MiG-21R (L-14i), 352.iae JRV
Every build starts with cockpit, however even the pit needs foundation. So plumbing it is...
References for main wheel bay
Eduard already provide with some details, but very shallow...
Hydraulics for wheel bay door was glued on, cut in half and hollowed for later insert for metal rods.
That it, next is degreasing and then painting.
Reference plane around 1992
The main wheel wells of another L-14i, but a more recent picture and more weathered... not an exact reference for me, in 1991 they were operational and nicer 🙂
replaced silhouettes with propper wires, tubes, cylinders, then painted, washed, lacquered and emphasised some details with oils. Fun fun fun...
just painted
washed and oiled
main wheel hub, done properly.
from all four sides
Finally coated with semi-gloss lacquer
Cockpit now fully done. Finally able to close the halves and move to sanding/scribing/riveting.
Work on the Yugo recon Fishbed continues after a while
For now it is painted by AK Xtreme metal White Alluminium mixed with white. Letting it dry, then a coat of clear varnish to allow wash to flow nicely.
Slooow progress. Did the main decals, peeled off the film, retouched some small details on the tail...
Now waiting for some free time to start stencils.
Now waiting for some free time to start stencils.
Eduard resin seat, will add decals then PE belts next.
Stencils done 🙂
This is it! A modeller's main milestone is when the 200 stencils are done and done!
Batch working the stencils saves some time, a make-shift wet palette is useful.
By now I am master of peeling off Eduard's foils. What stays is a reaaaaly thin layer of paint. All panel lines and rivets are preserved, no cutting of foil and most importantly, no Micro Sol needed... Just wait 20-30 hours, peel off and voila. I switched sides, I now love Eduard's decals.
Done top
Done bottom
Done Left 🙂
Finishing touches, no more varnishing of the model, the canopy goes off and detailing starts...
The resin seat with PE belts... I don't know, next time I'll buy a seat with resin belts too.
This will be fully invisible 🙂
Dashboard cover, made a bit more interesting...
The pit cover was a project of its own. Still missing some wires, one rearview mirror and decals on the outer side.
Silver Arrow is herewith finished. Enjoy some evening light photos, this was a two-year project and I guess the last of the MiG-21 groupbuild projects 😄
Comentários
77 13 August 2022, 21:23
Ludvík KružíkBuilding the MiG-21R is also in my plans. I'll be happy to draw inspiration for the build here 🙂
18 August 2022, 08:47
Sergej IThank you all for the interest, the pressure of renowned modellers watching over my shoulder is now present 🙂
18 August 2022, 09:25
Ludvík KružíkI'm not sure if I'm entitled to the title of renowned. But I'd sure like to take a look at your build and get some inspiration. 😎
18 August 2022, 09:31
tyuVery interesting choice of markings, tempted to change my currently planned Cuban MiG-21R build to something similar. I admire people who detail stuff that normally can't be seen unless a mirror is in place like your gear wells. Question: your reference of the gear wells is of a similar Yugoslav aircraft like the one you are building or is it just a generic picture? I know some were anodized aluminium, some were painted. It just depends what you are building, I would be interested in knowing what is what and what is correct for a Yugoslav Fishbed.
18 August 2022, 15:28
Sergej IThank you tyu. To me modelling is a form of meditation.
The references from the book are from czech MF version, which was different mainly in engine and radar, wheels and mechanisms were same or similar.
Regarding paint, by 1991, all MiGs would have been repainted at least once since the 60's. The paintjob I am after is added to reference photos #9 an #10, which are 1992 dated photos of the 104.
Yugo MiGs did have some other differences, I will point them out as I build. In example, silver tip of the radar-cone - not red, and antenna surfaces were more OD, not so bright green green, but also visible from photos. Unfortunately I do not have my own walkaround photos.
18 August 2022, 17:41
tyuSo according to your answer Sergej I: it seems that as far as wheel whells go, generic it is. I'll stick to my Cuban Mig-21R, and will do my own detailing.
18 August 2022, 18:18
Sergej IYes tyu, it is so. For me 95% is good enough. Looking forward to follow and support your cuban build, no doubt it will be excellent 👍
18 August 2022, 22:00
Sergej IThanks Guy Rump, need to wrap this one up, two more 48ers waiting on the shelf of doom 😮
22 October 2023, 18:49
JohnGood to know about the decals technique. So you do not use any kind of setting solution at all, or just micro set but not the micro sol?
22 October 2023, 19:46
Sergej IJohn, that is correct. I only use the Micro Set (blue one), because I imagine it sucks the paint better to the model. Also pure water is sufficient otherwise, just the surface tension makes the decals float a bit more 🙂
And I would never goo them with turp (ref. Modeling Weekly), that goo is nasty then and much more work in the end. The only limit is to stay roughly within the time frame of 20-48h, then the foil peels off smoothly.
The more setting solution I'd use, the harder it would be for the foil to peel off.
I just gently drag the tweezers edge along the surface until I hit the edge of the decal film, when I have something to grab I just grab and sloowly peel off. HAven't damaged the surface yet, but I do it on a gloss and lacquered surface of course. Matt would show drag marks.
23 October 2023, 05:40
John👍
Thank you, Sergej. I have some newer Eduard in the stash that I have been hesitant to start because of the decals and this instruction will be very helpful.
23 October 2023, 10:48
Sergej IEduard supply an abundance of decals. Train on the ones you won't need.
23 October 2023, 10:50
JohnEnded up amazing Segej! Can you describe the drag chute building? I looked but did not see how you did it. A very nice detail!
12 November 2023, 03:17
Sergej IThankyou, Guy Rump and John.
John, the drag chute is pretty straight forward resin part from QB: MiG-21MF Fishbed - Parachute (Quickboost QB 48 711, 1:48)
Nicely detailed, colours (green protective material in light-gray webbing taken from one of the MiG books.
The rest is sawing off original part, CA gluing the resin and hand-painting.
It did break off two times to mishandling later on 🙂 and needed to be repaired 😄
12 November 2023, 07:01
Sergej IThank you Spanjaard, ForestFan and Neuling, your feedback means a lot 👍
12 November 2023, 09:26
JohnSergej, thank you! I didn't see it on the project page. Would make an interesting part of a dio. The 4+ MiG-21 book has a good photo of the reloading in progress. I think if you don't break a resin piece at least once on a build (twice is better) it is bad luck!
13 November 2023, 00:11
Rafał KurowskiThis is brilliant. I'm going to start this model now, and I was looking for inspiration, and paint suggestions. I saw many real MIGs 21 and none of them had the mettalic shine that some modellers put on. The paint was always matt and looked wearout. Yuor model Sir is an excellent representation of what I saw in real life.
Congrats, and thank you for sharing.
19 November 2023, 13:46
Sergej IThank you Rafal. A short feedback to the "shine"... the model was already disregarded in the first round at this year's slovenian nationals as being totally too less shiny 🙂
At Yugoslav Zavodi Zmaj during the maintenance, the planes were coated with a special silver lack and then double varnished which gave them a special shiny look.
So this MiG needs to undergo another session or two with the GX100 I am afraid 🙁
19 November 2023, 15:15
Album info
A MiG which participated in reconnaissance missions over Slovenia during the 11-day war of independence in June 1991.
MiG-21R, Izdelye94R (Fishbed-H), serial number 26104
Imported in June 1969 by JRV (Jugoslavensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo), assigned to 352. iae (izviđačka aviacijska eskadrilja)
Participated in June and July 1991 as aggressor plane during Slovenian war of independence.
Presented with a daytime recon container type D and two 490 L underwing fuel tanks.
