1/72 Fujimi Finnish Mig-21BIS 

by Juanjo Dominguez on Sept 9 2003

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Migs at Suomen Ilmavoimien (Finnish Air Force)

The first two MiG-21BIS were delivered on September 21, 1978 (they were numbered MG-111 and MG-114). Total of 26 MiG-21BIS has been delivered to the Finnish Air Force. Most of the MiG-21BIS were flown by HavLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31) and some were in use with the TiedLLv (Recce Squadron). The MiG-21BIS were numbered MG-111, MG-114 to MG-125, MG-127 to MG-136, MG-138, MG-139 and MG-140. This model was replaced by the much more capable F/A-18 Hornet.

The kit

The kit comes in a big (for the scale) box with a beautiful artwork, with individual bags for each sprue tree as well as for decals and clear parts. As other kits from this brand, this is sharp, no flash at all. With nice engraved details and as typical for japanese kits, only little filler amounts were needed at the wing root and at the spine. The kit includes separate pieces for the surface controls, allowing positioning the flaps and ailerons up or down. Two clear parts are included to represent landing lights (but i lost mine, ops!). The undercarriage is well detailed and only needs some copper wire to looks good. A good kit for everyone at an affordable price.

Click on images below to see larger images

Building

The construction follows the usual sequence by building the cockpit in first place. This part of the kit is very well done, raised details everywhere. The front instrument panel comes in clear plastic. There is also representation for the lateral consoles. The kit includes three decals for use instead painting the raised cockpit. The typical interior blue-green was mixed using an unknown ratio of medium blue, emerald blue and white from Gunze acrilycs until it looks good to my eye. Detail painting inside the cockpit was done with Vallejo acrylics.

I added a KM1-M seat from True Details. This was painted using also Vallejo acrylics and figure painting techniques with progressive highlightings and finishing with a dark wash. An unreadable lettering was added to the headrest sides from spares.

Some little details at the back of the seat were scratchbuilt and a couple of tiny decals were added in this zone. The sidewall consoles were scratchbuilt using thin plastic. Also, the HUD area was scratchbuilt because the naked appearance if built OOB.

The GSH-23 gun was detailed using hypo tubing and replacing the ejectors with a thin shaped stripe of plastic, twisted to achieve the holes at the front and at the back of them.

The ventral airbrake was only partially open mostly due to its incorrect interior.

You need to thin the air intake as well as the exhaust pipe to put them in scale.

All the air intakes were drilled out.

Painting

I used Gunze acrylics with the color references indicated by Fujimi. The model was “primed” using the undersides grey. After retouching the flaws sanding the model, undersides went again with grey. Then the upper surfaces was covered with the camo using paper masks fixed with folded stripes of masking tape. I tried to get some volume effect by spraying the base color, then a lighter shade of the base color was sprayed inside all panels. Once dry, a blend coat of the base color (very thinned with Mr Color laquer thinner, which gives a translucent appearance to the coat) was sprayed to reduce the contrast until the required effect was achieved. This process was repeated for the two colors of the camo (this was also previously done with the undersides grey with less contrast to avoid undersides faded appearance). The entire model received two coats of Gunze gloss clear in preparation for the next step.

Panel lines

Allowed two days to cure the gloss coat, I darkened the panel lines and recessed detail using an extradark sea grey + black enamel wash. Once dry, clear coat again the whole model. Then I went into the decaling process.

Decaling & weathering

This process was accomplished using the usual micro set/sol liquids. Allowed one more day for the decals to dry. I used a sharp blade to “cut” the panel lines on the decals and then more micro sol was used. Clear coat again the whole model (thanks Swanny!). Two days for the coat to cure. I used again the wash over the new marked panel lines on the decals, finishing with Gunze flat.

Some more weathering effect was achieved with pastel chalks, not too hard because in photos, Finnish Migs seem to be well maintained.

 

Finishing up

Tail navigation lights were made by drilling holes in the correct places, painting them inside with Humbrol silver and then putting a drop of clear epoxy coloured with food colouring, also the landing lights under the wings were build with this method (with no colouring). The canopy was added and the support for this was done with stretched sprue.

The AA-2s were painted flat white, clear coated, dark washed, applied decals from spares. Surface controls were painted with a graphite pencil. I finished AA-2s with satin clear coat from Vallejo AIR colour series. AA-2s lenses were made by drilling a hole at the nose, painting inside flat aluminum and adding a little drop of clear epoxy, as with the navigation/landing lights, is important to be sure that we use an epoxy that doesn't tends to yellowing and remains clear. Look at the product label.

The antennas you can see in the FAF Migs (below the nose and at the back of the cockpit) were painted flat black and added. Also the pitot tube and AOA sensor were added (the last from spares box).

Static discharges were made with fishing lines as i learned here in Tools 'n' Tips section.

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Since this is not only my first airbrushed model but, in fact the first one in about ten years, I'm very proud with the results.

Thanks

Special thanks goes to my friends Rafa and Alberto for the photographic work (it really looks great, thanks guys!). Thanks goes also to Tom Brunila for his photos about the subject. To all the people in the ARC for your help, thanks guys you've always been there when I needed help. And many many many thanks to Steve Bamford for making possible this great site, which has made a huge contribution in my return to the “plastic business”.

Click on image below on left to see larger image

Cheers and happy modelling...and flights!!

Juanjo

Photos and text © by Juanjo Dominguez