Dazzled's Big Mig Build

[Gadfly]

Hi,

The condor build is progressing well.

I'll post up some photos in a different thread to save hijacking this one.

Cheers
Gadfly

[Dazzled]

Hi,

The condor build is progressing well.

I'll post up some photos in a different thread to save hijacking this one.

Cheers
Gadfly

And a very nice build it is too

I hope mine can offer suitable competition.

It has progressed a little. Much of the seam work has been done and a good bit of assembly too.



As you can see, the wings are on and so is the forward fuselage. Again the fit could have been a lot better. Gaps in the upper wing root were filled using Vallejo putty and it seems to have done a good job. The forward fuselage really did test my patience though. A plain butt joint probably isn't the best way to attach this sub-assembly and it did cause a few problems, firstly with alignment and secondly with strength. It actually took 3 attempts and combined cyano and Liquid Poly cements to get the thing to stay on. Happily, it's pretty solid now.

Less good is the fit. The spine on the forward section is a little bigger than the aft spine, hence the filler. Similar misalignment was present on the underside. So, more sanding is required and Squadron White Putty has gone on my Telford shopping list

More from the Mig factory soon

[Old_Tonto]

Great work mate. Gotta love the angular look of this beast.

[Stuart]

Looking very smart that - nice work!

[Dazzled]

Thanks guys.

And the Foxbat wrestling match continues, although I think my opponent is using quite a few dirty tricks

First the tailplanes. How do they fit?




You drill your own holes, that's how. On the bright side they are a good fit now and I'll be able to add them at the end which will make painting easier.

And the filler around the forward fuselage has been sanded back.




And this seems quite good even after I'd taken it out to the paint shop and applied some Tamiya XF-19 around the area. It was also a good time to get some on around the splitter plate area as that would be awkward to do once the intakes are on.

Then it was on to the intakes and the tailcone. The tailcone is an interesting "fit".




It took a fair bit of fettling to get it down to size but I got there in the end. Then it was on to the intakes.

First the splitter plates and the engine fronts.




The engine fronts had a coat of XF-56 and the splitters were sprayed with XF-19 like the fuselage. I'm still tweaking my spray set-up at the moment but this part, at least, went well. The splitter plates didn't fit all that well though so I trimmed a little from the top of the upper fuselage at each side and they slid right in.

Then it was time for the intakes themselves. Dry fitting had revealed that there may be some issues here.




Although I wasn't expecting the sort of issue you could fly another aircraft through. The top wasn't much better either.



Erk!!!

OK, some of it was my own doing. A little over eager sanding reduced the left hand splitter a little too much but, blimey, look at the rest of it

It was time to call upon years of modelling experience and try all the tricks I know....both of them

Actually, and seriously for a change, I needed to employ a few different methods to get the intakes on and solid. The upper right side was tack glued using precision superglue before having it's seam capillary filled using Liquid Poly. The biggish gaps at both sides were masked and filled with Zap-a-Gap cyano then set up using spray activator. Finally, the inner corner of the left intake was built up with a strip cut from plasticard and the massive gap on the lower left side filled with evergreen strip. This was put in with Liquid Poly and the whole lot put aside to dry.




While that's having a little rest I've made a start on the undercarriage and painted the engine exhausts in a base colour of Gunze Burnt Iron. I've also made a decision regarding final colour scheme. The name Viktor Belenko crops up a lot when reading about Mig-25s and my Begemot sheet includes markings for the aircraft that Belenko used to defect in 1976. It'll mean backdating the kit from a -PD to a -P variant but that only seems to entail leaving off the sensor housing under the nose. It also means that I won't need to add weapons as Belenko was on a training flight at the time and his aircraft was unarmed.

Time for a regroup before another assault on the Foxbat later I think

[skypirate]

You are going to be very pleased with the result after so much fettling.
Those intakes are a disgrace.

cheers,

David

[Stuart]

It's the new 'punk' mig - great work on getting those together Darryl!

[Dazzled]

Another round of shifts over and I'm back to the Den for more Foxbat shenanigans.

I did manage to get some more filler on. Squadron Green this time to correct some misalignment of the intakes. I sanded it down this morning.



I've just given it a coat of the base colour and this has revealed a couple of small issues to tidy up so it's back on the bench at the moment. I'm slowly backing these intakes into a corner

[Kitaholic]

Really want a Foxbat but think I may just stick to the Hasegawa antique one. Am well and truly doffing my hat to you for your tenacity with this kit. Well and truly beating it into shape. Great work

[shangos70]

This is really fighting you, I would have thrown it back in the box of shame by now. I often wonder if they ever test build them before releasing them into the wild.

[Old_Tonto]

Respect for sticking with this one Daz. It would have ended up in the 'round file' if it was mine.

[SBO]

A fighter that seems intent upon fighting you every step of the way! I would assume however that the feeling of satisfaction you will get when you finish this kit will more than make up for the issues faced. I have heard it said that kits like these make us better modellers, and you are certainly coming through the test with flying colours (if you will excuse the pun)! So 10/10 for tenacity and skill. I am really looking forward to seeing this one finished

[ShaunW]

Excellent Darryl, you're showing that recalcitrant Foxbat who is the daddy!

[Dazzled]

Thanks guys. It's certainly driving me batty!

Getting even the basic bits done is quite a fight with this kit. I give it a coat of paint and seem to discover some other small irregularity every time. No matter how carefully I go over it there always seems to be a minor hint of flash or small indentation that I've missed. Never mind, I'll stick to inspecting the full sized ones from now on

Troubles aside, I do seem to have got a reasonable base to work from now.



I just need another dusting of base colour then I'll be ready to pre-shade. before I get there though I have to ready other parts such as the tailplanes and undercarriage doors. Should be simple....not with this kit.



The above picture is the nose undercarriage door. It's designed to slot in for a wheels up option (although you don't get a pilot). I haven't tried it for fit in this configuration so I can't comment on that aspect but what I can confirm is that it has to be cut into 5 separate pieces if you want the wheels down. It's not an easy cut, particularly the cranked line in the middle, and the plastic has a tendency to delaminate, which is a new one on me . Basically, instead of snapping at a score line like normal styrene it starts to peel away a layer from the unscored edge. Don't ask how I found that out To cap it all there's a honking great ejector pin mark slap bang in the middle of the main door.

It's all sent to try us

[Purplethistle]

Will you be changing your name to Frazzled after this? Kudos on the Silk pursery