MiG-29A Ukrainian Falcons Demo Team

Matching up the proper colors against the Federal Standard (FS) fan chart 

Initial kit inventory and planning. I do love a new project! Let's see how well I can build this old 1996 "Shit Kit" 

The initial dry fitting wasn't nearly as terrible as I'd read.

I think I can get it assembled with a minimal amount of filler, if I take my time. 

There are a few rows of raised rivets here and there that will need to be dealt with, but while test fitting the clear parts, I had to remove a row of raised rivets that lay directly underneath where the windscreen joins! A poor design, easily remedied with a knife and sandpaper. The clear parts are of nice quality, seam-free and will look stunning after being dipped in Future. 

The cockpit is a bit bare, but some scratch-built seatbelts, avionics wiring and other small details will dress it up a bit. 

I'm building this old kit straight out of the box, (without any aftermarket accessories). These boring kit engine nozzles will need my typical kit nozzle "treatment", where I add the appearance of separate "feathers" by notching-in some details with a knife and triangular jeweler's files. 

So far, I’m really digging the look of this IRST sensor (made from an LED) 

The nose and radome are glued on. Let the sanding begin! 

 

 

 

Finally, there’s light at the end of the tunnel! White primer looks good on this beast 

I’ve picked out the color palette for the Ukrainian flight demo team Bird 

 

 

Good old rattle can testers gloss red, against a white Tamiya primer background really makes the color pop! 

The model is pre-shaded and the belly painted including the gloss red Center stripe. I put the project on hold for a couple of months but will be getting back on it very soon. 

 

Gloss yellow Tamiya rattle can. 3 light coats left the pre-shading still visible. 

Tamiya French Blue is a nearly spot-on match to the FS Model Master enamel I'd already picked out. 

Bloss French Blue Tamiya rattle can. Same technique as the yellow... 

 

Once de-masked, the colors are really starting to pop! 

 

 

Wet sanding with 1000 grit and soapy water to remove the crisp demarcation lines between the colors. There was quite a ridge, but now it's smooth. 

The stripes on the tail were painstakingly masked and painted with Model master "True Blue" enamel. They turned out great, with no bleed-through! 

Now she's ready for decals 

 

The box art showed aircraft #01, but I decided to use the #02 decals just to be different. 

With only 6 decals on the entire sheet, this became a very easy job. I'd sprayed Testors Decal Bonder Spray on them last year so they wouldn't disintegrate when they hit the water. 1996 decals tend to do that! The Satin Vallejo Mecha Varnish clear coat really gives a "scaled-down" gloss so that the model doesn't look like a shiny toy in the end...

A few touch-ups here and there and then on to the fiddly bits. 

With the Satin Vallejo Mecha Varnish clear coat on, she's almost ready for the landing gear! I'm on track to finish her for this Saturday's club meeting for our quarterly contest. The theme is "Yipes, STRIPES!" Any striped aircraft... 

 

Finally unmasked the LED I used for the IRST sensor.  

Coated it with Model Master Pearl Blue Flip Flop Clear Enamel 

I’m very happy with the results  

 

She’s finally finished! 

 

The kit’s instrument panel painted up nicely and the cockpit detail is very visible through the closed canopy.  

SO much masking involved in this build! 

I’m very pleased with the Satin finish from the acrylic Vallejo Mecha Varnish. I love this product! Their Matte is dead flat and also phenomenal.  

The engine nozzles turned out very well  

 

Gull grey application  

Ebony stain applied  

Laying out the seam lines 

The finished product