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  1. I'd like to add another entry to this GB - the new AMK 1/72 Kfir C2/C7. This delightfully-moulded kit comes with parts for two versions and markings for numerous operators, including an aircraft flown by the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), N401AX. This, or something similar, is what I've chosen as the subject for this build; I'm actually inclined to build a slightly different jet, N404AX (photo by James Geer 2011, on Flickr), because of its nifty blue colour scheme, but I'll worry about the final choice later. Here are some shots of the box/sprues/contents: I haven't started the kit as yet, preferring to concentrate on the two Special Hobby Mirage F1 kits progressing in parallel elsewhere in this GB, but this Kfir looks to be a very, very nice kit of this attractive Mirage variant and I'm keen to make a start. Andrew.
  2. Kfir C2 & C7 update sets & masks 1:72 Eduard - For AMK Kit The AMK kit is new to the market and Eduard are as usual quick with the sets. As you can build a C2 or C7 from the kit Eduard have released two sets depending on which version you will build. Both sets have a nickel coated fret and a brass fret in the packet. Parts included are coloured instrument panels, seat belts and all the side panels. New seat cushions are included and firing handles for the ejection seat. Canopy frames with mirrors and sills are provided. For the airframe new wheel well liners are included, and for the undercarriage scissor links and wheel hubs are there. Engine parts and pylon faces complete the set along with new muzzle covers for the cannons and faces for the chaff/flare dispensers. C2 C7 Masks (CX488) This set (for either the C2 or C7 provides all the masks for the main wheels and glazing in the yellow tape. Review sample courtesy of
  3. Avantgarde Model Kits (AMK) is working on a 1/48th AL-4320 APA-5D russian/soviet airfield starter truck kit - ref. Source: https://www.facebook.com/avantgardemodelkits/posts/808895625941933 HAD already proposes a 1/48th URAL-4320 APA-5D impressive resin kit: link V.P.
  4. So after lurking on the forums for a while looking at everyones work I thought I should contribute with an attempt of my own. Normally I'm a fan of things with propellers on them but when I was a kid there was one jet that I loved and that was the Mig-25 Foxbat. So when I saw that AMK were going to be releasing one I made the error of looking at the Mig-31 As they say a fool and his money are easily parted..... Sooo. I'm hoping you guys will give me some hints along the way as this is a new subject area for me and I will be needing guidance, not least with photo etch which I optimistically purchased. Any feedback will be appreciated. In case I forget I'm a very slow builder
  5. Yes. Again. Well, almost. This build is of the new B/BS variant, which I reviewed the other day here, and I'll be taking a slightly different approach, using some aftermarket from various sources to add a little difference between the two aircraft. I'm also hoping to either paint, or be lucky enough to get a set of markings for the display aircraft in blue/white and black over the standard grey. That was an E, so I'm also going to be looking into the external differences between the two types. So far the aftermarket is looking like this. G-Factor landing gear, as I'm probably going to take it to a few shows and want the gear to survive handling and travel. Eduard resin wheels to depict an aircraft with new tyres. Parts of the Eduard PE set, except for some instrument panels that differed. Kit decals will be used for those that do. HGW Masks because I fancy using some for a change. Resin weapons - Not sure on this yet, as I'll have to check my box for the various Eduard sets. I'll update this section when I know. I've built up the engine, intake trunk, gear bay and cockpit assemblies so far, in a slightly different configuration than previously to reduce the number of assemblies and with little clean-up of sprue gates where they won't be seen other than cutting them flush. The engines are currenly in the spray booth after a coat of gloss black, and as soon as I can I'll be priming the cockpits and ejection seats for later painting. Pics when there's something worthwhile to report
  6. Finally...... AMK Микоян МиГ-31, Саваслейка Air Base in 1/48 scale with Eduard Interior. A superb kit of a beautiful russian aircraft! I hope you gents like it, thanks for watching! Oliver
  7. Mig-31B/BS Foxhound 1:48 Avantgarde Models The Foxhound was developed as successor to the Mig-25, to fulfil the promise of the far from perfect Foxbat, and this is did very well. It was shrouded in secrecy, and the advanced radar coupled with a capable targeting system allowed it to designate several targets at once, as well as giving it the ability to look down/shoot down, aircraft and cruise missiles, which was a first at the time. The B model was fitted with in-flight refuelling capability as well as a new radar system that was developed after it was found that the West now had the technical details of the previous installation. The BS was the upgraded Mig-31 base model that was re-deployed to B standards, to differentiate between marks, and was eventually replaced by the B in the 90s. Incidentally, the B was also built as an export model and designated the E, which may