MIG 25 Foxbat My First Russian, Help Appreciated.

[sharkmouth]

Here is what the intake covers look like. I haven't found any photos online yet of the ones I remember on the exhausts. Click the photo to visit the web site from which this photo is linked. Be aware that there is a LOT of information and the Hasegawa kit is supposed to represent the MiG-25P which Belenko used to defect.

Regards,

[general melchett]

Here you go Rob,

Red dustbin lids, notice the way they overlap........saves a lot of hassle, and most parked Foxies had them fitted as the nozzles were so huge...a bear could sleep in there !

[robvulcan]

Cheers General and Shark mouth very handy. Its interesting how the exhaust covers overlap.

I see I will need to try and scratch the intake air speed adjustment flaps. then make the fods.

I need to know if my kit, what I believe is likely an early variant had dark grey or black intake insides as they seem to in alot of shots or were they all grey like above and just shadowing I am seeing. however it looks pretty dark in there on alot of Foxbat's.

Mind you they are massive intakes you could live in there.I must admit I am shocked how huge this plane is in 1/72 its not far off TSR-2 size but the engines are so huge its like this bird is all engines and the plane stapled on as an accessory !

I thought the decal sheet was just numbers and stars and then I noticed this little decal which nearly slipped my attention.

So as hasegawa have made the effort I decided to put a bit more effort in. I have painted the control boxes citadel bolt gun metal. (dark silver)

the seat is hu165 MSG, (close enough) and the seat hu86 light olive. I will give this a wash with citadel wash and I have fitted the decal. So its looking more acceptable. I was thinking of having ago at foil straps but not this time I dont think.

cheers and good morning all Rob

[robvulcan]

I slapped on some nuln oil from citadel I love this stuff its great the effects you can create with it and the sepia tone wash too. Funny stuff though as it reactivated when you apply more or clear.

I used to have great fun with this through an airbrush as its a very fine clear black or brown. Its amazing for shading and creating varied tones and gradually darkening. It would be ideal for creating dirty Tornado tail fins from the reverse thrust.

I really need to buy a new airbrush and compressor.

I will give this a varnish over when its dry then I might be able to button her up..

[robvulcan]

Well this is is after one brush over with Windsor and Newton Matt UV Varnish with some of their flow improver added to it.

I must say its been fun its more than I envisaged doing and its been worth it I hope. Now I can button her up.

At last ....

[John_W]

Fancy a Dio?

Iraqi Foxbat buried in the dessert.

[Col.]

You're certainly moving this one along at a good pace Rob. I'd forgot all about the instrument panel decal.

[general melchett]

Rob the intakes are different tones. The top ramp section is a flat aluminium shade and the sides and bottom including the movable section a magnesium tone,

It really was a brute... as this shot shows...note the green interior coating and the fact that the two nozzles were actually joined together due to their massive diameters...,

Edited November 3, 2013 by general melchett

[robvulcan]

Hi guys many thanks for those helpful pictures and call outs.

I will update soon However........................

I have had an unmitigated DISASTER....... I'VE LOST THE flipping CANOPY.................................. noooooooooooooooo

(Whats worst is I lost it this morning found it and lost it again.............. Whats my chances of finding a replacement (oh how I hear the laughter)

[robvulcan]

YAY I FOUND THE CANOPY WOOOO ON THE FLOOR BY MY FOOT YIKES !!!!!!!

Well that was a relief and a miracle.. must have walked right near it several times and not crunch...... I best get it stuck on in the morning...... jeseee Good to know this update I am making now is now not waisted time...

Here the fuselage is buttoned up I am glad I painted the cockpit now. rather that just black inside.

The fit of the kit is quite good for the age but not brilliant by todays sandards ,,er I mean standards ... lol sorry//

The wings are now stuck together..

I want to share with you the horrendous fit of this... its one of those classic kits that you have to do origami with your hands to find about 10 places to squeeze together at the same time til it sets in the best place you can find... which is a compromise from every angle,,,,I like it its a challenge but certainly the instructions lied and looked to promise a quick build............ That my friends is wrong... I bought some new Milliput just in case..

