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

Trumpeter 1/32 MiG-3


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As my other build is nearing the end, and the "quick build" P-26 turned out to be anything but thanks to the awful, inaccurate Yellow Wings decals, I surveyed the stash to see what I wanted to build next. The Tamiya Spit IX almost won, but with so many parts it did not look like it was going to be quick at all. So, being winter time, my eyes were drawn to this kit:

 

DSCN3805_zps90cab489.jpg

 

Having generally good things about the kit, and since there are a couple slackers here who started builds, but have yet to finish them ;) I decided to build this one.

 

I used to think Luftwaffe colors were a mess, but after researching the colors for my Yak 1b, and now starting to research colors for this bird, I can only say that Russian VVS colors have to be the biggest mess. I decided to get started as I usually do, and put together the cockpit sub-assemblies and paint them black:

 

DSCN3811_zpsd11d369c.jpg

 

I will be building this kit OOB, with the exception of a Quickboost seat and exhausts. I thought about the Aires cockpit, as it is more accurate, but in the end decided the kit parts will be good enough for me.

 

I modified the kit gunsight slightly, and drilled out the optical part so I can add an MV lens for a better look. The kit clear part is pretty rough on one side, so I will cut a piece of acetate to shape and use that instead:

 

DSCN3808_zps948761ff.jpg

 

After reading through the good info on Massimo's (and other) sites, I think I am pretty close to getting the colors I want to use for the interior nailed down.

 

Stay tuned for more later. Thanks for looking! Comments/critique/questions always welcome.

 

Doug

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Looks good, I will follow this one with interest as I have just retrieved the same kit from the loft, bought a quickboost seat and exhausts and copied the Mig-3 build thread over on Massimo's site, especially all the cockpit colours, plus I've also got the Montex paint mask set as well. Spooky

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

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Thanks for all the interest in this one, I hope don't disappoint you all!

 

After researching cockpit colors, there seems to be several options.  Evidence can be found to support an all light blue cockpit, all interior gray cockpit, as well as a mix of grey and green (and a restoration was also done in these colors).  I decided to go with the most colorful option, and painted the sidewalls interior grey, the framing, seat back, rudder pedals and rear deck green, and added a aluminum seat pan as recommended.  I'm happy with the result:

 

DSCN3828_zps8f775cf7.jpg

 

 

I couldn't resist dry fitting it all together to get an idea of what it will look like when I get it all installed:

 

DSCN3822_zps72d8935b.jpg

 

Thanks for looking!  Comments/critique/questions always welcomed.

 

Doug

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оhо hо... 

 

ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY ADMIN

 

"I was lecturing on the site factory specifications to the MiG-3 

It was never by color variations in the cockpit! Was a strict standard. It is not necessary to invent the fact that you can learn. And with all the belts are not as done. If you want I can lay out and once more the book and photos of real prototypes"

Edited by Johann
Translated
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Sometimes tearing at Russian) Again, I apologize. If colleagues are actually wondering what can show a couple of pictures in order to protect it from further errors. By the way looking ahead not erred in binding color glass that make 98% of the modelers on the front of it is not! plexiglass sheets just overlap.

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1 Mounting straps (no options!) 

2 Correct color cockpit. 

3 Sometimes you need a little attention, the truth is somewhere near)) 

4 A very common mistake godga think that at this point the metal frame. 

 

1

gEjG1.jpg

2

uLNSs.jpgVO6dG.jpg

XciyY.jpg

UM9ws.jpg

 

If you look closely at the museum that errors can also be something that you would see

1TPAf.jpg

4

yQVj4.jpg

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Johann, thanks for posting the info/photos.  I should clarify that my goal with this kit is not 100% color accuracy.    ;)

 

I patterned my cockpit colors off of the ones seen in the crashed photo (4th one down) and what can be seen in "blue 8" (5th one down).  I admit the colors might not be exactly the correct shade, but they are close enough for my purposes.  I have spent several hours on Massimo's VVS site researching the aircraft (and did the same for my Yak 1b when I built that).

