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Lerxst
Andy Ball (Lerxst)
GB

Matchbox MiG-21

Comments

35 14 April 2020, 17:46
Łukasz Gliński
Oh man, what a project! You keep surprising us A. 😛 I have to follow that 👍
3 August 2022, 11:32
Julian Herrero aka Yuri
Following
3 August 2022, 13:52
Maciej Bellos
Watching!
3 August 2022, 15:18
Robert Podkoński
Interesting idea - I'm joining the party! 😉
3 August 2022, 15:45
Andy Ball
Thanks all, I hope you appreciate this is a bit of a "polishing a turd" exercise?.....
3 August 2022, 17:44
Łukasz Gliński
I do it too sometimes 🙂
3 August 2022, 19:25
Cuajete
Great, Andy! 👍
3 August 2022, 20:27
Andy Ball
@Ł..... "or you could roll it in glitter"
3 August 2022, 20:54
Andy Ball
Thanks Cuajete, bit of an experiment (a side project if you will!)
3 August 2022, 20:55
Julian Herrero aka Yuri
It looks like it's a a PFM ... so que turquoise is correct , AFAIK
4 August 2022, 06:07
Łukasz Gliński
I have to admit I haven't thought of that 😄 😄 😄
A side project? And who's multitasking now, A.? 😛
@Yuri: The canopy says PF, the last version with the single-piece one. Still the colour is the same for both variants.
4 August 2022, 06:47
Andy Ball
It may be a PFL (Lokator, for the N Vietnamese) 😉😂
4 August 2022, 12:38
Treehugger
Re. Vallejo primer. My airbrushing results are always nice after I started sifting my Vallejo paint, especially the primer paint. Even one bit of dried flaky paint will cause issues, but I haven't had any for a long while after I started sifting the paint. I also mix the paint in a tiny jar separately and then pour it over into the airbrush cup. The sift I used, was a sift used for loose weight tea, this tiny mesh.

I tend to thin the primer paint with a mix of thinner and flow enhancer. I never spray Vallejo primer out of the bottle with no thinning.

I have managed to use primer paint mainly to fill a seam on one of my models, but it takes a lot of paint, perhaps unsurprisingly.

A Vallejo trick is to airbrush on glossy black primer, and then fill the airbrush cup half with thinner, then add drops of Vallejo metallic paint, for a super thin metal paint. Has to be airbrushed on dry, and very thin, in multiple passes so that you don't wet the surface and create an uneven surface.
4 August 2022, 12:48
Andy Ball
Thanks Treehugger, sounds like you've cracked it. I didn't like their flow-enhancer either when recently I used it too. I assume the polyurethane-based nature of their primers makes them tricky to spray. I feel I may need to try another, simpler, solution.
Their Model Air paints have performed well, though diluted to straight from the bottle.
4 August 2022, 15:50
Treehugger
I've had various results, if I airbrush a ship model with primer, I will want to go over with fine sand paper to make the surface more even. The glossy black primer should look smooth though. Non primer color paint seem finer and easier to spray I think.
4 August 2022, 19:21
Andy Ball
Yes, I reckon that a fine sandpaper approach is something I've neglected to do, and given the unforgiving nature of good metallic paints need this would be prudent
4 August 2022, 19:28
Julian Herrero aka Yuri
Oups ..... Łukasz Gliński you're right .... one piece canoyp -> PF not PFM
5 August 2022, 07:32
Andy Ball
Glad we've cleared that one up, gentlemen
5 August 2022, 19:04
Łukasz Gliński
I think canopy is just the main difference A.
On the other hand I recall reading somewhere, this kit is a mix of both PF & PFM features anyway 🙂
5 August 2022, 19:11
Andy Ball
The tail is PFM for sure? And on the illustration on the box, the pitot suggests an older version!
5 August 2022, 19:16
Cuajete
An improvement over the previous job, 👍
Congrats!
6 August 2022, 18:03
Roy McKay
Stunning. Did you shorten the nose?