I then tidyied up the front pit as best I could and resprayed and repainted it with the blue I mixed up last night... (light British Rail blue on a Mig 25 that a bit wrong aint it.... shhhhhh)

Wings are on and the nose which I later had to rip off as idiot brain forgot to fill it with Milliput and a steel screw..... I sorted that later... Its fighting me like a MIG should.

After much pondering with the old few brain cells about how I was going to fit the intake innards from scratch (and I aint no scratcher I tell you.. ) I decided to fit the inner halves to give stability and then keep sighting and guessing an angle for the platicard inner parts which are rough representations by site and there fore totally wrong.. the compound curves inside were hard to work out sorry impossible for me to work out.

So I meaured the width at top middle and bottom and worked out they were about 1.2 cm wide and had a slight angle inwards towards the bottom.

So I drew 2 1.2cm lines on a piece of plasticard and spaced them to give the angle I saw judged by sight and guessed then cut them and worked out were to put them, glued them the the outer halfs and now I can have fun sanding them to fit the curved inner plate. Man this is getting hard...

I appreciate this is very rough and total guess work so my apologies for my attempts here ..

So next I did some de-stressing by mixing a huge ball of milliput till it was nice and warm in my hands very welcome with the cold tonight..

Then I stuffed a steel screw in the nose with the milliput I hope she don't sit on here huge but very nice backside..

I made an egg with the rest of it for some god unknown reason......

Edited November 4, 2013 by robvulcan

[sharkmouth]

Nice work in this classic!

Regards,

[mumbles]

Hi Rob, I very much like what you're doing with this. Braver than me at any rate, I built mine right out of the box:


Apparently Hasegawa paid a lot of attention to the one that defected to Japan in 1976, so shape wise the kit isn't too terrible. And you're right, for a single seat type it's enormous. I stacked an A-4 on top of mine once - the A-4 planform fits entirely inside the MiG-25's .

Edited November 4, 2013 by mumbles

[robvulcan]

Many thanks guys and that Foxbat is superb I hope mine comes out half as good. I do not have access to the "correct colours" and Its got to be finished in time for Telford so I will be approximating... I will let you guess the colours I am using on this one. I hope it does not niggle anyone..

I cant wait to get back to her this afternoon. Its a very enjoyable build and as I have spent the last year building dragon 1/200th Vulcans I had forgotten how nice it is to have old kits that fight you a bit. I do love old kits..

I also have an old hasegawa F-15 and F-14 that come with this and about the same age. I am not sure what to do with them yet. but I might Whiff the F-15 as Transformers Starscream or Skywarp for fun. Or do RAF versions for fun. That said they look good in real colours...They are both little compared to this kit though.

Cheers Rob More later today

[Caerbannog]

Hi,

and sorry - I did not see this topic before. I build (and finish!!!) this kit and from what I remember I used the kit exhausts, opened them up and glued spare exhausts from my 1-48 (!) Hasegawa F-4 behind them. Not accurate but looks OK. I left the verticals unglued , so it would be easier to transport (upside down, so no breakage of the U/C). Before painting I primed the kit flat black, after the grey was applied I could simply use fine sandpaper to remove the grey from the raised panel lines and make them black again. Missing details and rivets were drawn with a pencil.

You can see it here:http://www.arcair.com/Gal7/6301-6400/gal6386-MiG-25-Zass/00.shtm

I am regularly thinking about the Begemot stencils for the MIG 25. I suppose they would add a lot to the finished model.

Rene

[robvulcan]

Thanks thats a very nice result you got there. I hope mine comes out looking half decent. I am not so sure its going to be my best build considering the time, but I am having fun..

Cheers Rob

[sharkmouth]

Before painting I primed the kit flat black, after the grey was applied I could simply use fine sandpaper to remove the grey from the raised panel lines and make them black again. Missing details and rivets were drawn with a pencil.

Rene, that is a good technique but keep in mind that the stainless steel panels on this aircraft were spot welded, not riveted. Some panel lines are actually good as they are raised and reflect the welded panels quite well.