 

That being said, I appreciate, and encourage you, to post any relevant information for this aircraft.  I tend to search for previous builds before I start a new kit, so having the info here is a good thing so that anyone looking at this build thread in the future can make up their own minds as to what they want to do when they build there own kit.  Often people are afraid to point out any inaccuracies in a build for fear of insulting the builder, and then those inaccuracies end up being replicated by other modelers looking at that build for information.  So again, I encourage everyone to post and discuss freely in this (and any of my) WIP thread :)

 

Ok, on to the modelling!  I've been working on the less exciting parts of the build.  One area I felt was worth improving was the control surfaces.  All of them have what I consider to be a pretty heavy fabric texture, and look like they are stamped metal instead of fabric covered:

 

DSCN3809_zps3df23469.jpg

 

I started to correct this by first spraying a very, very heavy coat of Mr. Surfacter 1200 on all the control surfaces:

 

DSCN3810_zps82f4e29b.jpg

 

DSCN3806_zpsa55a4ea9.jpg

 

After drying for a few days, I started sanding them back down, finishing off with some steel wool:

 

DSCN3840_zps920f75b4.jpg

 

I'll work on them a little more to finish them off after I assemble them into their finished parts.

 

I also glued the fuselage halves together.  Fit was great, with the exception of a small area at the bottom near the wing attachment point, where I think one part was warped in a bit (since everywhere else fit great).  I put some Mr. Surfacer 500 on the area and started smoothing it out.  However, when I was about finished, I realized that I had wasted my time as that area is actually covered up by the radiator fairing!!  Oh well...

 

DSCN3841_zpsd09e5f8c.jpg

 

That's it for now. 

 

Doug

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Disaster has struck!!  :wallbash: 

 

DSCN3858_zps9c14711e.jpg

 

As shown in the photos Johann posted above, the windscreen does not have any framework, other than that going around the outside.  So I was sanding it to reduce/remove the frame and it snapped in half.  Unfortunately, it did not snap on the frame line, and is not repairable, so I guess this build will not get finished until I can find a replacement...

 

Doug

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Disaster has struck!!  :wallbash: 

 

DSCN3858_zps9c14711e.jpg

 

As shown in the photos Johann posted above, the windscreen does not have any framework, other than that going around the outside.  So I was sanding it to reduce/remove the frame and it snapped in half.  Unfortunately, it did not snap on the frame line, and is not repairable, so I guess this build will not get finished until I can find a replacement...

 

Doug

I had a similar thing happen to me with an AZUR MS406 what I did was to cut out the front "pane" and replace it with some clear sheet, not perfect but it saved the work that I had already put into the build, it might work on yours and give a more frameless appearance as a bonus. here's what I did.

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=47465&page=2

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

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Thanks for the suggestions Dennis and Cees.  Unfortunately, the mid part has some compound curves that would make it hard to replace.  Also, with the windscreen also being part of the fuselage, a vac part would not work well for someone allergic to vac canopies like me :)

 

It's too bad replacement parts from Trumpy are impossible to get.  Looks like I'm going to have to hope the "canopy fairy" will show up with one, or I might need to buy a second kit to get the part. :(

 

Thanks,

 

Doug

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Thanks for the suggestions Dennis and Cees.  Unfortunately, the mid part has some compound curves that would make it hard to replace.  Also, with the windscreen also being part of the fuselage, a vac part would not work well for someone allergic to vac canopies like me :)

 

It's too bad replacement parts from Trumpy are impossible to get.  Looks like I'm going to have to hope the "canopy fairy" will show up with one, or I might need to buy a second kit to get the part. :(

 

Thanks,

 

Doug

Hi Doug,

It happened the same thing, but was resolved. Look here, at post #29:

http://www.cartula.ro/forum/topic/11632-mig-ul-lui-bazu/page__st__40

 

tryw.jpg

 

I might help you to succeed. I have a few spare parts.

