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Adampur Swinger - Mikoyan & Gurevich MiG-23MF Flogger-B 'SK427' Indian Air Force - KP/RV 1/72

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RidgeRunner Blabber Mouth

RidgeRunner

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Hi everyone,

 

I am extremely pleased to get my latest build rolled out today. As the WIP timeline will attest, I have been at this one for a long time due to a number of factors, and more recently due to a lack of enthusiasm. I guess that’s how it goes sometimes. Having said that, I remain very pleased that I started her and I am even more pleased with the result. She isn’t perfect but hey ho, she needs to get out and feel the air!

 

As you will know from the WIP (below), she is a MiG-23MF Flogger-B as operated by the Indian Air Force. These aircraft, in their single-seat form and with two-seat support, were operated by 223rd “Tridents” and 224 squadrons “Warlord” and were initially based at Adampur AFS. They entered service in 1983 and were finally retired in 2007, with the unit later taking on the Jaguar. Operationally they were used in at least two conflict operations over Kashmir – Operations Megdoot and Safed Sagar. My depiction shows ‘SK427’ in her early days of service as seen in the photo below which was taken while visiting Pune AFS in 1998. Later the colour schemes changed – through a multi-shaded/colour camouflage to the final overall grey that is prevalent within the IAF currently. These aircraft became grubby throughout their career in the Indian Air Force and so I have taken the liberty of adding a bit more grime!  

 

SK427

The target of my project. Credit: Phil Camp/Simon Watson

 

2pt0lcnfymg61 copy

SK427 later in her career. Public Domain

 

image9

Grubby, mucky girls going out on the town ;). Credit: Simon Watson/Public Domain

 

After some false starts and re-starts she is built from a combination of the KP and RV kits. I got the latter one cheaply as a “JASDF” marking kit. It is a challenging kit – the plastic is the same for both kits – due to the modular way it has been moulded. Even so, with care and determination, together with some improvements here and there, she builds quite well. The RV kit offers PE too. This, though, is a challenge in itself as it primarily covers the multitude of vanes/antennae/blades that are missed in the KP. Having had a few bits depart my tweezers and ping to far flung recesses of my study, I added some but not all.

 

With regards paintwork I elected, rightly or wrongly, to adopt colours that appeared close to the Pune photo above. It has darkened a little after varnishing but I still think it is close to the colours you can see. I used Humbrol Leather for the Brown and a mix of greens from the Humbrol range. The underside is Russian Pale Blue Grey. A point of note – as you can see from the photo – is that the fin flash is supposed to be at an angle! 😊

 

I had intended to add some R-23 missiles. I got some Reskit examples but after my banana-like fingers knocked a few fins off I abandoned that. I might add them if the Clear Prop accessories box ever gets released.   

 

 

What did I do/use? Well, she is pretty much OOB but I did add the braces inside the intake “vanes”, which I had first built up around the edges to add definition. Otherwise:

 

  • Kit - Primarily the KP MiG-23MF Flogger-B 1/72 (KPM0050) kit with extra (and some replacement) bits from the RV kit. The latter is better in that it has harder plastic that gives more definition to details.

 

  • Paints - Mainly Humbrol on this occasion. H62 Leather, a mix of H80 Grass Green and H120 Light Green, with Colourcoats Pale Blue Grey for undersides. Colourcoats Radome Grey was used on the nose and de-electric areas. Various details got Humbrol and Colourcoats paints used.

 

  • Decals - The main markings were a combination of excellent drawings by Giorgio @Giorgio N, particularly the unit badge, and Mika at Arctic Decals. Mika then printed everything. I used a selection of stencils and warning decals as I considered  appropriate.

 

  • Aftermarket - Aires cockpit set, Master pitot, Res-Kit wheel set. I did also use a belly tank from an Eduard MiG-21 as well as an aux pitot from the same source. 

 

  • Weathering - A mix of Tamiya Weathering Powders over Flory washes (Dark Dirt for the undersides and Mud for the uppers). In addition I used a Prismacolor silver pencil here and there.

 

I hope you like her!

 

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Edit: I forgot to say that when I un-masked the canopy today, not only had the vinyl Montex masks stuck to the plastic rigidly but I also had seepage around them where the edges had peeled back slightly :(. I also noticed that while trying to get them off I had scratched the canopy in two places :(. Fortunately I have a spare ;). So, one day soon she will get a new "lid", as my grandson calls them ;). Note to self - no more Montex masks! 

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  • RidgeRunner changed the title to Adampur Aggressor - Mikoyan & Gurevich MiG-23MF Flogger-B 'SK427' Indian Air Force - KP/RV 1/72
  • RidgeRunner changed the title to Adampur Swinger - Mikoyan & Gurevich MiG-23MF Flogger-B 'SK427' Indian Air Force - KP/RV 1/72
Procopius Blabber Mouth

Procopius

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I have an inexplicable fondness for the Flogger, the idiot little brother of the Cold War-era MiGs, and this is a splendid example. Very impressed by all the extra work you had to do to make an IAF bird.

