Matchbox MiG-21
Just decided to have a bit of a retro-mod fun with this 1973 kit: built in c.1983
Soviet-era jump seat. Scratch built
70.808 Blue Green Vallejo. It’s still too thick for the airbrush- and I’m not sure that Vietnam era Fishy-Ds had this colour, but heck, I’m in charge!!
A bit of content for the pipe.
The ugly duckling at the end of the first full day of working on this. (I'm waiting for the Eduard masks to arrive for the 1/72nd Beaufort, so can't go any further on that project)
Vallejo filler to close some previous butchery.
Sinister Soviet, black Vallejo primer (not happy with how it performs)
Underbelly- all parts on bar missiles and pitot.
AK Xtreme aluminium, reflecting the setting sun, (thumb, modeller's own)
Sinister silver Soviet upper
Sinister silver Soviet, lower
This will eventually be "4127” VPAF MiG-21PF(L)
The unmasking required some touch-ups. I've learned a lot from AK Xtreme's range. The aluminium and dark aluminium are too contrasting, so I've given a mist coating of aluminium to tone it back. I would start with darker panels and areas I want to stand out first, then mask them, and finally finish with "aluminium" overall- building it up, so-to-speak.
I've taken some RS-3's from my Eduard kit to adorn the pylons on this one.
Cummin' atcha Voodoo pilot.....
I wish I'd photo'd the cockpit before canopy closure, it looked pretty good in the end for a 'fantasy' MiG-21 office. Air Master pitot on order- talk about putting lipstick on a pig.... 🙂
I think this is a fictitious number (I know 4128 was well represented in literature) but these numbers were all I had, and I rearranged the sequence. Venerable guitar strings used for the odd-rods and the dorsal antenna so hopefully robust enough. Fuel tank and missiles pinned with same strings.
A couple of "star-kills" to sex it up!
This old Matchbox kit from 1973 portrays the sleek silhouette of the Fishbed-D. I'm pleased that this side project yielded better results than the paint scheme before.
Final job/s pitot insertion, tip the cone with chrome and I'll play with the exhaust to make it a little less model-like.
R-3S are from Eduard's MiG-21 in the stash. Each had around 8 decals to place. Such details!, more than I applied to the aeroplane itself!
bit of a boo-boo with the port side one. Got the decals on the wrong way round. Nevermind.
as seen through the gun-camera of an F-4D?....
Cuts a purposeful shape starboard side. I was surprised how many 21’s took US planes out, the ratio of kills higher than I had anticipated.
They say, "you can't polish a turd", in my case I may have "rolled it in glitter", which is what I set out to do.
Master pitot “putting lipstick on a pig”.
I think the ‘21 looks so sinister in this guise and against this background
I think the ‘21 looks so sinister in this guise and against this background
Tried to get the scratch built cockpit- looked better before the canopy went over it. Nevermind, it was meant to be a brief spit'n'polish.
Kommentarer
35 14 April 2020, 17:46
Łukasz GlińskiOh man, what a project! You keep surprising us A. 😛 I have to follow that 👍
3 August 2022, 11:32
Andy BallThanks all, I hope you appreciate this is a bit of a "polishing a turd" exercise?.....
3 August 2022, 17:44
Julian Herrero aka YuriIt looks like it's a a PFM ... so que turquoise is correct , AFAIK
4 August 2022, 06:07
Łukasz GlińskiI 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
TreehuggerRe. 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 BallThanks 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
TreehuggerI'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 BallYes, 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 YuriOups ..... Łukasz Gliński you're right .... one piece canoyp -> PF not PFM
5 August 2022, 07:32
Łukasz GlińskiI 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 BallThe tail is PFM for sure? And on the illustration on the box, the pitot suggests an older version!
5 August 2022, 19:16
Roy McKayStunning. 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 BallThanks Cuajete- it was worth doing! We restart the 72nd Beaufort next….
6 August 2022, 22:15
Andy BallHi 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
Andy BallThanks 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 GlińskiI like it 👍 No clue why Matchbox never released it with the VietNam markings
7 August 2022, 11:47
Andy BallThanks 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
Ludvík KružíkNice 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
Michael KohlHonestly - 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 GlińskiReferring 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 BallHi 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 BallHi 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 KružíkHey, 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
Ludvík KružíkIt 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 BallHi Ludvík, not sure yet, will be NMF and possibly Czech. (Right answer?)😉😂
16 August 2022, 21:58
Ludvík KružíkYes, 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
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
Album info
all enamels and paintbrushes, and some accuracy liberties in 1983....now for it's resto-mod into a VPAF Fishy-D
Group Build
Matchbox 50th anniversary group build
1. April 2022 til 31. Desember 2023
1. April 2022 til 31. Desember 2023