Hi Aeroscalers

Well, another new project (despit the huge pile of started things) ... some people might know the problem (don't you Rowan?)

Here are a few pix. So far very good fit some clever tool design to hide seam lines and ejector pin marks. Remember to remove the two under the left and right instrument panels.

Those who have the kit will notice that I deviated from the instructions. But I plan to spray the pit turquoise with most parts added and then attach the PE. Also I am waiting for the new seat coming out next month. But that is no problem as I started this project only because I am waiting for my punch and die set from Roll Models to punch out the instrument faces for my Halberstadt Cl.II .... see I cannot even focus on a topic in such a small paragraph.....

So here is some pix:











I used a sewing needle fixed in an Excel Blade holder as a scriber (the best scribing too I found so far .. and I tested many expensive ones!) together with the PE template Eduard provided for this task ..... very easy.

cheers

Steffen

Some more work in the pit from yesterday evening:





the Eduard interpretation of the Russian interior turquoise is slightly too dark for my taste (speaking of 48 scale, it probably matches the actual examples pretty well). I used paint from Jens Popp (JPS).

all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen,

Nice start, look very good so far...

Have you already decided on a paint scheme for this one?

Jean-Luc

Thanks Jean-Luc!!

I will do a German (LSK/LV der NVA = Air Forces / Air Defense of the National Peoples Army) first ...

all the best

Steffen

Good luck with this real beauty Mr. Steffen


Cheers Nick

Looks really nice!
I've been really tempted lately to build one of those MFs while waiting for the BIS to come. I guess I gotta start pestering Eduard on Facebook to include Finnish marking options for that BIS, just to be sure.
I'm looking forward to seeing that MF of yours come together.

That interior colour's straight from the bottle? That's quite a nice match for the prepainted PE.
Btw, where did you buy those JPS paints? The dealer list on JPS's site doesn't help much. The shops on it either don't seem to stock the paints or don't have the modern soviet colours. Googling didn't help much. That interior turquoise and radome green would certainly come in handy.

Thank you guys!!

Eetu: the paint is direct from the botttle (thinned with AquaColor thinner from Revell) and as I wrote some shades lighter than the Eduard PE (but the same hue). I used some Citadel washes (green and Blue) to darken it and give it some structure. As for JPS colours, have a look here

48 Special Models

Ask for the paint you want as most can be bought if it is not in the catalogue. (my bottle is already very old --- >15 years --- but still good)

Greets

Steffen

As I told you my time is limited and I am working really slow on my projects. Still there was some progress over teh past weeks and today I finally closed up the fuselage. Here are some pix of the stuff I did:







all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen,

Nice progress. It seems you didn't used many filler on the model neither...

I'm currently working hard on making the final touches to my MiG-21 so I have good hope that you will see it tomorrow...

Jean-Luc

Hope you'll make it (bring it to the show anyway!!)

BTW I did not use any filler so far ...

CU tomorrow

Steffen

So here is some more progress on my MiG. Sorry that I am so slow, but I just can do one or another minute in the evenings...

I added some bits and pieces to the wings (more delay due to one of the fragile seperators between flaps and ailerons braking off and getting lost to the carpet monster, so I had to repair that). Also the elevators were added and I started on teh seat which is pretty nice for a plastic part ... the Brassin seat is still better though.







We'll see how much longer I will be busy with this project.

all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen,

Nice to see you here again. It's been a long time. How are you doing?

Still no trace of filler on your MiG it seems...

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc

everything o.k. in my neck of the woods. And I am checking in daily on Aeroscale, but as there are very few projets here that "need" my commet or encouragement I prefer to use my spare minutes to read or do some updates on my website or actually build on my models ---- I only manage to do that some minutes per day, but still there is progress. My "Big Brother" Reaper is almost done and I also do a few bits and pieces on other prjects (this MiG has some priority as I want to put it on the IPMS website asap)

take care

Steffen

Hi all

some progress but I just cannot move as fast as I want .. I do not even know why, the kit is great and easy to build and I have all the stuff to build my c&m ... here is the present state.

I added most of the parts for the Revi/HUD. The seat is painted and awaiting PE seat belts. I added the Quickboost scoops and built on the cannon (from the box, even if the Quickboost is very nice) and the PE blast shields for the aux intakes



still hope to finish it soon, but seeing the massive decal sheet ....

all the best

Steffen

Hi Stephen

It's great to see this underway again. Nice job.