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stevehnz Blabber Mouth

stevehnz

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That is a super looking build, the Mig 23 & 27 are aircraft I've struggled to like, as much as anything it may be down to their awkward ground stance. Having seen this build though, I could be persuaded to modify that view, you've made it look very attractive there. 👍

Steve.

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RidgeRunner Blabber Mouth

RidgeRunner

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On 12/16/2022 at 3:30 PM, Giampiero Piva said:

Wow ! Very, very nice !

 

On 12/16/2022 at 4:09 PM, Pantherhawk27263 said:

That is beautiful! Excellent job on a gorgeous Flogger.

 

22 hours ago, albymoore said:

😍 That is all I have to offer. 

 

Cheers,

Albert

 

22 hours ago, k5054nz said:

I like it a lot. Gorgeous work!

 

21 hours ago, billn53 said:

Love it!

 

19 hours ago, Dave Klaatu said:

Very nice! It's a beautiful build!

 

15 hours ago, Ryan Hothersall said:

Nice build. 

 

12 hours ago, Mig88 said:

Absolutely lovely!!!

 

Miguel

 

7 hours ago, GiampieroSilvestri said:

Fantastic Mig-23MF!

 

Saluti

 

Giampiero

 

Many thanks chaps. I’m pleased that you like her. After having hanging around for so long I was losing interest but when I restarted I soon got the enthusiasm back ;)

 

On 12/16/2022 at 3:44 PM, Procopius said:

I have an inexplicable fondness for the Flogger, the idiot little brother of the Cold War-era MiGs, and this is a splendid example. Very impressed by all the extra work you had to do to make an IAF bird.

 

Thanks mate. I think she looks faster just sitting there :). Getting that KP kit built up in to reasonable model only takes a little extra work, particularly the supporting rods on the splitter plates ahead of the intakes and the use of a resin cockpit. 

 

On 12/16/2022 at 8:34 PM, Vultures1 said:

Excellent Flogger!  To my eyes, you have absolutely nailed the look of the original - well done

 

Thanks a lot, mate. I’m pleased that you think do. I think the kit builds up to an accurate outline of the MF.

 

On 12/16/2022 at 10:19 PM, stevehnz said:

That is a super looking build, the Mig 23 & 27 are aircraft I've struggled to like, as much as anything it may be down to their awkward ground stance. Having seen this build though, I could be persuaded to modify that view, you've made it look very attractive there. 👍

Steve.

 

Thanks a lot, Steve. It’s appeal to me is it’s tail heavy stance. In the air it’s a neat machine - like a paper dart!

 

On 12/16/2022 at 10:45 PM, Hopesdaddy said:

Beautiful job on the Flogger, I've heard mixed reports about the kit but yours turned out excellent 

 

Thanks mate. The kit is certainly a challenge because of its odd modular construction but is easy for any reasonably experienced modeller.

 

21 hours ago, opus999 said:

That's fantastic!  I've always liked the Flogger.  I've never seen it in IAF markings and this is beautiful.

 

Thanks, mate. You’ve probably seen that I’ve modelled a few Indian subjects now. I have more in the plan ;)

 

1 hour ago, Ignacio said:

Amazing job my friend! I really like it.

I like the Flogger, but I never found an interesting scheme.

However this one is nice! You also captured the pose of the mig-23.

 

Best regards!

 

Ignacio

 

 

Thanks, Ignacio. Fortunately there are many interesting schemes for Floggers. I am tempted to build an Indian UB and a Cuban ML. Maybe one day ;)

 

Martin

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RidgeRunner Blabber Mouth

RidgeRunner

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6 hours ago, k5054nz said:

My big question is: is the formation photo essentially a MiG-129 or MiG-133? 😄

Oops, did I make a typo somewhere. :( As you’ll know, Zac. The Indians operated the MiG-29 9.12 but later they upgraded a number of them.

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RidgeRunner Blabber Mouth

RidgeRunner

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14 hours ago, tomthounaojam said:

Aha!!! finally found it, Great subject and modelling, cheers Martin.

Thanks a lot, Tom :). Do I remember correctly in thinking that you have a personal link (your friend’s father?) to Indian Floggers? 

 

Martin

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tomthounaojam Very Obsessed Member

tomthounaojam

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4 hours ago, RidgeRunner said:

Thanks a lot, Tom :). Do I remember correctly in thinking that you have a personal link (your friend’s father?) to Indian Floggers? 

 

Martin

Yes, his dad was in AAC but get the chance to fly a Mig-23UB rear seat during Kargil war.

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