1/48 Academy MiG-29A Fulcrum

"The Russian Hornet"

Gallery Article by Luca Miceli on Nov 21 2011

 

I always had a certain attraction for the MiG-29, since I saw it for the first time, I have remained fascinated by its airframes, its attractive look and his agility.

This specific aircraft was manufactured in February 1986 with the production code 2960518475 and immediately assigned to the 91st IIAP (Research and Training Regiment) based Lipeck-2, marked with the "Red 33".
In November 1990 it was moved to 115 ° GvIAP (Guards Fighter Units), 2nd Squadron based on Kakaydy (now in Uzbekistan). 

Here it remained for the entire period of Soviet involvement in Afghanistan until July 1991 when it was transferred to the regions of Turkmenistan.
Was inserted in the flight line of the 2nd Squadron, 1521 ° AB (Aviabaza = Airbase) of Maryy-1, with new codes "Red 08" (Red, white edges) in the role of "Aggressor"

 

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The aircraft, painted with a gray-green two tone typical pattern, has a matte black strip in front of the windshield which extends up to the radome, and this, with the dielectric panels, is painted in a dark gray.

The main feature is the all-white strip that stretches from the canopy (of about 4 meters) to the back of fuselage, closing as mirror image like arrow (to simulate the larger canopy of the F-15).

Stand out the eyes and sharkmouth in front of the fuselage, on tail fins the hornet in a dive (in the wake of a red lightning bolt) with a very large abbreviation AM (aviabaza maryy).

The box is the famous Academy kit, good attention to airframe's detail, the shapes are nice correct, but some difficulty in making the pieces fit together.
I used many resin aftermarket items to give the model a better look:

  • Aires 4188 : wheels bay with PE 

  • Aires 4189 : exhaust nozzles 

  • Aires 4074 : cockpit set with PE 

  • Aires 4365 : Airbrakes set 

  • Quickboost 48148 : pitot boom 

  • Quickboost 48122 : correct radome 

  • Authentic decals 4811 : MiG-29 Fulcrum A (9.12) part 1, decals for URSS, Russia, Ukraina, with a lot of codes, heraldic and special drawings

The assembly was a bit difficult at the front of the fuselage, between the cockpit and LERX; even the air ducts and engine nacelles have problems.

Being a MiG-29's first production, this aircraft does not the tail fins extentions, which contain the flares launcher; it has also ventral fins mounted beneath the tail fins, therefore, not being provided by the kit, I have to scratch build them.

I also built other details, such as:

  • airscoops over engines nacelles (red circles) 

  • airscoop of APU system (blu circle) 

  • the whole system of antennas and sensors Aoa (black circles) 

  • navigation lights 

  • IRST 's capsule 

  • static discharger 

  • the APU's hot gas exhaust that pass through central tank (yellow circle)

I also added the panels on the engine nacelles, completely absent in the model and finally i added all rivets.

Studying many pics and monographs about the MiG-29, I realized that the first production aircraft used a dark green into camouflage. Later, after the dissolution of the USSR, green used was brighten up, with a low contrast, almost a teal.

I used acrylic Gunze and Tamiya and Alclad paints on this model:

  • Green camouflage – Gunze H60 brighten up ----------------> Drops proportions (10 green - 4 white – 30 thinner) 

  • Grey camouflage – Gunze H 308 

  • Dieletric panels and radome – Gunze H 305 

  • Black stripe – Tamiya XF 69 

  • White stripe – Tamiya XF 2 dirtied ----------------> Drops proportions (4 white – 1 grey – 10 thinner) 

  • Wheel bay and landing gears – Tamiya XF 23 

  • Wheels – Tamiya XF 26 

  • Reinforcing plate cannon – Alclad Gold Titanium 

  • Exhaust nozzles – Alclad Dark Alluminium - Pale burnt metal

I used UHU © patafix (a modeling rubber) to mark guideline of camouflage, then used pre-shading and post-shading techniques during the weathering, that was the moment to which I have devoted more attention. I used both oil paints and clear coat of various colour to simulate streams of smoke, grease, rust and oil leakage.

I sealed all my work using a matte coat acrylic. Clear parts and canopy were treated with Future © Wax.

It was a very long and demanding work, but the result is very satisfying for me.
I hope haven't bore you and will like it.
Forgive my imperfect English.

I wish you a good model 

Luca (Madd22)

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Photos and text © by Luca Miceli