be of interest to those of us that like unusual schemes, such as the E that wore the striking blue/white/black scheme over its base grey at airshows. The Kit The initial boxing of the kit was the more common BM/BSM that we reviewed here, built here and completed here. Now I've got the self-publicity out of the way, this is the next boxing with differences engineered in, and some changes made based upon feedback from us modellers, self-included IIRC. Sorry – I said I'd finished blowing my own trumpet, didn't I? Having built the original boxing, I can confirm it was one of the most pleasing and satisfying modelling experiences of my life, and this one should be better, as it has a number of improvements that will help keep momentum going, such as seatbelts, instrument decals, decals for the germetika, tinted canopy etc. The boxart is another photo, but of a B/BS taking off to the left instead of the right. Inside the box it is full to the brim with three sub-boxes holding the lower fuselage, forward fuselage and missiles respectively. The rest of the sprues are in re-sealable bags, which some folks with vibrating houses (in-joke) will find useful if they wanted to look in the bags and put them back to save chaffing. It's easier to provide a list of the contents: 13 x sprues of varying sizes in grey styrene 1 x fuselage lower in grey styrene 1 x fuselage upper in grey styrene 2 x clear parts in clear or gold tinted styrene 10 x spruelets for weapons in grey styrene 1 x Photo-Etch (PE) sheet in brass The nose-weights from the first boxing have been dropped in favour of a larger PE sheet, as I suspect they weren't quite enough. I ended up filling the nose cone with weight held in place by a packing of Milliput, but you may have better ideas. The build is very similar to the original, so I won't re-tread that, other than for pointing out the differences. The full length intakes are built identically, while the main gear bays have two small parts swapped to hide a couple of ejector pin marks. I'd consider leaving parts L42 & L43 off until later in the build though, as I managed to break both of mine during the build and they can easily be inserted when needed to support the bay doors/airbrake parts. Check your references for the painting of the bay, as some aircraft have a tan coloured section on the walls, which adds a little interest to the overall metallic colour. The bay doors can all be left off until later, but the nose wheel leg has to be inserted in between the walls. You can however leave the base parts in the bay without building the rest up to avoid damaging those too. The fuselage closes up around the trunking, and the wings are built up along with the separate flying surfaces, attaching to the large aperture on the top, and leaving VERY little in the way of seamlines to deal with. The nose is an impressively moulded single part, into which the cockpit slides very neatly. The instrument panels are subtly different, and as previously mentioned there are a set of decals to cover the instrument faces at the front and rear once you have done the detail painting. The coamings fit into the cockpit once it has been fixed in place, or it would baulk the sliding in process, and you can choose faired-in or un-faired refuelling probes in extended or retracted positions, both of which have a clear fairing around them so that you can mask the light at the front of the fairing that is used in night-time refuelling. Paint the rear of this silver before you glue it in, then back it with some black, so that it won't be seen from behind. The final refuelling option is the absence of probe and an insert that covers the recess. There is a photo floating round the net of a Mig-31E with its radome removed to show off the front of the Radar, which AMK have included as a PE part in case you'd like to go down that route. The nose cone is a click-fit, and has the detailed probe on the front, which has some fine lines of sealant/insulation in places that you can pick up from looking at my build. The detail painting really does improve the model. I should thank Gabor for a lot of the detail painting that he pointed out to me, as I had missed quite a lot of the subtleties early in my build. Intakes, auxiliary doors and the nose fit simply to the front of the fuselage with again very little in the way of seamlines. The kit really does pamper the modeller! The twin tails build up with poseable rudders and lots of delicate antennae at the trailing edge that I managed to bend and break quite early in the build. Cut them off and re-attach later, replace them with brass aftermarket ones (as I did), or just be careful with them, as not everyone has pudgy fingers like me. The elevators can be posed angled down or straight, but it appears that they are usually in the undeflected position when the aircraft is at rest. This time around you are given the option of showing the IRST housing under the nose retracted into its cubby-hole by omitting the plinth that makes it stand proud. The landing gear has been identified as slightly weak by some builders who have installed them when told to, so give some consideration to leaving them of until the last minute. If handled carefully they should suffice, but if you intend to take your model to shows you would also be wise to consider metal replacement parts, which are now available from G-Factor