I've been busy again tinkering with the 'SMT after getting stalled for a week I got the camo on today. Then, as you say, there's that massive decal sheet! Jean-Luc and Andy have both warned me about the sheer number of stencils to apply...

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan

Well I was always on this kit, but progress was so little that I did not post the stuff. I wan this one done at least until our show in September, but I hoped to meet the deadline of the campaign .. we'll see.

Today I made quite a good progress. the seat is done as is the rest of the cockpit: stick, seat and wind shield glued in, canopy got some decals and will be glued on later (when the Klear is dry).

I also mounted the pylons .. not sure If I will install the centerline tank as I want to show it in the QRA role (DHS for the LSK/LV ) .. I would like a 4 missile ship but I have to check refs again.

Here is a pic of the seat almost done (it is too dark to take more pix)


all the best

Steffen

Hi again Steffen

Nice job on the seat! I haven't fitted the harness yet, but it looks really effective in your shot. One thing I noticed when adding the decals on mine is that the stencils are quite a bit larger than in my reference photos - I hope that's not true of the rest of the decals...

All the best

Rowan

Yep the seat decals are a tad large so I swapped the two. The one seen in the pic is a bit askew but I don't care as I will close the pit on this one..

all the best

Steffen

P.S. present state ... hope to start to paint as soon as the mask is dry



cheers

Steffen

Hi Steffen,

nice to see some progress on your Mig!

Don't be afraid of the huge amount of stencils packed in the Eduard kit, since esp. on LSK/LV Mig's stencilling shouldn't be that prominent. Check your ref's and you'll discover that some stencils simple weren't there and others in a much smaller way, so that it can easily be overdone! The most prominent ones surely where the rescue/canopy advices, but many others could be left for the spare box!
Eduard seemed to have sacrified the delicate look of the stencils in favor of readability
Any decision on DHS armament? Don't hesitate using the old RS-2US in conjunction with R-3S, since this was a common sight, even short before reunification! Also R-13 and R-3R, but usage of R-60 on the MF should be questioned...
(And don't forget the centerline tank, the ship was very short legged!)

Carry on with your good work

Volker

Thanks for your kind comment Volker!

I want to do 781 as seen on pg 41 in "Flugzeuge der DDR" vol.3 I will probably go for 2 RS-2US and 2 R-13 ..as for R-60 .. there is a cool pic and Profile of a MiG-21bis SAU in that book with 4 R-60 and 2 R-3S...

as for the drop tank ... I forgot to drill teh holes and thus have not mounted the pylon but seeing the pic on pg 44 of a DHS machine I will have to mount it ...

all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen,

additional fuel was/is a must on operational Mig 21's. A certain Mig 21 M/MF DHS variant even carried 3 underwing/underbelly tanks. Only as a joke (the two inboard pylons weren't designed to carry fuel-tanks) at least one Mig 21 was equipped with 5(!) tanks as a "fuel tanker" around reunification time.
The well known pic of the bis with 4 R-60 and 2 R-13 (and without underbelly tank, if I remember correct!) seems to be a case of "maskirovka". As far as I remember even the first digit of it's tactical number has been overpainted, as it was common practice for press pictures ;-). Drag and weight of such configurations would lead the ship back home after a very short time.

By the way: Unfortunatly Eduard missed to incorporate the prominent scissor mechanism on the main landing gears (a fault that was corrected on their SMT-Kit) Here PE sets (their own one, for example) are very helpful...

Have a nice week!

Volker
P.S.: Any progress on your SU-7?

Hi Volker

I know the MiG-21 was/is very thirsty but I was thinking of a machine that just has to get up fast and attack the first incoming NATO a/c no need to stay up long, but just be there very fast (I know there were different set ups for the DHS machines). I picked one of my overtrees kits and made the holes using this. But I will only add the small tank.

I need to check if I forgot any small parts before I can hit the model with some paint sooo this will have to wait until next weekend. Meanwhile I'll finish my Hurricane Mk.I (just a few small parts to add).

The Suchoj is on hold as I did not come up with a good idea for the wheel wells yet (Jose's was just that superior, that I want to simulate something like that)

More soon.

all the best

Steffen

I put on some paint ... just a week to go not sure I'm gonna make it til our show at Gatow ... I think I will build it without ordnance for now, just to have a chance.



all the best

Steffen

Hi Steffen

Nice work on the camo. It looks great!

A week until the show? That's tight, but not impossible if you make time for a few sessions doing the stencils. I've done them in small batches between other jobs, and they're not as daunting as some might have us believe.

All the best

Rowan