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1/48 Monogram MiG-29 Fulcrum, Soviet Frontal Aviation 1986


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Here's my entry:

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Beaten up old box, but not a bad kit inside.

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GWH it ain't, but still has better shapes than the Revell 1/32 version. That said, it has many shape inaccuracies and the open louvres on the upper LERX which is a shame. But for a fiver I'm not complaining, and it WILL look like a Fulcrum. Not bad for a kit that dates from the very earliest sightings of the jet in the West (1988).

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Instructions pretty basic, as are the provided decals. Represents one of the famous visitors to Rissala, Finland in 1986 which i will be making.

Work to start next week! Good luck with your builds folks,

Al

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To be honest, that's what I love about Monogram - just do it! They seem to have got a fair bit right looking at the plastic

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Yay, we've started!

I have begun in the cockpit, but perils of second hand kits already manifested! One of the ejector seat halves was missing, so i made a copy of the other side in plastic card:

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Looks ok when fitted:

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I also added a few bits to the kit seat to make it look like a K36DM (well, more like one anyway!)

The cockpit is pure invention, lacking many of the correct features and is a very generic instrument panel.

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Of course such details weren't in the public domain in 1988, so I've just gone with it.

 

The last things I managed today were to remember to add the nose weight (don't laugh, I reckon I forget that in about one out of three aircraft I build!) and fitted the cockpit in the fuselage. It didn't fit brilliantly (didn't touch the fuselage except at the very rear end), so I had to use CA glue and accelerator which has done the trick.

 

More to follow as it happens....

Al

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Thanks again Craig & David.

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Major assembly complete, it fits together pretty well, especially the intake tunnels. Shouldn't make too much work at all.

I did myself no favours by stepping on one of the assembled intakes which had dropped unnoticed to the floor :rant:

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I lost that chipped corner to the carpet monster, so I'll need to do some fixing.

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The repair went ok, so just needs the usual puttying/sanding etc.

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Otherwise, the proportions look good and it fits nice and straight and symmetrical, so that's over half the battle done.

I left the louvres open, as I decided to fit the pilot and have it posed taxiing with the canopy open.

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Pilot figure is OK but the helmet is wrong. I'm not going to remodel it, just paint it to look more realistic.

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This is Yuriy Godunov. He is a Soviet major and flight leader. He knows grown ups taxi with their feet and he can afford to be laid back. He'll be packing a full load of A2A heat and is ready to face the Imperialists, as he knows he has an ace up his sleeve that NATO knows nothing about - his helmet-mounted sighting system, IRST and wide-angle seekers on his IR missiles. Bring it on, cowboys!

 

Nice little build this. Hoping to be first to the Gallery!

Al

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Waiting for paint. It would be nice if a mainstream UK mail order firm with web / Paypal checkout could stock AKAN paints....

Managed to order online from a Finnish company, Hobby Paints n Stuff, who had all the AKAN range in stock! Yes, really!

Al

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Back in business, Comrades! I now have some AKAN paint.

I must commend to you the services of Hobby Paint'n'Stuff of Finland. Great service, excellent communications and fast delivery, not to mention good value. Full range of AKAN in stock as well.

It's all about the puttying and sanding in prep for paint. The next lot of pics will show where most of the putty needs to go:

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That's a BIG step that should be a seamless flat surface!

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A lot of sanding later:

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Bet you never thought Putty, Sand, Repeat could be so interesting!

Couple of other bits done, first the trailing edges of all the flying surfaces are thick rectangular blocks, so I pared those down to a better taper:

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Also sorted out stage one repair to the chipped front end of the right intake:

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I used Perfect Putty to fill all the small gaps between the wings and fuselage, and the vertical tails:

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I just need to sort out the nose glazing and we'll be ready for paint!

Al

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Just was that when I started this one . Put it away and bought the Verlinden update set. Then put it away, when the academy kit came out. Please fiinish it. So I can put mine out of my stash again. :goodjob: :goodjob: :goodjob: :goodjob:

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Just was that when I started this one . Put it away and bought the Verlinden update set. Then put it away, when the academy kit came out. Please fiinish it. So I can put mine out of my stash again. :goodjob: :goodjob: :goodjob:

Now that GWH are doing the whole range, you might as well put it at the very bottom of your stash!

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Nice progress! Love it when a kit builds up pretty quick. I like the subject you have chosen too, was thinking about doing an early Mig-29 that displayed at Farnborough in 88 so I'm interested in the AKAN colour matches too :)

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Thanks Andy and David. This is pretty good fun to build. There are gaps and seams, but they clean up easily.

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I've now got all the parts cleaned up and ready for primer.

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Here's the airframe primed. I used Alclad grey primer, which went on very nicely and filled all the little scratches. However it totally clogged my airbrush. and I needed to clear it twice (like dismantle it and clean each part in solvent lacquer thinner.) After micromeshing it down, I'm really pleased with the result, but I'm not sure I can face using it for a big job like my 1/48 B-29. :yikes:

 

Looking forward to getting the AKAN on it tomorrow.

Al

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Regardless of what ever shape and size errors this kit may have it certainly looks like an early MiG-29. Nice work Al :coolio:

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Nice work and look forward to paint. 'Glad' its not just me who has trouble with the Alclad primer. I've used 2 airbrushes, 0.3 and 0.15 (I think) needles, and it just blocks up constantly. I've not tried it yet but next time I might try adding some Mr.color thinner to it and see what happens, seems to thin nearly everything else!

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Looking good, and quite menacing. I use Alclad primer. I have had it block up a couple of times (I use a Badger Krome with .33mm needle). From my experience because the Alclad dries so quick, it can dry up on the needle tip, and once this happens, it blocks up the airbrush. So I'm always wiping the tip when I'm using it. Reckon a small amount of thinner should do the trick though.

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Instructions pretty basic, as are the provided decals. Represents one of the famous visitors to Rissala, Finland in 1986 which i will be making.

Work to start next week! Good luck with your builds folks,

Al

Hi Al,

It was a great show! Ever since thinking to build one but not get it done so far... :owww:

http://sirviper.com/fighters/mig-29/a/mig-29a_1.jpg

Cheers,

AaCee

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Thanks for the top tip Tomo, and thanks AaCee, hope you get round to making one eventually :thumbsup2:

Finished the paint job:

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I haven't made corrections to the RWR in the speed brake area, and forgot about the seam line around the area the nozzles would join. I'll just have to hide them as I don't want to sand, putty, respray etc :doh: Chalk that one up to carelessness!

 

A few words on AKAN paints:

  • Very easy to work with. Mixed approx 50:50 with water after a bit of experimentation - the paint is quite thick out of the pot.
  • The mix went on very wet and looked like semi-translucent droplets on the plastic. I put about three coats on, and gave up in disgust. Came back 20 mins later and it had levelled into a very smooth, eggshell finish. Result!
  • Colours are listed as 'faded'; they are probably a bit too light, especially the grey-green. Otherwise they are a good match, and I'd be very happy to recommend them.
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Bear in mind I am a dedicated enamel painter, and the only acrylics I've been comfortable spraying up to now are Xtracrylix. Thumbs up for AKAN!

 

All the other parts are now painted, except the tyres. Missiles need finishing off, and the wheelwells and gear need detailing. Other than that, I'm ready for decals (all 12 of them) so this should be finished by the weekend!

Al

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