Popular Post paulsbrown Posted April 22, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 22, 2020 This is one of the many MiGs the USA had for dissimilar air to air training with the 4477th in the 70s-80s. They used the aircraft to help pilots get over the 'buck fever' that had been experienced in Vietnam (where the pilot was so surprised to actually see his first MiG he ends up doing everything wrong). The US pilots good enough to be chosen from the Air Force, Navy and Marines were introduced to the MiGs in flight, allowing the pilots to see it from all angles and then would have a week of engagements and classes that they could then go back and teach their own squadrons about their new knowledge of MiGs (without actually being able to say that they had flown against them). There are a couple books on the subject, America's Secret MiG Squadron: The Red Eagles of Project Constant Peg by Col. Gail Peck who was instrumental in forming the group and his book is about men and effort into finding the aircraft and an airbase where they wouldn't be noticed. It was such a good spot that the even more top secret F-117a Stealth squadron later showed up. Red Eagles, America's Secret MiGs by Steve Davies is more about the aircraft and a great read. Lots of writing about the aircraft and the engagements with just about everything the US was flying at the time. The Flogger was the least favorite of the pilots, it was discovered it was not a dogfighter like the much preferred MiG-21s. It did however have a motor that offered incredible thrust and speed that they would use to good effect in Red vs Blue training. Some photos recently surfaced of a Red Eagle at the National Museum of the US Air Force, still in the US applied wrap around grey camouflage with the original Egyptian desert camo showing through the chipping and wear. It was similar to the one featured on Col Peck's book cover I wanted to build. This newly surfaced MiG-23 however offered excellent all around reference shots as well as video footage. Seems the one on the book cover was found in a scrap yard with lots of bullet holes in it. I used the 1/48 Trumpeter with every possible aftermarket item out there to correct it. And I stepped on the canopy right before I finished it.... 79 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Wow wow wow! That is incredible! Absolutely life like. Stunning piece of work. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 (edited) Wow!! Fantastic model and story of course! As you did not mount the R-23 missiles, no issue here, but the Egyptian Floggers were early and low spec MS models, with the MiG-21s radar (shorter, smaler radom) and therefor without R-23 capability. Also no IR version of it... Edited April 22, 2020 by exdraken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Absolutely awesome build. I love the weathering and chipping revealing the original camouflage. I really must dig out my copy of "Red Eagles, America's Secret MiGs"! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stulad Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Top work as ever PB. Not sure I'll be posting any of mine on here! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Dot Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 That is a wonderful model Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldy Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Interesting story and a super model. Very very nice! Cheers Malcolm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Excellent MiG there, fantastic job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avgas Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 That looks the bees knees. Lovely work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Now that's what you call superior modeling. The weathering and paint chipping are extraordinary. Was especially impressed with the weathering and wear at the bottom of the rear fuselage, the wear in the landing gear wells and, of course, I couldn't help but notice how very well done the cockpit is. Truly amazing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickydicky210 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Lovely build 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Brantley Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Exceptional Flogger! Man, everything about this model is great' the weathering and paint work is spot on and I love the close up pics! Fantastic scale model MiG. I appreciate the backstory as well. Oh, and I really enjoyed the pics with the, what, Su-15? Very cool indeed!! 😎 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Fantastic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Rhodes Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Very nice! You're open canopy angle, shows mine up big time! Great diorama with the Su-15, tempting me to start my Su-15, but I really need to finish more of my shelf of doom first! Darren 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcNewitt Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Wow wow wow wow, um wow and did I mention WOW! Just...... WOW. 😲😲😲😲😲😲😍😍 Sorry but wow Marc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Very nice indeed! Great finish and weathering 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Stunning paintjob 😍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28ZComeback Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 (edited) Thank you!! I love this build and finish!! The main wheel well is excellent! Did you replace the nose with aftermarket from metallic details?? Edited April 23, 2020 by 28ZComeback 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Ok, I had to do a double-take when I saw the rivet detail on the mud guards. I honestly thought I was looking at a photo of the real aircraft. This is a superlative model, and all I can say is "wow." Red Eagles is an awesome book, and the 2012 edition has even more juicy details! I was commissioned with a guy whose dad was "Bandit 3." No wonder he was an LTGen at the time! His son (my classmate) is now a two-star, and flew F-15Cs like his dad. If he flew "other" aircraft, he has not advertised the fact. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Also wow! That's about as realistic as models get. Brilliant. So many small details in the build and finish, but so sorry for you regarding the canopy incident, I can imagine the stream of expletives that followed 😩 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulsbrown Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 21 hours ago, exdraken said: As you did not mount the R-23 missiles, no issue here, but the Egyptian Floggers were early and low spec MS models, with the MiG-21s radar (shorter, smaler radom) and therefor without R-23 capability. Also no IR version of it... You are correct about it being an MS, I used the Cold War Studio nose and rescribed it. In the Red Eagles book there is mention of using AIM-9 Sidewinder acquisition rounds to simulate the AA-2s. But there were IR versions too. I made all the missiles for an MLD that I will get to one day. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulsbrown Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 12 hours ago, 28ZComeback said: Did you replace the nose with aftermarket from metallic details?? Yes I did but I had to rescribe it for the smaller random MS version the Egyptians used as well as add the shrouded radar scope in the cockpit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulsbrown Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 5 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said: Red Eagles is an awesome book, and the 2012 edition has even more juicy details! I was commissioned with a guy whose dad was "Bandit 3." No wonder he was an LTGen at the time! His son (my classmate) is now a two-star, and flew F-15Cs like his dad. If he flew "other" aircraft, he has not advertised the fact. That's a cool story. And I just looked at my book, a 2008 edition. Thanks for the heads up, I'll be looking out for the 2012 version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulsbrown Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 20 minutes ago, Alan P said: so sorry for the canopy incident, I can imagine the stream of expletives that followed Normally that would be the case but my wife and 5yr old were in the room at the time, I'm sure she was holding her breath at what was to follow yet somehow I held it together. I messed around with a vac canopy I have but I decided that the crack wasn't really that noticeable and in these strange days it seems foolish to waste several days on a canopy when the stash still stands high! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 9 minutes ago, paulsbrown said: Normally that would be the case but my wife and 5yr old were in the room at the time, I'm sure she was holding her breath at what was to follow yet somehow I held it together. I messed around with a vac canopy I have but I decided that the crack wasn't really that noticeable and in these strange days it seems foolish to waste several days on a canopy when the stash still stands high! Great self control 😂 just had canopy woes of my own, and took a similar view! There's so much more to attract the eye on the finished model than a little canopy crack in any case 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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