I've got both versions of the Matchbox Mig21 in the stash but both are missing canopies...
By the way, where can I get NVAF decals like those?
6 August 2022, 19:28
Andy Ball
Thanks Cuajete- it was worth doing! We restart the 72nd Beaufort next….
6 August 2022, 22:15
Andy Ball
Hi Roy, Modelmaker make a set of numbers and insignia for '21s. I think if you hunt around on here you will find some companies offering canopies. Nose not shortened, may have been resanded a little to take paint off though? Thanks for popping by!
6 August 2022, 22:26
Julian Herrero aka Yuri
Wll done
7 August 2022, 11:21
Andy Ball
Thanks Julian, it's by no means perfect....but I think I've made it a little better than before. I'm quite surprised at the quality of Matchbox's material too.
7 August 2022, 11:28
Łukasz Gliński
I like it 👍 No clue why Matchbox never released it with the VietNam markings
7 August 2022, 11:47
Andy Ball
Thanks again for your support Ł! I think the VPAF star and bar is an attractive option, and the irony of them looking so much like those on the adversary's aircraft!
7 August 2022, 12:51
Andy Ball
Finals, landed, and moved to the hard standing
10 August 2022, 14:43
Andy Ball
At Phúc Yên Air Base
10 August 2022, 19:43
Ludvík Kružík
Nice revival of the old kit, looks much better now. 👍

Just a short note on the MiG PF and PFM versions. Compared to the original F version, the PF and PFM versions (and all subsequent versions) had a larger diameter air inlet and a larger cone (due to the use of a more powerful and larger radar). At the same time, the hump between the cockpit cover and the rudder was enlarged and the built-in cannons disappeared on both versions.
A good identifying feature of the PF version is the large air inlet with a large cone, the one-piece cockpit cover hinged forward and the slender rudder without a parachute cover (the parachute was on the underside of the fuselage in a box to the left of the keel).
The upgraded PFM version had a two-piece cockpit cover hinged to the side with a fixed front section (it is possible that the first machines of this version still had a one-piece cover), the rudder was wider and the parachute cover was in its root section. Later production versions of the PFM had the option of carrying a special poudro with twin cannon instead of an additional fuel tank under the fuselage.
Both versions (PF and PFM) had only two wing hangers (one under each wing) designed to carry armament only.
10 August 2022, 20:59
Jan Peters
That's one nice polished turd Andy 👍🏻
10 August 2022, 21:11
Maciej Bellos
Turd or not, it looks good. Well done Andy!
11 August 2022, 06:42
Michael Kohl
Honestly - I never understood why people redo their ancient kits instead of building one of those excellent nice new ones and enjoy progress of machinery and personal skills. But, hey, who said I have to understand everything 😉 Anyway, I like your approach and the entertaining commentry. Keep it coming. 🙂 I will follow with pleasure.
(and learn a lot on the way by all the input here)
11 August 2022, 08:06
Łukasz Gliński
Referring once more to the mix of both versions - Ludvik is right: the canopy is PFish and the tail is definitely PFMish (and later) 👍
11 August 2022, 10:06
Andy Ball
Hi Lukasz, I think it's a Frankenstein'21, Matchbox's box art suggests a 'F-13/'C - the canopy a PF- the tail an older version. I thought Vietnam exports were PFL's, a special edition for the glorious Indo-Chinese workers of the anti-fascist movement?
13 August 2022, 20:29
Andy Ball
Hi Ludvík, some useful reference information there. I think there's a lot of artistic license going off with matchbox!
14 August 2022, 22:24
Andy Ball
@Jan and Maciej, "you do the best with what you've got" springs to mind…
14 August 2022, 22:25
Andy Ball
@Michael - completely agree with your sentiments. This was a "dress rehearsal" with both paints and techniques. I've got an Eduard MF in the stash, so will try those new technologies soon!
14 August 2022, 22:29
Ludvík Kružík
Hey, Andy. I understand that this build wasn't about making the model as accurate as possible. I also use old models to test new techniques on. 😉 My post was in response to a discussion about what version the model represents.
I wish you the MF Eduard build to be as good as you want it to be. 😎
15 August 2022, 08:19
Andy Ball
@Ludvík, what puts me off the Ed'd MF are all those stencils!
15 August 2022, 11:33
Ludvík Kružík
It is true that there are a lot of templates on the surface of the MiG and it takes at least one afternoon to apply them to the model. The reward for the effort is a more authentic looking model. Especially on silver machines, stecils will brighten up a monochromatic surface. I think the extra work is worth it.
Here's an example of what stencils look like on a finished model: MiG-21PFM | Album by KLuK (1:48)
15 August 2022, 15:21
Andy Ball
@Ludvik- exquisite in 48th!!, and as you say, "worth it"!
15 August 2022, 17:59
Ludvík Kružík
Andy, do you know what marking you will build your Mig-21MF in?
16 August 2022, 09:58
Andy Ball
Hi Ludvík, not sure yet, will be NMF and possibly Czech. (Right answer?)😉😂
16 August 2022, 21:58
Ludvík Kružík
Yes, Andy, as a Czech I consider your answer to be correct 😄 😄 😄

