Jump to content
Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

"You must think in Russian"... MIG-31 Firefox


Recommended Posts

Okay time for another fictional subject, this one from the Clint Eastwood film Firefox.

The kit is from HMA and I think it was the first kit they ever produced. Talk about simple packaging. 

PXL_20240303_024913190_MP.thumb.jpg.b09f6aae8df893be27f9ecc1ec9d0116.jpg

Two sprues in black and one in clear. 

PXL_20240303_024949859.thumb.jpg.3d30ea6d5f58982e2b7f65af0d47a762.jpg

The instructions are a double sided photocopy. 

PXL_20240303_025010262.thumb.jpg.6c5881ea47654babda5ad2d6366553ae.jpg

PXL_20240303_025020165.thumb.jpg.2cc6bbe63edcba47f180aa7b8a8fb2b3.jpg

There's also a tiny decal sheet comprised of Russian stars. 

That's all there is to the kit. 

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Posted (edited)

There's not a lot of parts so hopefully this goes faster than my other builds. 

PXL_20240303_025137849.thumb.jpg.d9a2bb47ac1b8c621895783ea10c13df.jpg

PXL_20240303_025203771.thumb.jpg.0fa55150813861c473ee4c8bd0e4522d.jpg

Panel lines are engraved and of the Airfix style. Slightly deep but not bad. 

First step was gluing top and bottom together. 

PXL_20240303_033941090_MP.thumb.jpg.dba5b4533a5eef0cf0f771562787dc2e.jpg

Here's a size comparison to an F-15J in the same scale. It's also by HMA and shows the progression the company has made. 

PXL_20240303_032600534.thumb.jpg.46ca387d543444110b012dd95a20c77a.jpg

Next up was the upper and lower nacelles. At this point, I noticed that they include the option of the gear being deployed or in flight. 

PXL_20240303_032912838_MP.thumb.jpg.9cafc99b1a6ae1e0aa1f69a7d3fc66d1.jpg

PXL_20240303_032921042.thumb.jpg.1828f4acd7986e57c0a0b7f1c5417865.jpg

I then conveniently found a small display stand from a Bandai kit. 

PXL_20240303_032852249.thumb.jpg.3fa6c750d6428bf1ad61e42824355ee9.jpg

So now I'm considering doing this in flight. 

Edited by BlrwestSiR
Fix pic.
  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Pyotr Yakovlevich Ufimtsev
Born 8 July 1931 (age 92)[citation needed]
Nationality Soviet, Russian
Alma mater Odesa State University
Known for Stealth technology 
Physical theory of diffraction
Scientific career
Fields electrical engineering, physics
Institutions Institute of Radio-engineering and Electronics

Pyotr (Petr) Yakovlevich Ufimtsev (Russian: Пётр Я́ковлевич Уфи́мцев; born 1931) is a SovietRussian electrical engineer and mathematical physicist, considered the seminal force behind modern stealth aircraft technology. In the 1960s he began developing equations for predicting the reflection of electromagnetic waves from simple two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects.[1]

Much of Ufimtsev's work was translated into English, and in the 1970s American Lockheed engineers began to expand upon some of his theories to create the concept of aircraft with reduced radarsignatures.[2]

 

 

The father of stealth

While working in Moscow, Ufimtsev became interested in describing the reflection of electromagnetic waves. He gained permission to publish his research results internationally because they were considered to be of no significant military or economic value.[4]

A stealth engineer at Lockheed, Denys Overholser, had read the publication and realized that Ufimtsev had created the mathematical theory and tools to do finite analysis of radar reflection.[5] This discovery inspired and had a role in the design of the first true stealth aircraft, the Lockheed F-117. Northrop also used Ufimtsev's work to program super computers to predict the radar reflection of the B-2 bomber.

In the 1960s Ufimtsev began developing a high-frequency asymptotic theory for predicting the scattering of electromagnetic waves from two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects. Among such objects were the finite size bodies of revolution (disk, finite cylinder with flat bases, finite cone, finite paraboloid, spherical segment, finite thin wire). This theory is now well known as the Physical Theory of Diffraction (PTD).

