08-01130053.jpg

cheers

Shane Lovell

Canberra, Australia

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