I don't know if there was an NMF version. But if it was supposed to be the MFN version, then Czech colours are the only correct solution. The MFN version is only a Czech thing and was not used in any other country. These were 12 MiG-21MF aircraft whose radars and avionics were upgraded to NATO standards and were built as a short-term emergency solution to cover the transition period until the acquisition of new JAS-39 Gripen aircraft. The aircraft were powered by the Tumanskiy R-13-300 afterburner engine and carried the RP-22SMA Safir-21 radar. Armament consisted of a 23mm GS-23-2L cannon with a magazine for 200 rounds. A combination of FAB bombs of up to 500 kg calibre, UB-16-57U rocket launchers and R-3S, Ch-66 and R-60 missiles could be mounted on the racks. R-3S, Ch-66 and R-60 rockets were also carried on board. Also on board were bomb racks that were equipped with rocket launchers. R-3S, Ch-66 and R-60 rockets could also be carried on board. In practice, it was most often flown with a pair of R-60MKs (AA-8 Aphid) on the inner wing struts and a pair of fuel tanks on the outer wing struts.

The last letter -N- in the version name is neither New nor Navy, but stands for NATO.
17 August 2022, 09:30
Łukasz Gliński
Damn, I thought it was a naval variant 😋
17 August 2022, 10:16
Robert Podkoński
You mean: the carrier-based one, Łukasz? 😄
17 August 2022, 11:05
Łukasz Gliński
Vzduch je naše moře, you know 😄
Sorry for OT A. 😉
17 August 2022, 11:07
Andy Ball
@Ludvík: I appreciate the historical input and the longer view on this model in those post-WarPac years. Eduard seem to have most of the ordinance covered in their offering- the Czech and Slovak Republics joining NATO was no doubt an excellent investment for freedom!
21 August 2022, 07:41
Andy Ball
@Ł bez problemu.
21 August 2022, 07:42
Łukasz Gliński
Youmade my day A. LOL 😁
21 August 2022, 08:17
Andy Ball
Thanks for calling, Neil!!
28 February, 22:24

Album info

all enamels and paintbrushes, and some accuracy liberties in 1983....now for it's resto-mod into a VPAF Fishy-D

31 images
1:72
Completed
1:72 Mikoyan MiG-21 (Matchbox PK-19)1:72 MiG-21 PF, PFM Fishbed-D/F - Pitot Tube (Master AM-72-046)

Group Build

Matchbox 50th anniversary group build in
Matchbox 50th anniversary group build

1. April 2022 until 31. December 2023

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