ICM 1/48th MiG-25RBT Foxbat

[general melchett]

Hi all, hope you're all well and staying safe and sound. This is one I finished a few years ago for Airfix Model World magazine, shortly after the ICM kit was released. The Foxbat, particularly the reece version, has always been of great interest to me so I was more than happy to hear that ICM were going to release kits in both 1/72nd and, my preferred scale, 1/48th. They didn't disappoint either, although there are a few issues to deal with. Firstly, I decided to use Cold War Studio's corrected RBT nose as I wasn't completely happy with ICM version, along with their replacement for the missing parachute actuator and fin. Next, looking at other builds of this kit the one thing that struck me was the incorrect stance of the main undercarriage which, as built, is too high, giving the model a strange tip-toe appearance. In reality the aircraft sits low at the rear, especially when the huge 1,161 gal (5,280 ltr) ventral tank is carried. I corrected mine by simply cutting the gear into four parts, drilling each section out and inserting 2mm steel rod, reducing the length of the oleo struts, replacing the styrene items with suitable brass rod, re-angling the scissor jacks and repositioning the angle of the main leg. This puts a lot of strain on the U/C due to the acute angle of the repositioned parts but the steel rods certainly add a lot of strength...they haven't shifted so far.  Hydraulic lines were fitted to the undercarriage bays, legs and brakes and the engine intake tunnels redesigned, using extensions made from plastic card and wider styrene tube (the kit tunnels are too narrow and placed too far forward). Various static rods and IFF rods were added from stretched runner material. Review samples of Eduard's pre-painted PE interior and exterior sets were just becoming available at the time and duly used here. These enhanced what was already a great kit even further and are highly recommended. (Quinta Studios now provide superb 3D printed cockpit sets for the kit, making life even easier). As a side note I have another 1/48th reece Foxbat on the go, this time a camouflaged RBF using just about every piece of aftermarket available which I'll post as a build thread next year, for anyone interested.

 

Painted using AKAN acrylics, (wonderfully accurate paints but sadly, hard to come by now) and weathered with a mixture of AK Interactive and AMMO MIG washes/pigments plus a selection of Abtielung 502 oil paints. Various Alclad metallics were used on the ventral tank, inner intake tunnels and outer surfaces of the jetpipes with MRP lacquers and AKAN, on the inners. The kit decals weren't used here, instead the sheet from the Revell reissue was chosen as I particularly wanted to model RF-90269 'Red 45' of the 47th GvORAP Guards unit at Shatalovo AFB. Unfortunately several stencils were missing from the kit decals so instead I opted for Begemot's excellent dedicated stencil sheet to correct this. With a view to building a Cold War period vignette, a MiG-25 ladder was sourced from DANmodels along with a pair of wheel chocks from Hadmodels. To compliment these I have a Noy miniatures PAG-14 dispersal base enhanced with static grass and vegetation along with several period aircrew/groundcrew figures from Aires, which have yet to be painted and suitably weathered. A scratchbuilt towbar is also on the list.

 

Hope you approve and thanks for looking.

 

Melchie

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And just for fun, a couple of atmospheric 'height of the Cold War' black and white images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2021 by general melchett

[Bobby No Mac]

What a beast. Great job with the undercarriage, it certainly looks like it's straining under 20-odd tonnes of Soviet air superiority. Terrific pics too 

[GiampieroSilvestri]

Fantastic Mig-25RBT!

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

[Andy Dyck]

Ok General,

 

nice reference photographs, but where’s the model? 
 

 

👍👍👍👍 absolutely brilliant modeling and stunning photography 

 

Andy 

[Vultures1]

Excellent work, especially on correcting the 'sit' of a fully fuelled Foxbat.  Great photographs too - well done!

[exdraken]

Very nice!!

As you described some smallish issues, the replacement nose a good alternative! 

On my first R model, I tried to modify it myself.

Also I simply cut out 1 mm if the oleo pistons to get a better stance...

Your solution a lot more elegant though!

Congrats!

[supersonic]

Excellent replica of that menacing USSR Beast

[theskits62]

Thats a great looking model and brilliantly atmospheric photos.

[LorenSharp]

General, I'd have to say Bloody Well Done!. At first glance I thought you were trying to slip an actual flight line photo set over on us. I have the PD version 

now gathering dust in the stash. I may get to it one of these centuries. At least now I have something I can gauge my progress on.

[Jay Gee]

Brilliant work General, nicely done with the adjusted landing gear. Although looking at the back of those engine exhausts made my ears hurt!

[Ian]

Very nicely done Andy...

 

 

Ian.

[paulsbrown]

Great paintwork, lot's of effective and subtle details, really effective.

[modelling minion]

A truly excellent Foxbat.

I built the same kit not long after it came out and had an attempt at correcting the nose myself but didn't address the sit of the model. I am building their 1/72 RU at the minute and will be building more and I for one will be very interested in your camouflaged RBF.

[general melchett]

Thanks for the kind comments chaps, much appreciated as ever.

 

Quote

I have the PD version now gathering dust in the stash. I may get to it one of these centuries. At least now I have something I can gauge my progress on.

 

You really should dig it out Loren, I think the PD is the most 'elegant' Foxbat version (I use the term lightly for such a beast). I'm also tempted by the BM defence-suppression version as I rather like the combination of camouflage, reece style nose and those huge Kh-58U missiles. I'm also hoping to back date a PD to the Ye-155P-1 prototype....a lot of work that'll keep me out of trouble for a while.