Models and others. The wheels have no tread to speak of still, but as I've said before the majority of photos I have seen there is very little if any tread left on the wheels. Eduard however have come out with a lovely resin set for that Kwik-Fit feeling. The ejection seats have been updated with a set of crew harnesses that were missing from the initial boxing, and these should ease your way to a nicely detailed cockpit. Thanks for listening guys! They are fitted at the last gasp along with the canopy, which is now provided in clear or gold-tinted variants on separate sprues. Yet again, AMK have listened to feedback, as not all modellers are comfortable with tinting their own clear parts. Again there are choices of a one-piece closed canopy with separate windscreen or three part canopy and separate windscreen for posing them open. When posing them open there are some fantastically detailed styrene inserts that make up the interior details, which will need painting in the bright insulation green with interior green strips holding the insulation in place. There is no front cockpit periscope on this earlier mark, but the rear periscope is still there, comprising a large mirror that pops up on pair of legs with PE bracing when needed during take-off and landing. If you are putting in the rams for the canopy in the open position, don't glue in the ejection seats first like I did. Much easier to put those in after, and it saves you some pennies for the swear jar. The weapons load for the B/BS is different from the BM/BSM, although the four R-33s that nestle under the fuselage in semi-recessed mounting points are still present. They are all still slide-moulded in one main part, which is a two-edged sword, as you get superb detail, but have to deal with four fine seam-lines. From my point-of-view the jury is still out on them, but they do look nice when finished. In the box you get the following weapons: 4 x Vympel R-33 (AA-9 Amos) long range A2A missiles 4 x R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) Infrared A2A Missile 2 x R-40 (AA-6 Acrid) long range A2A missiles There are adapter rails and pylons for each of these, with a dual-rail adapter for the R-60s. A separate page of the instructions shows possible load-outs for the munitions. Markings The most notable feature of the markings is a full sheet of stencils that are rather comprehensive and ordered in such a way that each section applies to a part of the airframe, such as underside, starboard, ejection seats etc. This helps massively when you are applying them, as you can just work along a section cutting off successive decals and wetting them, rather than the usual hunt-the-decal game that gets tedious very quickly. The national markings are on a separate sheet, and these are very similar to the original issue, which a few people commented on being a little large. The sheet has been extended to accommodate the cockpit decals, which have been very nicely done (and are most welcome), and the Germetika pink sealant that goes around the canopy borders. These have been printed in just the right colour, and have an incredibly fine carrier film that should disappear once fitted. They have even included two parts for the sills of the canopies, which also have the Germetika gunked on, which shows attention to detail. In case you find any areas that need some additional sealant, and believe me, they do slap it on all over (remember Brut 33?), there are eight 60mm strips at the bottom of the sheet for just such purposes. IIRC, I even saw some inside the flap track in one photo. A white sealant line is included for the shapely front panel of the windscreen, which can be seen on close-up photos. I missed it on my previous build though. From the box you can build one of the following: Mig-31BS 16 Blue Russian Air Force, Chelyabinsk-Shagol Airbase 2014. Mig-31BS 23 Red Kazakhstan Air Force, 2012. Mig-31B 73 Blue one of several operated by the training unit at Savasleyka Air Base. Decals are printed anonymously, and have good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. With a little gloss coating and careful sanding, the carrier film can be made to disappear for most of them. Conclusion AMK have made a great kit better, but there's one thing missing. That gorgeous display scheme with the blue, white and black design that was applied to an E. If that could have been incorporated into this boxing I'd have been a happy bunny. That's just me though, so don't take that as a gripe – someone is bound to come out with the decals soon, and if you're one of those someones, do let me know ASAP if not sooner. Such a lovely kit – treat yourself, even if Russian aircraft aren't usually your bag. I simply can't recommend it highly enough! Available soon from all good model shops online or otherwise. Don't delay getting yours, as if it follows the runaway success of the initial release, they might be hard to come by soon, pending moulding of another batch. Review sample courtesy of
  8. I had a muscular envelope surgery a week ago and a whole 2 months prior to that I didn't work on a single kit.So its time for something truly special.Although I said "summer project" considering how big the kit is and how much work it requires I'll be happy if I finish it before winter (and probably will).I truly hope this will be the best kit I ever made and will put my 110% into making it.Hope you guys enjoy this WIP