The first results of PTD were collected in the book: P. Ya. Ufimtsev, Method of Edge Waves in the Physical Theory of Diffraction, Soviet Radio, Moscow, 1962. In 1971 this book was translated into English with the same title by U.S. Air Force, Foreign Technology Division (National Air and Space Intelligence Center), Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 1971.[6] Technical Report AD 733203, Defense Technical Information Center of USA, Alexandria VA. This theory played a critical role in the design of American stealth aircraft F-117 and B-2.[7][8][9]

See also the Forewords written by K. Mitzner to the books:

  • Ufimtsev, P. Ya. Theory of Edge Diffraction in Electromagnetics, Tech Science Press, Encino, California, 2003.
  • Ufimtsev, P. Ya. Fundamentals of the Physical Theory of Diffraction, Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 1st edition 2007 and 2nd edition 2014.

In these two books, P. Ya. Ufimtsev presented the further development and application of PTD and its validation by mathematical theory. In particular, a new version of PTD, based on the concept of elementary edge waves, is presented in his book Fundamentals of the Physical Theory of Diffraction (2007, 2014). With appropriate modifications, PTD can be employed for the solution to many practical problems. Among them are the design of microwave antennas, mobile radio communication, construction of acoustic barriers to decrease a noise level, evaluation of radar cross sections for large objects[10] (tanks, ships, missiles, etc.).

Dr. Ufimtsev has been affiliated with a number of research and academic institutions, including the Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Moscow), Moscow Aviation Institute, the University of California (Los Angeles, Irvine) and most recently, the Moscow State University (Russia, 2007) and the University of Siena (Italy, 2008). Currently he is a retiree and a consultant in the field of electromagnetics. Among his honors and awards are the USSR State Prize and the Leroy Randle Grumman Medal.[11]

Ufimtsev joined the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a visiting professor of electrical engineering in September 1990.[7]

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw Firefox in the Cinema when it came out - teenage me though it was very cool , middle aged me thinks it didn't age so well although once he takes off it becomes a more entertaining . All the flashback/PTSD  stuff seemed a bit hokey TBH , might have chosen a better pilot than Clint . 

Wasn't aware anyone had made a IM kit of the aircraft , which certainly looked the part . Should have looked on scalemate I guess 😀

They made a full scale one for the film I believe 

Nice subject for the GB , lil diorama maybe ?

temp-Image-Ud7-VX4.avif

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought I'd best check the seams and see how much clean up was going to be needed so I sprayed a base coat of Stainless Steel.

PXL_20240303_225539854_MP.thumb.jpg.cb6d106eb67fd01f66c36ba0665e6ee8.jpg

I thinned down the intake lips a bit. You can the difference on the top ones (right side) versus the lower intakes on the left. 

PXL_20240303_225612716.thumb.jpg.9604aeb666a3ff2daad65347d147b90d.jpg

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Peter! This really is such a simple build. Hardest part is the paint scheme. I'm trying to figure out a way to get that black metal look the movie model had. 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So first try was a thinned cost of black mixed with some dark blue over the silver. 

PXL_20240304_025148254.thumb.jpg.c373ed59f859188dfd0760dd35c5a96f.jpg

It worked if the black was light enough but then it was more of a grey rather than black. You can see the difference on the engine trunking below the model. 

The next try was using AK Xtreme Metal Metallic smoke over the silver. This might be closer. I think with a light coat of black over it could work. 

PXL_20240305_024114235_MP.thumb.jpg.3060199c64c1e167ead02d41e21c1b2b.jpg

I also gave the engine nacelle part a light sanding and it's highlighted the edges nicely. 

PXL_20240305_024120449.thumb.jpg.72278eaf71486d1310b81a42d3bcdd69.jpg

So I might do a combination of the two. 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Uschi´s iron pigments are always a good idea for highlighting dark colors and give them a nice metallic feel. I like your experimenting with the surface of this tiny movie star.

Cheers Rob

  • Like 6
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Thanks Peter! This really is such a simple build. Hardest part is the paint scheme. I'm trying to figure out a way to get that black metal look the movie model had. 

Carl

Did you email Clint, I'm willing to bet he will be able to help.

Combining the two methods surely will look perfect and be the effect you're after.  :construction:

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, telepatu said:

This is so cool! I remember watching the movie as a kid. I had read the book earlier and I still managed to enjoy the movie :piliot:

 

I read the book after seeing the film but both were fun and enjoyable.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...