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Airfix MIG 21


TonyW

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A two day build should be fine, what could possibly go wrong?

 

Best keep it simple, just to be on the safe side, with an early Airfix Series 2 MIG 21.

 

One I remember well when I first built it, around 1972 or so.  It wasn't my most successful build by a long shot, I sprayed it with car paint silver out the can and it wrinkled the bare plastic although the shine was really nice. If that wasn't bad enough, the paint mist drifted over to my record deck, attracted by the static no doubt. it settled on my Groundhogs Split LP and ruined the B side. Enough time has passed for me to have another go now.

 

 

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Not many bits and a one colour metal finish should see me OK here. Add a pilot and the interior is just about hidden so no superdetailing either. On the off chance things get involved it could even be wheels up!

 

Yup, I'm good to go.

 

Tony.

Edited by TonyW
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I built one for the Airfix GB last year and really enjoyed it. I ignored the shallow wheel wells, but did replace the buttons with some Frog Venom wheels and detailed the cockpit to show all the yellow fuel pipes just behind the pilot’s head!

 

Looking forward to your build - hope it goes better than last time!

 

Regards,

Adrian 

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Aaaaaaaand, we are off!....

 

3.21 saw me shake the parts out the box and take the cap off the glue.

 

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After a bit of cleanup to a couple of sprue gate stubs and a bit of flash removal the airframe got glued together, with tube glue as befits a crash build.  That took me to 4.21 where the build will stop for a bit while the glue hardens on a radiator for a while.

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It looks like it's going to be finished in the, er, Finnish option as the Russian stars are way out of whack. 

I had hoped to be able to make the MIG up as one of the Dogfight Double pair Airfix issued but not having a full decal sheet put the kybosh on that plan. It would have been even better to have built the Cessna as well but lack of a top wing in the box below halted that Grand Plan. The Dogfight Double kit was bought incomplete more for the box than anything else. It sits nicely with the original T3 issue that I have tucked away in the loft. One day I'll have a built DD pair, but not just yet.

 

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Undercarriage, cockpit and stores to go yet. If I'm lucky a bit of metal polishing might happen later this evening which would mean I could add a decal or two before beddy. We shall see...

 

Tony.

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Ooops, nearly forgot the grub shot!

 

IMG-0175.jpg

 

...I've not even started the cider and already the picture is blurred.

 

I'm guessing I'm not the only one tucking into the remains of yesterdays feast. All Group Builds should run like this... hic.

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Ha - and I thought I had lots of pairs of glasses!

 

Very tasty Tony - the kit! The grub looks good too! A good choice of kit, no complicated painting!

 

The idea of a Cessna taking on a Mig 21 seems, er, a bit unlikely? Someone will now prove me completely wrong!

 

Cheers,

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Time to quit for the day.

Seams have been sanded, the plane has then been polished with the ever faithful S 'n J powder and it's come up nice and bright. No primer, straight polished plastic.

One of the tailplanes got loosened during the polishing session. It's been re glued and should be fine by morning. Decals have been fitted and they bring the plane to life a bit. The wing top ones have been fitted to cover a couple of sink marks in the plastic where the undercarriage sits underneath. There's not really time to fill, sand, prime and then polish the finish so a compromise was made. They are a bit more central than the instruction sheet shows. They might even be where they should be, which would be a happy accident!

 

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More tomorrow.

 

Tony.

 

 

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An hour in the shed this morning moved completion a bit closer. A bit of card was misted with a couple of different greys, then 'tar' seams were pencilled in followed by a bit of garden dirt PVA'ed to one edge which got me a base for the plane to sit on. A bit of Tamiya masking tape added a yellow edge line just to busy things up some.

 

My last job last night was to add a load of airgun pellets to the nose, wedged in with a wad of milliput. That should prevent the dreaded tail sit.

 

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Because it's Christmas and the plane is in Finnish markings a bit of snow on the base seemed appropriate.

 

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That lot is drying for a while now. 

 

The missiles got a couple of coats of white primer. Further detailing is unlikely due to time restraints and the way they will be pretty much hidden on the finished plane. The release marks on the fins should be hidden from view if I position them right.

The drop tank has been painted rattle can silver.

 

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The plane itself has had the wheels painted and added to the underside. The polished silver has had a bit of darker powder scrubbed in around the engine area and on a few panels here and there just to add a bit of contrast to the finish. It's all balanced up to let the undercarriage dry off at the moment so no picture of that for now. 

I'll give things an hour or two to dry before adding the canopy, pilot and undercarriage doors.

 

So far, so good. I'm aiming for a three 'o clock finish here.

 

Tony.

 

 

Edited by TonyW
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