  9. L-29 Delfin - for AMK Kit 1:72 Eduard The AMK L-29 Defin is a great little kit, we recently reviewed it here. This set from Eduard provides one colour fret on nickel plated metal and one brass fret. The coloured fret provides mainly cockpit details with new instrument panels side consoles, new seatbelts and ejection seat parts. The brass fret provides a new seat pan, interior for the cockpit including lower sides, details for the canopy glazing, instrument panel coamings, rudder pedals, rear cockpit bulkhead; and a complete new section for nose including decking and boxes housed there. For the main undercarriage bays there are new cable runs, interior faces, and gear bay doors. There are also cable runs for the main undercarriage legs. New flap well interiors are provided as well as new ends for the flaps. Lastly a whole host of exterior panels and aerials are provided as well as the soviet block three pronged IFF antennas. Conclusion These frets should enhance an already great kit. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  10. Aero L-29 Delfín 1:72 AdvantGarde Model Kits Designed in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s, the Delfín was a two-seat military jet trainer used by the Warsaw Pact countries that is still in operation with some countries and in private hands today. It is simple in construction and cheap to operate, with a good safety record due to its pleasant handling characteristics, which endears it to the cost conscious and anyone wishing to stay alive. Over 3,600 were made, and due to their use by the Soviet Air Force, they were dubbed "Maya" under the NATO reporting coding. As well as flight training, the Delfín is equipped with hard points to allow it to be used in weapons training, which has inevitably led to it being used in action on occasion most notably during the Yom Kippur war, but also in other "low level" conflicts over time. It has been gradually replaced by the L-39 Albatros, but still finds use with private operators for air racing, experimental flights as well as joy-rides. The Sasol Tigers in South Africa fly the L-29 as an acrobatic team, and the low cost of ownership has made it a popular entry into jet-powered flying. The Kit It is good to see AMK reducing their excellent 1.48 kit down for modellers of the one true scale The kit arrives on two main sprues of grey plastic, with a further double small sprue for the tanks & seats. There is a clear sprue with separate front/rear canopies, and a small photo-etched fret. The quality of the moulds is very good. All the parts are crisp with no flash or moulding problems visible. All the panel lines are finely recessed and the moulded on details are very good. Construction starts in the cockpit. The two seats are constructed, these have five parts each and for the scale are very good. The instrument panels are added to the cockpit tub, along with the coamings and control columns. Instruments are provided as decals. The seat rails are then installed into the cockpit tub followed by the already completed seats. Next up the nose landing gear bay is assembled along with the four part exhaust. Once these sub assemblies are complete they along with the cockpit tub can be installed into the main fuselage. The rear decking behind the cockpit is added and then the main fuselage can be closed up. Nest up are the wings. These are midway up the fuselage so you have separate left/right wings to complete. They can be modelled with the flaps up or down. If doing the flaps down then that where the photo-etched parts come into play as they provide the complex interior to the flaps. As well as these the intake parts must be placed into the wings before they are closed up. Once made the wings can be joined to the fuselage. Various antenna are then added to the fuselage. Many of these are on the centre line and it shows attention to detail that they are added as additional parts rather than being moulded onto the fuselage halves. The horizontal stabiliser is then made up and added along with the rudder. The last major step is the construction of the landing gear. The front wheel is one part added to its leg, and the rear wheels consist of separate tyres and hubs. These are added to the legs along with the outer gear door parts. The rear airbrakes can be modelled open or closed, and the underwing tanks added. Lastly the front nose cover is added along with the canopies. Markings The L-29 was used by a wide variety of operators, so the choice of marking is quite wide. AMK have elected to offer USSR Air Force Red 07 silver with red wing & tail tips and fuselage band. Czechoslovak 1978 overall silver. Czechoslovak late1970's overall silver with red fuselage band. Egyptian Air Force College Bilbeis. Sand/brown/green over red undersides. German Democratic Republic Air Force 338 green/brown camouflage over light blue undersides. Ukraine - Aeroclub of Kharkiv 2010 (as box art). The decals are glossy, in register and look colour dense. The carrier film appears minimal. Conclusion This is a great little kit from AMK. Highly recommended. We need more great kits like this in 1.72. Review sample courtesy of
  11. This is a amazing kit for me, I love it! I suggest everyone who is in fond of aircraft should try ihis kit. Not satisfied with painted, but Magister is a beautiful plane. Thanks guys.
