Jump to content

Airfix/Italeri MiG-29 Franken-Fulcrum


Recommended Posts

Let me begin by saying that there is a much simpler way to make a MiG-29 9-12 in 1/72.  Just buy the Trumpeter kit, accessorise to taste and budget, et voila!  However, where would be the fun in that?!

 

I had built an Italeri Fulcrum some time ago that I was never really happy with.  It’s a nice enough kit but somehow, it just didn’t look … well… sufficiently Fulcrum-y; especially around the canopy and front fuselage, which I find too wide and ‘squashed’.  I also had an Airfix MiG-29 in the stash that looked interesting, despite an over-long fuselage and (as a result) wings that were too broad in chord.  The Airfix decals also looked great, covering a Czech and a Polish scheme.  So, I decided to combine the two and see what I could produce. 

 

The end result is by no means perfect but it looks more like a Fulcrum than either source kit (to my eyes anyway) and I like the Czech scheme.

 

resized_cf024401-6aff-4e55-9910-86212145

resized_a9bd15f6-2529-4fc3-a7e4-49b00bcf

resized_8d14f8d2-e9ed-4eb6-8a88-c47b3029

resized_d9ffca7a-9e2e-4941-b623-86c79896

resized_c7c1467e-d60f-472b-b816-a341f339

resized_ca4113a5-88cf-4351-9cd4-4659353d

resized_2f682228-5673-454a-8be6-8225c27b

resized_707403c3-d9b9-4271-9a61-0d9a044f

resized_49126a9c-dbcd-4a6d-b9f9-54581f3b

resized_5b8fd042-024c-4498-a823-388d17ef

resized_e467141d-e9c8-494e-9975-758db3d4

resized_bad944af-8551-4725-9677-8a2d75e9

 

Some of the changes I made included:

 

  • Tailplanes – reduce chord by 1mm, reshape tips reducing span by 2mm
  • Fuselage – replace open upper louvres with closed Attack Squadron set (for Italeri).  Shorten the upper fuselage by 3mm after the panel line at the rear of the BVP flare launchers, just ahead of the engine bulges.  Shorten the lower fuselage by 3mm ahead of the airbrakes. 
  • Jet pipes – shorten by 4mm by sawing vertically through the middle of parts 53, replace the ‘skirts’ over the top of the pipes and replace with the corresponding Italeri parts.  Jet nozzles are Airfix.
  • Radome – remove Airfix nose at second panel line (losing another 2mm in length), replace with Attack Squadron radome (for Italeri), sanding back the fuselage so the radome is no longer on the same horizontal axis as the fuselage.  Pitot tube is from Master.
  • Nacelles – roof in the tops with plastic card, add open FOD screens from an old Eduard set.
  • Wings – remove Airfix wings and replace with Italeri (rescribed) supported by metal rod spars.  The Italeri wings are deeper than the Airfix ones so the fuselage needs to be built up and blended in at the roots.
  • Cockpit – detailed with a combination of Airfix parts, Airwaves details (for Italeri), and a Neomega seat and control column that had been installed in the (now cannibalised) Italeri kit
  • Tailbooms – reshape.
  • Windscreen – round off the front of the pointed Airfix screen and blend in.
  • Pylons – R27 pylons from Italeri and scratchbuilt R60 pylons.
  • Wheels - Eduard Brassin (for Trumpeter)
  • Fuel tank - Attack Squadron PTB 1500
  • Like 25
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice MIG.

Lot of critics are around Italeri and Airfix MIG 29 but when i look on your work, it beautifully replicate Mig 29. 

Very nice and successful "experiment".

Color scheme is great, same stands for your work.

Best regards

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, invidia said:

very nice looking build.

 

8 hours ago, Ryan Hothersall said:

Nice build and a challenging project. 

 

Havent built a czech or East German MiG-29 yet as that camo scheme looks like a masking nightmare. 

 

4 hours ago, IGKent said:

Congrats! Great MIG! I like your changes.....:thumbsup:

 

4 hours ago, armored76 said:

Great scheme, equally well executed! :)

Thank you all for your comments guys.

 

Ryan, the scheme wasn't actually that bad to mask - lots of blutack and masking tape ... and patience!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...