 

q92z4.jpg

 

 

 

Florin

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Thanks for your kind offer Florin, but for now I'm just going to try to get a replacement, or worst case, pick up another kit if I can't get one by the time I need to attach the windscreen :)

 

Moving on, did some work on the wings.  I attached the flaps in the up position, as 99% of photos I looked at had them that way when parked.  Eduard does a nice PE set for anyone that wants to put them down.

 

DSCN3927_zps5d8a8aaf.jpg

 

Since the aircraft I am modeling did not have the slats on the wings, I needed to get rid of them.  While the slats fit well and look great when they are in the "out" position, they don't fit that well in the "in" position.  Some old fashioned putty was applied to blend them into the rest of the wing.

 

DSCN3859_zpsf9a905b7.jpg

 

I then applied a very heavy coating of Mr Surfacer 1200 with my airbrush, and when dry, sanded it all out

 

DSCN3887_zpsca46ce68.jpg

 

That's it for today!  Thanks for looking, comments/critique/questions always welcomed!

Doug

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Another quick update.  

 

 

The kit use PE hinges and rod to attach the control surfaces to the airframe.  The PE hinge is designed with a notch in it that slots into a tab on the wing/tail parts to "lock" it in place:

 

DSCN3843_zpsf19a4cac.jpg

 

As I wanted to be able to attach the control surfaces after assembing the wing and tail parts, I simple cut the hinge off at the front side of the notch, which allows me to add them whenever I want, and still keeps the hinge in place (to fill the slot):

 

DSCN3928_zpsb9bb3f75.jpg

 

I also thought some more about the cockpit, and it seems to be the concensus that the airframe I am building did not have the radios installed.  I fabbed up a replacement "tray" from sheet stryrene and some old PE parts I had in the spares bin that looks close to the real thing (sans radios):

 

DSCN3884_zpsd8e2ba3f.jpg

 

I put some styrene strip into the slot at the rear of the cockpit, and filled it in:

 

DSCN3885_zps87bd1ee9.jpg

 

I've still got to paint the new tray and rear fuselage, and will get them installed.  After that, it will be time to join the wings and fuselage together.

 

The "canopy fairy" has not shown up with a new canopy, so if anyone has a spare from an abandoned/wrecked build, please let me know :)

 

That's all for now, thanks for looking!  Comments/critique/questions welcomed!

 

Doug

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just a minor update.  I painted and installed the sans-radio rear deck in the cockpit:

 

DSCN3955_zpsb1b8fc58.jpg

 

In reading other builds, it seems that some had issues with the forward wing root inserts (A11/A12 for those following along in your programs).  So, I decided to install them before adding the upper and lower nose cowls to give me the most flexiblity in that area.  The fit was pretty good, I just needed to use a little Mr Surfacer 500 at the front to blend them to the rest of the wing:

 

DSCN3954_zps3d87693e.jpg

 

Now that I've finished up my other (109E) build, I can start moving quicker on this one!

 

Doug

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Another small update.  As I already have more models than I can realistically finish, I try to limit my detailing to things that can be easily seen on the completed model.  As my goal is to have my own "mini-museum", the more models I can finish the better :)

 

The landing light on the leading edge of the wing is represented in the kit by just a recessed area with a clear plastic cover.  This would look a bit plain, so I drilled out the recess, and then cut a piece of aluminum tube, which I stuck into the hole:

 

DSCN3999_zpse743d919.jpg

 

DSCN4000_zps3b81886a.jpg

 

DSCN4002_zps51ebec46.jpg

 

I'll put an MV lens on the end of the tube, and then add the kit clear part to cover it up.

 

I also decided to abandon the kit plastic parts and make the thermal barrel tubes from some aluminum tube as well.  I cut and then sanded them at an angle (like on the real aircraft) and attached them in place with superglue:

 

DSCN4004_zpsdfce3040.jpg

 

DSCN4003_zps0ffd8656.jpg

 

Finally, I decided to add a cross bar at the rear of the cockpit framing to attach the back of the quickboost seat to:

 

DSCN4006_zps3ba59358.jpg

 

That's all for now!  Thanks for looking!

 

Doug

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