  12. Hot new for 72nd scale fans:
  13. I've just finished the review of this here new kit, and you can have a read of it here if you're interested in what I thought of it before I started building. it's hot off the press & barely cooled down, and I've been snipping a few parts off the sprues already The first job is building and painting the engines. The parts are all clipped off & tidied up, and I've done a quick test fit in the lower fuselage to orient myself on how it all goes together. It fits beautifully so far, and most of the seams are hidden away in the long trunking. Can't be bad! I just applied the first bit of glue to the insert in the lower fuselage, which fitted like a glove. I eased it with light finger pressure to get it lined up, and now I'm just waiting for it to dry before I handle it again. I thought I'd better do one of the BM airframes in honour of the forum, and hope it doesn't end up like one of the other meanings to BM
  14. After MiG, i'll start a new project: the AMK's L-29 Delfin in egypt color. I will start working on it on monday, now presentation time. The box: The kt is a jewel: great detail, smart design, small amount of part. I think it can give me a lot of fun! Well done, AMK! The kit's decals sheet is beatiful, but i choose the HAD's offer. That's because i really love the "Nile" camo and the red undersurfaces give the right touch of color. I heard about a lack of photography evidence about the red undersurfaces; btw, i really like it and i think i will do this scheme. ciao Ale
  15. Mig-31BM/BSM Masks (for AMK) 1:48 HGW Models The superb new Mig-31 from AMK has quite a lot of glazing, and some of the windows are an odd shape, so a mask set would be a handy tool to have on-hand. HGW have been working hard on this Wünderkit, and have a few additional items that will be along shortly. The masks are pre-cut to shape, and are made from a very thin, flexible film that has a translucent pale grey colour. Each part is numbered on the instruction sheet, and the diagrams show where each one fits on the corresponding kit part. The masks cover the full surface of each panel, and should be easy to fit due to their translucency, with each one fitting snugly down, but adding very little in the way of thickness, which reduces the chances of paint build-up around the edges. As well as every canopy and windscreen panel, there are also masks for the coaming between the pilots and both of the landing lights in the nose gear bay door. As the Foxhound often had liberal quantities of pinkish sealant goo applied around the edges of the windscreens, if you have the initial edition without the decals for this, try adding a thin strip of tape around the edges of the masks (once applied) after airbrushing some pink paint around the canopy. Remember to add some interior green first though, so it doesn't show through! Review samples courtesy of
  16. Mig-31 Foxhound Update Set & Masks (for AMK) 1:48 Eduard AMK's kit of the Foxhound is truly stunning both in terms of detail and fit, so it was expected that Eduard's sets for it might be more in the way of "icing on the cake", and easing the painting of the cockpit for the modeller. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Just in case you've been living under a rock for the last three months, here is a shameless plug of my build of the kit OOB over the Christmas 2015 period. Mig-31BM Update Set (49752) This is two fret set, one of which is nickel plated and pre-painted to be used within the cockpit, the other being mostly used to upgrade the exhaust cans. One of the most notable items missing from the kit were the seatbelts, which this set rectifies with pre-painted belts, ejector handles and some small parts on the headbox. The instrument panels are all replaced by multi-layer laminations that are again pre-painted, as are the side console parts, which require the removal of small sections of the kit parts. The most substantial part of the update however is a complete replacement set of the inner exhaust "petals", which requires the removal of the kit's rendition from its ring, enlarging of the hole, then the rolling of the new petals into a cylinder and insertion in the newly enlarged hole. After that 18 actuators are added to the outside and 27 tiny blow-out parts to the inside where they would hang down under gravity with engines off. A new set of afterburner rings are also included, which sit deep in the fuselage and can just be seen on the finished model. The other parts include some fine details for the main gear bays, oleo-scissor skins, nose gear mudguard skins, rings for the landing lights, and a number of additional sensors and aerials around the nose, plus vanes on the pitot probe. Finally, a gaggle of static wicks are supplied to replace those easy-to-knock-off kit ones (ask me how I know). Masks (EX489) The Foxhound doesn't have a huge amount of glazing, but it does have some tricky shapes, and because of the scale fidelity, the frames can be a little indistinct, so a masking set will be handy. Using yellow Kabuki tape that has been die-cut to shape, A large number of small masks for the various windows, sensors and lights are included, plus a full set of masks for the canopy sections. The windscreen parts are solid, while the curved side glazing are supplied as framing, with the centres to be covered by either liquid mask or scrap tape. They have missed one tiny little ovoid window for the pilot's periscope however, but a couple of punched rings from the sheet would soon sort that out. Review sample courtesy of
