Madmax Posted December 3, 2018 Author Share Posted December 3, 2018 While staring at reference photos for hours on end, one sometimes notices a little feature that would be nice to add to a model. There is a triangular bracket and opening mechanism below the drag-chute cap, and with its associated bulge in the lower portion of the airbrake are quite unique to the MiG-29. Simple job. Then it dawned on me that many photographs showed the lower portion of the airbrake open (gravity vs hydraulic pressure I suspect) - another nice Fulcrum trait to model. Although the kit's airbrakes are pretty sound dimensionally, they are lacking in internal detail, and are designed to be either fully open or fully closed. Not so simple job. I enhanced the shapes in the lower half with some styrene, and sanded the upper half to a thinner sloped edge. the arms on the hydraulic jacks have to be modified to pose the top closed and the bottom semi-open. The hinge points mouldings on the fuselage (top and bottom) are about half scale, so I added these replacements. This was all I initially wanted to achieve, but I have enjoyed the mini project and think it will add to the model. Gazzas, blackbetty, cib2265 and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ray Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Nice little detail! Well done! Madmax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbetty Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 airbrake looks stunning! Madmax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmax Posted December 3, 2018 Author Share Posted December 3, 2018 Having been working on the tail of the aircraft, I realised that something was bugging me. The shape. The combined curves of the spine and airbrake and engine bulges are actually wonderfully organic. The MiG-29 is very appealing in this way as I imagine it was still designed by men in long white coats with a pencil in one hand and a bendy-ruler in the other. Cigarette somewhere. This is the Chinese version. In essence, the rounds are too round and the flats are too flat. Yeah, I know that doesn't help, so I started filing and sanding to get a feel of it. I lowered the profile of the spine at the back, and created the little bulge in the spine around the position of the APU. Then the left engine "bulge" got the file too. Beware, there isn't an infinite amount of plastic to shed here as the roof structure for the engine is moulded into the underside of the plastic. Even after this, it didn't look quite right. So, no more gut feel, time for some science. See, rounds too round and flats too flat! At least the size of the shroud right at the back (before the exhaust) is correct - the rest will need some filler, damn. This is nothing however, the nose is where the Maoists and the Marxists really differ. I am working on that problem! In the meantime I managed to paint all the bits that open and close on this aircraft. There are LOTS of them. Bernoulli is a good flight theory for prop jobs, but jets are something else. I reckon this one flies because it has so many doors to flap. Well, it clearly isn't lighter than air! Cheers, Sean LSP_Kevin, Out2gtcha, cib2265 and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ray Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Yikes! Good luck on the plastic surgery! Detail parts look good, though! Madmax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn M Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 wow, some big work here and very nicely executed Madmax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted December 3, 2018 Share Posted December 3, 2018 Wow, a lot of major work being done! Braver man than I. Looking forward to more! Madmax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncarina Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 I respect your skill and attention to detail! Cheers, Tom Madmax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmax Posted December 5, 2018 Author Share Posted December 5, 2018 On 12/3/2018 at 9:34 AM, LSP_Ray said: Yikes! Good luck on the plastic surgery! Detail parts look good, though! Thanks Ray, It has literally become a case of: "Nurse, scalpel please..." You will see shortly. On 12/3/2018 at 4:48 PM, Out2gtcha said: Wow, a lot of major work being done! Braver man than I. Looking forward to more! Braver than a tackling a resin Tigercat? Thanks Shawn, as well as Tom (your Tiffy is looking very good) and Karl (this must bring back some memories)! Out2gtcha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbetty Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 yes, i love to watch your work. i have been thinking about doing the trumpy kit, but the sides of the front fuselage really dissapoint me, its so hard to correct. looking forward to see how you tackle it. wasnt there talk about a whole new front fuselage for the revell kit in resin from somebody (cold war studio?).... cant remember.... Madmax and Out2gtcha 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel111 Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 (edited) Wow, incredible progress on this build! Phew, you're going to attack the fundamental shape of the airframe, you're a far braver man than I am! Marcel Edited December 5, 2018 by Marcel111 Madmax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 4 hours ago, blackbetty said: yes, i love to watch your work. i have been thinking about doing the trumpy kit, but the sides of the front fuselage really dissapoint me, its so hard to correct. looking forward to see how you tackle it. wasnt there talk about a whole new front fuselage for the revell kit in resin from somebody (cold war studio?).... cant remember.... Boy, If there is ever anyone who knows the struggles of modding a Mig-29 kit with this kind of work, its Karl! Madmax and blackbetty 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alain11 Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 hi I am always stunned by your sense of details , those on the speed brake are top notch !!!! something that 's also stunning , is your cares of the curves at the rear fuselage , I wonder how many people had noticed the " issues " ... If you allow , just to argue , and to be the " devil's advocate " : I can see that cut your template on a scaled drawing ... good , but how far can we ( you , I ) trust in these drawings , Okay, you trust in your " eagle eyes " like a fighter pilot , but no matter , I wonder .....it's just to chat Alain Madmax and Uncarina 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorbenD Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 Great work with some delightful detail. Looking forward to see how you tackle the shape issues. Torben Madmax 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighter Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Very impressive work! As you are basing your modifications on drawings I have to ask - are you sure the drawings are accurate? According to my experience, most drawings with cross sections look great but the provided cross sections rarely actually match the 3-view drawings. otis252, Madmax and Marcel111 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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