Dave Ward's 1/48 Revell/ICM Mig-25 RBT Foxbat 'B'

[Dave Ward]

As my Zvezda MSTA-S is fast approaching a finish, I'm gearing up for this big single-seater

The model sprues are crisp, totally free of flash, and look well detailed. ICM models are usually well engineered, and with well fitting parts.
I'm not doing this quite OOB, as I have a Aerobonus pilot and seat to furnish the cockpit
I actually assembled him, tonight & primed him...................
I've left off the visor for painting, and I might just add the rudder pedals to his feet, so things line up.
I've been wanting to get this on the bench for quite a while, I've read various reviews, and the majority are favourable ( OK, no PE, flattened tyres - but I can live with that! ). I do have some ICM Russian runway slabs, so a base might materialise......
Construction will start shortly
Dave

 

[yak face]

Looking forward to seeing this big beast Dave! Ive heard a lot of good things about this too ,cheers tony

 

[Dave Ward]

Just a few detail shots........................
All recessed detail, top & bottom fuselage

Detail in the wheel wells

Wing, with separate ailerons & flaps

The front fuselage is in multi parts - careful seam lines will be the order of the day

The underbelly fuel tank ( I wouldn't call it a drop tank ) is LARGE


For such a large model, it's comparatively simple, not that many parts really. ICM models usually are well engineered, and parts fit well, so looking forward to this
Construction will start shortly
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Construction started - nothing exciting, there a fair few parts that are in halves - nose, wings, tail, wheels, engine intakes, burner tubes - all very mundane, but need doing before I can proceed.
Pilot in the process of being painted - I'm not a figure painter, and a fair bit of tweaking & retouching will be needed before Ivan is ready to take his place...
Oh dear, he looks bad in close up!
Dave

 

[papa 695]

Looks a very nice kit Dave, I'm sure once Ivan is sat in the tub he'll look just fine and dandy.

 

[JR]

Dave .
Why oh why we worry about these photos taken at zero distance, when the completed build will be seen from at least 18 in, but we do.
More important is did you get it for a good price !
John.

 

[Dave Ward]

John,
you're quite right! Anyway, the pilot sits deep in the cockpit, and the small canopy has rather heavy framing..................
I think that I bought the pilot, as an add on to another order ( flat rate postage! ), so I did get it at a good price.
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Construction well under way the fuselage is essentially a 4 sided box - it's big! The u/c bays are added, and the inlet trunking for the two massive engines, and a former for the rear fuselage

The wings and tails - the sprue ingates are nicely spaced, and not oversized - easily cleaned up
Forward fuselage and the camera nose

The huge belly tank and engine tubes

There are afterburner rings in the engines........................

Whether you will see them or not, I'll have to wait & see.
So far, the fit of the parts has been very good, and the instructions are clear. I'll have to make good a few seams ( like the belly tank ), and start priming the internals, but the way this has gone together, it may be quite a quick build!
Dave

 

[papa 695]

Some cracking work Dave.

 

[Fernando N]

Nice start Dave, looking forward to see it coming together.
Very nice panel lines and riverts, will be great looking in the weathering stage me thinks.

 

[Dave Ward]

I've primed the wheelwells & sprayed them aluminium, the same for the air intakes ( though they will be invisible ) Sides of the fuselage added, it would be an advantage to have been an octopus, to hold these when drying!

Cockpit painted in the turquoise favoured by Russian flyers, and instrument panel decals added

The decals will snug down overnight, and I'll seal all with varnish before assembling. The instructions give a nose weight of 25g, but there's enough room in the nose for many times that, in ball bearings
Dave

 

[Kitbasher]

That looks great, can't wait for the next update, looking at the belly tank this could be a huge model

 

[Dave Ward]

Fuselage boxed in, and tails added the fit was again very good, I might need a smear of filler on the on the lower cockpit/fuselage join, but that is all.....................did I mention that this is big?
Wings & camera nose dry fitted

At times like this, it makes you glad to have an airbrush. Using a hairy stick on something this big would take a long time, and getting an even finish would be a real trial. I'm going to leave the fuselage to really dry overnight, before fixing the wings, as the joint line on the 'shoulder' really needs to be secure - I might add some drops of CA to really make it tight
Dave

 

[papa 695]

Coming along very nicely, and a very busy pit.

 

[Kitbasher]

Simply nice!

 

[Dave Ward]

The instructions indicate 25g of weight as ballast. Instead of my normal load of ball bearings, I used 9 X 1p coins ( best use I have made of these! ) I rolled them in silver foil, and fastened into the nose with 5-Minute epoxy

Undercarriage legs assembled, and painted, I'll leave these off until I've painted & masked the exterior.

Wheels - the 2 main wheels are the largest I've ever fitted to an aircraft!


I'm going to have a think about the masking, there are 3 main colours - grey, aluminium, and gunmetal, and the order in which I do them needs consideration................
Dave

 

[Fernando N]

Looking very nice Dave, like the office a lot.
Good luck with the final assembly and paint work.

 

[Dave Ward]

Wings and nose finally added, the nose joint needs a bit of filler to blend in nicely. The elevators will be left off at the moment - they'll get in the way of the painting.
The model is a little too big for taking decent pictures on the work bench! I'll have to clear stuff away to get final pictures!
I sprayed the rear underside & sides with Vallejo Metal Color Aluminium

I hope that masking over the ally paint will be OK. Dielectric panels painted dark grey, ready to be masked.
That BIG fuel tank, also sprayed with Vallejo Aluminium

Now that the nose & wings have been added, you can appreciate what a big brute of an aircraft this really is
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

I spent most of the morning carefully masking the aluminium panels etc, and stuffing paper tissues into the engine inlets & exhausts & wheelbays. I primed overall, then painted the anti glare panel black. I did a partial spray of the upper surfaces, to see how the paint covers

I'm using Vallejo Model Air 339 - Russian AF grey No.3 - it's one of those paints that has a big tone change as it dries. Next will be masking the anti-glare panel & completing the grey basecoat.
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Basecoat applied, and all the masking removed. A little bit of bleeding, and paint has lifted in a few places, so touch up will be needed, otherwise, not bad.

Next up will be the gunmetal section at the rear of the fuselage. Note: The grey on the tail fins IS asymmetrical! Getting towards a finish, not many bits left in the box..............
Dave