  17. Mig-31 BM/BSM Foxhound 1:48 AvantGarde Model Kits (AMK) At the height of the Cold War, the West was terrified of the Mig-25 Foxbat, which was touted as a formidable aircraft that was capable of all manner of things, which was probably part propaganda on the Soviet's part, and part scare-mongering from those wishing to further fighter development in the West. As it turned out, the Foxbat was a big compromise, and was only really good in a straight line as an interceptor. A dog-fighter, it was not, and its handling at low level and low speed was also a little scary. In the mid-70s these failings led to a new requirement to replace the Mig-25 with a more capable airframe. It remained a closely guarded secret with much speculation surrounding it until the West eventually found out that it was in work, and promised to be the aircraft that the Foxbat wanted to be. Elongated to accommodate the additional crew-member, the Foxhound shares a lot of design cues with its predecessor, and could be mistaken for one by the uninformed (or for an F-16 by the modern press!). it is at heart still an interceptor, but is also able to provide air defence cover when necessary, as well as its core interceptor role, which includes the look down/shoot down of aircraft and cruise missiles. The production went on until the mid-90s, and they are still in service with Russian and Kazakhstan forces, with a replacement still some years away. The Kit There has been quite a hubbub about this new tooling from relative newcomers AMK, who although they only have a few kits in their roster so far have come up with some lovely toolings and have many many more to grace their 2016 catalogue. It's an exciting time to be a modeller! AMK's ethos is to get it as close to the real thing as they can, which means that the gestation of the kit can sometimes be longer than originally anticipated when additional information comes to light. We've been following progress on Britmodeller for some months now, and now we have the kit in our hot hands. It arrives in a nicely appointed box with a picture (rather than a painting) of a Foxhound taking off on the front, and inside there are three smaller boxes to keep the upper fuselage, missiles and nose section safe from harm, with the rest of the sprues taking up the remaining space. There are fifteen sprues including the two fuselage halves in mid-grey styrene, plus another twelve one-piece sprues for the superb slide-moulded weapons load, a sizeable clear sprue, a small sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) parts, two small white metal weights, and finally the instruction booklet with painting guide to the rear in full colour. Apart from the initial "ooh, that's big!" impression, the overall package is of a high standard, giving plenty of cues in the shape of the inner boxes, the re-sealable bags for each sprue, inclusion of weights, and the general level of high detail throughout the model. The instructions are also to a high standard, and the use of slide-moulding to manufacture parts such as the nose area in one piece is pretty impressive. Attention to detail is good, even to the extent that a separate canopy has been included to ease the way for those of us that prefer to pose our models with the canopies closed. The quality of moulding on the weapons is jaw-dropping, and even the moulding seams are minimal, with no evidence of mould-slip. My one tiny gripe is that there are some ejection pin marks that are in tricky places such as on components with cylindrical surfaces, and in the low areas of ribbed panels. Sadly, that's one of the unavoidable by-products of injection moulding, but with a little work, they can be rendered invisible. Breaking with tradition, the build starts with the engines! There are a pair of engine carcasses that fill up the internal space within the fuselage, but aren't really meant to be displayed open, just to act as place-holders for the detailed two-stage front face of the compressor, and the exhaust tube, which is made up from a number of cylindrical sections to avoid annoying filling of seams within the confines of the trunking. This slips inside the engine "tube" and both engines are set aside for a while as the intake trunks are built up. They are handed, and include the main gear bays in their make-up, starting with the main trunk that is split vertically, to which a top and bottom section are added toward the front, which has a more squared-off profile, transitioning to circular aft of the gear bays. A ribbing detail part and bay sidewall are added to the underside, and then various small equipment, bulkhead and actuator details are installed. Repeat this for the other intake, then activity begins on the lower fuselage, which also includes the fuselage sides of this slab-sided monster. An insert fits within the belly, a gun fairing is added on the starboard side, and weirdly the instructions tell you to add the bay doors at this stage, which I'd ignore because they just wouldn't survive to completion! Flipping over the lower fuselage allows the intake trunking and engine/exhaust tube to be installed, with the nose gear bay placed between the two forks of underside at the front, just in front of the moulded-in bulkhead through which the intakes pass. The upper fuselage included the inner wing