Rob, keep looking at the Kittyhawk MiG-25 threads and decide what you want to add and what you can live without. In the end, just enjoy the model.

Regards,

[general melchett]

Great stuff Rob, get stuck into the scratch building, all good fun ! The ramps in the intakes are actually flat and hinged to control the mass airflow but that doesn't matter the effect you've got is good. Glad you found the canopy...near yer hoof eh, well I've found many pieces like that...usually way too late for any CPR !! I remember struggling with this kit when it first came out..it was the only game back then, didn't know if it was accurate or not....but by thunder it was a Foxbat.

(Yes the Kittyhawk kit definitely beckons...)..

[robvulcan]

Rene, that is a good technique but keep in mind that the stainless steel panels on this aircraft were spot welded, not riveted. Some panel lines are actually good as they are raised and reflect the welded panels quite well.

Rob, keep looking at the Kittyhawk MiG-25 threads and decide what you want to add and what you can live without. In the end, just enjoy the model.

Regards,

I love that statement It is the enjoyment that counts. This is just my interpretation of a Foxbat. I am just so shocked at the size when I compare it to my Tornado GR4 the engines are universes apart in size. Its verging on perverse I love it.

she is such a brute I knew she was big but its deceptive and to think these clocked 2,190 mph... WOW.

Great stuff Rob, get stuck into the scratch building, all good fun ! The ramps in the intakes are actually flat and hinged to control the mass airflow but that doesn't matter the effect you've got is good. Glad you found the canopy...near yer hoof eh, well I've found many pieces like that...usually way too late for any CPR !! I remember struggling with this kit when it first came out..it was the only game back then, didn't know if it was accurate or not....but by thunder it was a Foxbat.

(Yes the Kittyhawk kit definitely beckons...)..

Hi mate I did my best with the insides I am aware the slop shouldn't be there it was just a means to an end to get the bu66er to fit. and give the Fods something the rest upon. When the fods are in it should look more okish. Its not accurate but definitely better than the gaping maw that was there before was a sod to do though with all the angles and curves on the inside.. I got lucky with scissors and a Rat tail file..

The canopy is a relief I can tell you. I am really enjoying this build its great fun. but I did break sweat sanding this one..

cheers Rob

[robvulcan]

Update time After much fighting with the intakes shes becoming a Foxbat.

I try to keep the bench tidy after a day of work and mess it helps keep you organized and gives you a fresh start but I don't always do this. but as I am building 2 kits It seems sensible. Also on the table are some matchbox kits a lynx and thunderbolt plus land rover. Not started yet but will have a look soon perhaps.

I started to tidy up the insides of the inner intake halves with paint and wet and dry. Then it was all about getting the intakes in and making them fit. curving the plasticard gradually by site till it fit the inner compound curves of the inner intake half was a little tricky and I think I have been lucky.

Then I set about closing them off for strenths sake. You wont see them when the FODs are on..(got to make the bu66ers first)

Again this was done by site and guessing I found the ruler annoying today.

File and test fit, file and test fit, file and test fit ,,,,drop it on the floor Swear and band my head on the roof, file and test fit.... repeat ,,,, more swearing and more coffee please.....

blue tak used to strengthen it. while chopping.

My start at the Rear FOD covers as the General says to stop bears sleeping in there... then lots more sanding and wet and dry back with 1200 grit.

This was tricky curving this with the knife by site again and getting lucky it fit pretty good.. Only had one chance to get it right too .... coffee after this one was enjoyed..

I had to make it fit this curved lip at the bottom of the inner intake panel.

starting to take shape now.. Yay......

Thats all for now folks. I have got the weapon holder rails on now. (so tired now I forgot the proper name sheeshhhh whats goin on.....) Now I can get the canopy on mask it and then hopefully I can get her finished and on a dio base.

Cheers Rob

[Caerbannog]

Rene, that is a good technique but keep in mind that the stainless steel panels on this aircraft were spot welded, not riveted. Some panel lines are actually good as they are raised and reflect the welded panels quite well.