 

 

Quote

Although looking at the back of those engine exhausts made my ears hurt!

Being single-shaft turbojets it was quite a painful experience by all accounts, the engines themselves look surprisingly small when you consider the size of those enormous jet pipes.

 

 

Quote

 I am building their 1/72 RU at the minute and will be building more and I for one will be very interested in your camouflaged RBF.

 

 

Thanks MM, you can't have enough Foxbats! look forward to seeing what you do with them all. The RBF should be a lot of fun, look out for it next year.

 

 

[Hairtrigger]

Errr.   Lost for words on that..  Just WOW

[Remus389]

If this wasn't posted on Britmodeller, I would have easily believed these photos are original.👍

[Duncan B]

It's stunning, what a beast (and the model's nice too lol)

 

Duncan B

[JeffreyK]

Most excellent work!

J

[F-32]

You've captured the look of it perfectly!

[general melchett]

Thanks again guys, glad you like it.

 

Quote

If this wasn't posted on Britmodeller, I would have easily believed these photos are original.

 

Thanks Remus, that's the ultimate compliment in this hobby, appreciated.

 

Quote

Most excellent work!

 

 

 

Thanks Jeffrey, a big fan of your company, superb quality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chief Cohiba]

I must admit, me too fell in the trap of: "great reference photos, but where's the model?"

 

You hit the perfect spot in weathering, well maintained, airworthy but used - and the corrected gear is, well, you know...

 

But how should i ever build my little 1/72 PD, after I have seen this? And, even when trying to do so - how to cope with the gear position ( I don't even want to think about tinkering with the gear in 1/72). 

 

But, a humble question from me lying on the floor in sheer amazement; have you any notice about Quinta Studio doing a ;iG 25 cockpit? I know of them doing one for the MiG 31, and honestly am not aware of the differences, but asume there would be to many discrepancies?

 

Greeting from snowy, cold-war-ish Vienna, Guenther 

[general melchett]

Thanks Guenther, that's very kind of you. 

 

If I was altering the 1/72nd kit I'd replace the main compression oleo with brass rod and carefully bend the forward parts to fit, either that or get the SAC metal version, cut into three sections, realign and CA back together. There's a lot less weight on the 1/72nd version so in theory......it 'should be' easier.

 

Regarding Quinta Studios and the MiG-25, apologies I meant the vacform canopy replacement, not a cockpit set (I've edited the post accordingly).

 

 

Quote

I know of them doing one for the MiG 31, and honestly am not aware of the differences, but asume there would be to many discrepancies?

 

They do several sets for the Foxhound, (even the MiG-31M, though sadly, only in 1/72nd). The Foxhound is well catered for by Quinta so hopefully they will do the same with the MiG-25. 

The layout of the MiG-31 cockpit is, understandably, quite different from that of the Foxbat, being a generation apart and sharing the work load. One commonality though is the eye watering shade of Russian Cockpit Turquoise that MiG seemed so keen on. 

 

Melchett, in snowy and cold(war) Lincolnshire

 

 

[dov]

Your build is excellent.

The re-arangement of the gear:

How did you proceed?

As the instructions telles you, or did you install the gear legs afterward?

If you did it afterward, so what did you change? Can you be more detailed with your information, since I am right on to do it, in near future!

Happy modelling

[Chief Cohiba]

5 minutes ago, general melchett said:

If I was altering the 1/72nd kit I'd replace the main compression oleo with brass rod and carefully bend the forward parts to fit, either that or get the SAC metal version, cut into three sections, realign and CA back together. There's a lot less weight on the 1/72nd version so in theory......it 'should be' easier.

That sounds reasonable. I guess, in any case, I'd try the service they market so adorably with the little doggy and ask for replacement gear parts, just in case...

 

6 minutes ago, general melchett said:

The layout of the MiG-31 cockpit is, understandably, quite different from that of the Foxbat, being a generation apart and sharing the work load. One commonality though is the eye watering shade of Russian Cockpit Turquoise that MiG seemed so keen on. 

Of course it is, that was not the most educated question from my side. 🥴

 

In short; it's screens vs. dials, and as such looking totally different. The cockpit shade is the same, tough, something that Lovecraft had to have in mind when he emanated about "Colours out of Space", and to me oozes Cold War like, say, grunting "Wasilli, give me just one ping" with scottish accent.

 

But took the chance to ask Alexander over at Facebook about his plans for Mig 25 stuff, and he answered in brief; likely, but might take time. But recently he bursts out stuff in amazing speed, so he might overtake me in my - rather mediocre, to be friendly - build speed. 🐌

[general melchett]

Quote

The re-arangement of the gear:

How did you proceed?

As the instructions telles you, or did you install the gear legs afterward?

If you did it afterward, so what did you change? Can you be more detailed with your information, since I am right on to do it, in near future!

 

Hopefully these will help explain dov, yes, I fitted the undercarriage after completing the build.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote

But took the chance to ask Alexander over at Facebook about his plans for Mig 25 stuff, and he answered in brief; likely, but might take time. But recently he bursts out stuff in amazing speed, so he might overtake me in my - rather mediocre, to be friendly - build speed. 

 

 

I saw your post on FB Chief, yes, hopefully they'll get around to releasing a few sets soon...as you say he turns out new sets at an amazing speed.

 

Edited November 30, 2021 by general melchett