panels, with separate outers added to the full-width lower wing part, which is inserted in the fuselage from below, hiding away the lattice of stiffeners that hold the wings to the correct angle. The lower wing panel also has ribs and stringers moulded into it to reduce flex of the wings, which seems to be a theme for the model, as they are also present inside both fuselage halves. The multi-part leading edge slats are fitted on their tabs in either raised or lowered poses by using different parts with appropriately shaped tabs, with the flaps on the trailing edge using the same method of positioning. A single wing fence is glued on the upper wing and covers almost the full chord of the wing at that point. The upper fuselage and wings are then added to the lower fuselage, and it starts to look like an aircraft. There's still quite a bit of length missing from the Foxhound at this point, as the nose and intake parts are still on the sprues. The cockpit is built up first though, with a nicely detailed tub, sidewalls, and control column added, and then slid inside the impressive single-part nose moulding. With it glued in place, the two coamings can be added, plus a choice of closed or deployed refuelling probe, with and without fairings, depending on which decal option you choose. The nose cone and complex probe on the tip are also glued in place, and set aside while the intakes are built up. They have inner and outer skins, with both sides ending up well-detailed, and during assembly on the fuselage, the drop-doors are added in the open or closed position. The nose is also installed, and this butts up against the moulded-in bulkhead, and it is held in the correct position by a couple of sturdy pegs with corresponding holes in the bulkhead. She's still not at full length, as the tail fin also has a chunk of fuselage moulded in. The fins have a separate insert on one side, as well as a poseable rudder, and the ventral strake that fits on a long tab so that it stays vertical. The elevators are single thickness at the trailing edge, but the "meat" of them are two-layers, using an insert that follows convenient panel lines to avoid sink-marks due to over-thick plastic. They attach to the two tail sections using a set of four T-shaped parts that are inserted from within the fuselage, but the instructions aren't particularly clear that you only use one of each of the tab-parts for level flight and the other for them deflected down. The drawings show both inserted even though there is only space for one, and there is no annotation to give you a clue when inserting the tabs. You should be able to work out what goes where pretty quickly once you have the parts in your hand however. Both tails are then added to their cut-outs in the rear of the fuselage, and a very nice exhaust added to each engine. Now she really looks like a Mig-31! To get her sat on her own legs, you have the nose gear leg already installed during the nose gear bay construction, and the main wheels fit into substantial holes in the bay walls, with successive scrap diagrams showing their correct orientation. The horizontal portion is then added, along with some additional struts, after which you can add the wheels, with one on each end of the horizontal strut, each of which is made up from two tyre parts and two hubs. The tyres are well detailed, but would benefit from a rub with a sanding stick to give the impression of a bit of weight on them. The nose gear leg has two similar wheels, and is enclosed at the bag by a large mud-guard that clips to the axle ends. The cockpit is finished off by building up the two detailed K-36DM ejection seats, which are capable of turfing out the pilots safely either in flight or on the ground, which must be comforting for them! They are installed in the cockpit, and the modeller can choose whether to display them by leaving the canopies open, or button it all up to show off the 31's sleek lines. Either that, or you messed up the cockpit! AMK kindly provide a four-part canopy for the opened option, and a two-part canopy split at the windscreen to pose it closed. The mirror on the rear canopy can be posed up or down too by using the delicate plastic & PE parts supplied. The canopies in the up position have styrene inserts that fit within them and give a good representation of the interior detail that most manufacturers don't bother with. It's something that I would like to see become a trend, as a smooth glossy canopy interior isn't very realistic – good work guys! The Foxhound is able to carry quite a heap of weapons, and its under fuselage is recessed specifically to carry four R-33 missiles in a semi-recessed manner. There are four in the box, and they are moulded as one main part using a sliding mould to get detail on all sides, with additional parts to improve the detail even further. They end up to almost the same level of detail as you'd expect from resin. The missiles fit on short pylons & the tips of their upper fins fold over so they can snuggle down under the fuselage better. There are also two pylons under each wing, and you have the choice of R-73 or R-77 missiles, which again you get four each of. Check your references to get a realistic war-load or training load, as the weapons diagram shows that all wing pylons are capable of carrying either missile. Markings There are four markings options in the box, but grey is the only colour, having only their numbers and a few