Rob, keep looking at the Kittyhawk MiG-25 threads and decide what you want to add and what you can live without. In the end, just enjoy the model.

Regards,

Thanks Sharkmouth - I ignored this. But in the end it will look very much the same on a scale model I think. I can hardly tell if it is spot welded or flat riveted from pictures of the real thing :-)

Nice progress Rob

Rene

PS - almost forgot: Is that you Sharkmouth next to Darth Earl Jones?

[Col.]

Nice work Rob, good the hear you are enjoying the effort being put into it, the results look grand.

[robvulcan]

Cheers guys yes I'm enjoying it though it is a bit of a pig to get together. When mike moved it to the forum he wished me good luck with an exclamation mark and funny smily by that I thought he was letting me know he knows what I'm in for. Iol I think I will need luck to get it finished for Telford. And if I do finish it I am not so sure the standard will be good enough to display !

Cheers Rob

[Caerbannog]

Cheers guys yes I'm enjoying it though it is a bit of a pig to get together. When mike moved it to the forum he wished me good luck with an exclamation mark and funny smily by that I thought he was letting me know he knows what I'm in for. Iol I think I will need luck to get it finished for Telford. And if I do finish it I am not so sure the standard will be good enough to display !

Cheers Rob

Someone fishing for compliments here? :-D

I am sure it will look very good.

Rene

[sharkmouth]

I love that statement It is the enjoyment that counts.

People tend to forget that this is a model which is being built, assembled, or made for our enjoyment. OK, some do it as a business. In any case, each of us has a take on what we want from it.

I am a rivet/bolt/detail obsessed individual because that is what I try to add to my models. Sometimes I succeed, most of the times I fail miserably but I enjoy taking the path of making this my model. So, you will see me joining in on threads where opportunities for improvement are presented. Sadly, many take a negative view of the kit and see it as a thread pointing out failures, not opportunities for them (or an aftermarket company) to improve on what is offered.

PS - almost forgot: Is that you Sharkmouth next to Darth Earl Jones?

I forgot to change my avatar. Indeed, that is I next to James Earl Jones. We know him as the voice of Darth Vader and my son knows him as the voice of Simba's father, Mufasa. James and I were together several times as he was the spokesman for the company I worked for...

Regards,

[robvulcan]

Someone fishing for compliments here? :-D

I am sure it will look very good.

Rene

No not at all I would never do that, I share this because I like to talk to others about modelling it can be a pretty lonely hobby well it was before I joined Britmodeller

It relates more to the fact I have precious little hours available due to sudden un-forseen work commitments..... which has piled the stress on. I hope your right cheers Rob

People tend to forget that this is a model which is being built, assembled, or made for our enjoyment. OK, some do it as a business. In any case, each of us has a take on what we want from it.

I am a rivet/bolt/detail obsessed individual because that is what I try to add to my models. Sometimes I succeed, most of the times I fail miserably but I enjoy taking the path of making this my model. So, you will see me joining in on threads where opportunities for improvement are presented. Sadly, many take a negative view of the kit and see it as a thread pointing out failures, not opportunities for them (or an aftermarket company) to improve on what is offered.

I forgot to change my avatar. Indeed, that is I next to James Earl Jones. We know him as the voice of Darth Vader and my son knows him as the voice of Simba's father, Mufasa. James and I were together several times as he was the spokesman for the company I worked for...

Regards,

There is nothing wrong with basic and detailed modelling so long as its fun and all are happy, most importantly its ok as long as there are not those modellers who are too serious to the point of brow beating down other modellers, and that other modellers are not too sensitive. Trouble is on forums you cant judge the emotion or sence of humour or body language.

I fall into both catagories I will make models in a basic way. I will make them in a detailed way. It all depends on what the goal is.

With this one you can be my guest and totally slate what I am doing as I already know I am doing alot un-accurate. like colours lack of extra detail, intakes are not from drawings and I am right out of rivets lol...

It all helps with the learning process.

Cheers Rob

Edited November 5, 2013 by robvulcan