pennants to differentiate. It's a good job the airframe itself cuts quite a dash, as the colour schemes don't, but that's modern camouflage for you! From the box you can build one of the following: Mig-31BM Red 34, Ivan Pilipenko, Russian Air Force Mig-31BM Blue 93, Russian Air Force, Moscow Zhukovsky (Ramenskoye), 2009 Mig-31BM Blue 93, Russian Air Force, Moscow Zhukovsky (Ramenskoye), 2013 Mig-31BSM Red 25, Russian Air Force, Akhtubinsk Air Base, 2014 There are two decals sheets included in the box, one of which consists entirely of stencils for the airframe and missiles. It's no wonder then that the stencils are dealt with over four pages, which the decal designers have sensibly placed together on the sheet to save you playing hunt-the-decal too much. There are also written headings to show the theme of each area of the sheet, so you shouldn't go too far astray. The national markings and additional decals are printed on the other smaller sheet, and both sheets have good register, colour density and sharpness, with a thin, glossy carrier film cropped reasonably closely to the printing. Conclusion Wow! The aircraft itself is superb to look at, and the model is very well detailed, well-engineered and inspires enthusiasm from the moment you open the box. I'll be building this over the next few weeks and you're welcome to stop by to egg me on with words of encouragement here. Extremely highly recommended. Available any minute now from all good model shops & online retailers. Review sample courtesy of
  18. Merry Christmas to all B.M. members and their family Final build of the year for me and quite a productive one with this making number 14 Cant go into too much details as this will feature in a future issue of SAM, so only posting a few teaser shots for you. Aircraft depicted is from the Slovakian Air force and uses the kit Decals. Finished with Gunze and Tamiya paints. Weathering was kept to a minimum as reference photos seem to suggest a clean appearance of these airframes even after retirement. Seems there might be a problem with some not being able to see the photo's just in case here are the direct links, http://imageshack.com/a/img903/811/kwOpHe.jpg http://imageshack.com/a/img908/7597/FuFcSy.jpg As usual comments welcome, Thanks for Looking Rick G.
  19. 1/48 swing-wing Fitter could be next Avantgarde release after the Foxhound, Tomcat and Albatros. Unconfirmed speculation at local modelling discusions but here are some connections between the AMK and Czech modellers.
  20. #36/2015 After the Pilatus PC-6 and the Saab Safir, now this year´s third addition to our homefleet. In 1959 our airforce bought 18 Magister which were used for training and aerobatics. The last ones stayed in service until 1972 and were sold to Bangladesh, Biafra, Gabun and Ireland. AMK kit with decals from the Kinetic kit. The little airscoops on the rear engine covers are also from the Kinetic kit because they aren´t provided in the AMK kit. Painted once again with Tamiya Titanium Silver. some original footage: Austrian Airforce jet history in the 2nd Republic since 1955 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlyzemrqBjA and a vid showing the former USAF Tulln Airbase, now again in Austrian hands, in 1959 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlyzemrqBjA AMK and Kinetic kit
  21. It is just simply to show how AMK develop model kits. The 10 processes are listed below: 1. Information Gathering. 2. 3D Design. 3. Sprue Design/Mould Layouts. 4. Mould Design. 5. Mould Making. 6. Plastic Testing. 7. Box Design. 8. Manual Design. 9. Decal Design. 10. Professional Review. Pictures of each process will come correspondently................
  22. After its future Aero L-29 Delfin (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234934843-148th-aero-l-29-delfin-by-avantgarde-model-kits-cad-drawing/) the next AvantGarde Model 1/48th kit should be a Potez Air Fouga CM.170R Magister - ref.88004 Source: https://www.facebook.com/AMKHOBBY?ref=stream V.P.
  23. First time I hear about a 1/48th Il-28 "Beagle" project by AMK/AvantGarde Model Kits. Source: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234946328-mig-31bm-avantgarde-model-148/?p=2021098 AMK rumours recap: - AMD-BA Super Etendard was announced a loooonnng time ago. In de meantime Kinetic has also announced one... - Aero L-39 Albatros: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234981743-148-aero-l-39-albatros-avantgarde-model-kits-2017/ - Mil Mi-24 "Hind": http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234981741-148-mil-mi-24-hind-avantgarde-model-kits - Mil Mi-8 "Hip": http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234981742-148-mil-mi-8-hip-avantgarde-model-kits/ - Considering the current strong AMK Czech connections, a 1/48th Ilyushin Il-28 "Beagle" make sense. It's noted that Xuntong Model is also working on a 1/48th "Beagle" family: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234980747-148-ilyushin-il-28-beagle-by-xuntong-model-cads/ V.P.
  24. Hello chaps This is a very nice 1:48 delfin kit by AMK. The only aftermarket is the Eduard interior PE and the SyAAF decals. Enough has been said about the model and how it goes together in the WIP thread. For more pictures, please check my blog http://militaryaviation148.blogspot.com/2015/06/l-29-delfin-syaaf-130.html Thanks for looking and do not hesitate to comment. cheers, Vasko
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