MiG-17 PF 'Radar Fresco' - Airfix / MisterCraft kitbash

Dave Flitton
Watching

Daniel Klink
Ah a SM project! Count me in 👍

Erik De Smet
Interesting new project, Thomas

Bernd Korte
Watching!

Łukasz Gliński
Already started? 👍

Thomas Kolb
Łukasz, yes, I thought I would try to finish both Frescos at the same time. The part modifications are a bit tricky, but the rest is quite a quick and relaxed build.

Urban Gardini
Interesting to follow this one mate! Just remember to wash your hands and tools after you've been handling the MisterCrap...

Maxim Malparte
(Viewer+1) Finger crossed!

Thomas Kolb
Urban, ha ha, yes, in the past I said, never a MisterCraft kit ever again, and yet, here I am at it again.... but to be fair, I will use like 3% of the kit.
HammerMax, yes, thank you, so far so good.

Daniel Klink
You are quite fast and precise progressing Thomas wow 👍

Łukasz Gliński
Frescostein is getting its shape very well. I think I have to print me such a professional putty sticker too😉

Thomas Kolb
Frescostein, that definitely made my day! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Gordon Sørensen
Great result with the Rhinoplasty, Thomas! Looking forward to seeing the end result.

Ricardo Reis
This looks interesting! Taking a seat. 🙂

Thomas Kolb
During the last couple of evenings I have been struggling with the join line between the MisterCraft nose and the Airfix fuselage. It is more complicated than I first thought, because the MisterCraft kit is apparently slightly oversized. I think I managed, but of course now I need to rescribe the panel lines around the nose. I need to go slowly, because the MisterCraft plastic is so brittle that it crumbles like cookie dough.

Géza Szekér
Follow!

Maxim Malparte
Feel your pain. Just like Sword kits. I've never been able to obtain a clean scribe mark on them, always crumble. I managed to finish the frontal fuselage of a T-harrier though, and waiting for the repro of the 2nd Gen from airfix to perform a bash.

Bernd Korte
This looks like a lot of work but I'm sure it will be worth it!

Dave Flitton
The aircraft looks good with the primer on! Maybe it can be a stealth....no that would never work. Night Intruder?

Thomas Kolb
@Bernd, well, not really, I was just curious if it could be done. I suppose Airfix will release the PF version as soon as I am finished with this one! @Dave, hm, black or not, a MiG-17 would probably light up like a Christmas tree on the radar... 🙂

Dave Flitton
Merry Christmas AAA!

Daniel Klink
Coming along vey nice Thomas 👍

Thomas Kolb
Hm, the Airfix canopy does not look good on the model, it just simply does not match the MisterCraft windshield in shape and appearance. Alas, I think I will need to replace it with the MisterCraft canopy.

Maxim Malparte
Clear parts are always problematic, but it sure will be fine, no need to hurry, slow and steady wins the race!

Łukasz Gliński
Thomas, are you sure? Mistercrap set is modified KP set actually and this one is known for a too tall canopy.

Thomas Kolb
Łukasz, that is what looks wrong... the MisterCraft windshield is too tall for the Airfix canopy. They just don't match at all. And I cannot use the Airfix windshield, because it does not represent the PF version... man, right now, I really hate that MonsterCraft junk.

Łukasz Gliński
I have seen a solution proposal somewhere - sand down the framing on the MonsterCrap canopy, sand its undersides to get the correct height and apply correct masks.

Łukasz Gliński
I wasn't aware of different canopy on PF version, need to check it out one day.

Thomas Kolb
The PF has a different framing on the windscreen with an extra glass pane just above the rounded armor glass in the front (check the photos). Actually I just placed an order for the Pavla vac-formed canopy. It is for the AZ Model kit, but I am hoping that it can be reshaped it to fit to the Airfix airframe. The MisterCraft canopy looks just awful.

[img1]

[img1]

Łukasz Gliński
Got it, my references confirm that. It seems to be a longer version indeed 👍

Cuajete
Wow... I hadn't seen this job until now...
An amazing job so far, Thomas. I think my expectations to build a Mig-17PF from the Airfix kit have faded considerably 😄
Following!

Thomas Kolb
Cuajete, thank you! Yes, the MisterCraft kit is horrible even in small doses... But it is pretty obvious that Airfix has prepared for the possibility to produce the PF without a huge effort: all the subtype specific parts are nicely separated on the sprues. So I don't find it impossible that they will make one at some time.

Bernd Korte
That's coming together nicely!

Cuajete
Thanks, Thomas. I hope to Airfix release a PF version 🙂 👍
In the meantime, I hope they see your amazing job and they fall in shame for not doing it sooner 😄

Pierre Pierre
very nice following !

Cuajete
Wow... Good progress! 👍

Thomas Kolb
Thanks to you all... I've been slowing down significantly with my builds lately for daytime job reasons, but I am trying to pick up some speed again to finish my ongoing projects. Pretty much everything is done except for the replacement vac-formed canopy (currently in transit from Hannants in England).

Pierre Pierre
super nice finish I will try my best to follow your step on my viet version. nicely done

Thomas Kolb
This project was halted for a full year as the model had a cat-related accident and I couldn't bring myself to fix it and push it over the finishing line. But let's do it!

Bernd Korte
That's the spirit!

Łukasz Gliński
Cat-related incident, ahhh, that's why I prefer dogs 😉

Urban Gardini
Cat related accidents happen, it's just a force of nature...

Thomas Kolb
Restoration complete - some parts needed to be resprayed and the old canopy was reinstalled, but finally I can call it done!

Łukasz Gliński
Great finish 👍 What is the other MiG patry visible in the background?

Thomas Kolb
Łukasz, that is an Airfix MiG-17F, slightly cannibalized so I could finish the PF.

Bernd Grün
Perfect build and paint job. Congratulation!

Bernhard Pethe
I love the MiG-17. You built it very nicely. 👍 The photos support the good overall impression.

Urban Gardini
It turned out fantastic in the end, well done mate!

Harry Eder
Fantastic job Thomas! 👍

Ben M
The evening shot is fantastic!

Robert Podkoński
Fantastic work and beautiful outcome. (How have I missed that?...)

Cuajete
Awesome job and great result, Thomas. Good solution with the canopy 👍
Congrats!

Thomas Kolb
Thank you mates! This project was truly a labor of love and an exercise in determination. Not sure I will do yet another Frankenstein project in a hurry, it was just too exhausting. I think I will stick to more straightforward kits for a while.

Pierre Pierre
very neat and nice result ! and the Frankenstein labor was really worth it. The best Mig-17 PF 1/72 I ever seen yet ! It definitively encouraged me to go back on my Mig-17 i am struggling with.

Pierre Pierre
one question what black primer did you use ?

Urban Gardini
@Pierre UMP primer, ie re-labeled Badger Stynylrez primer

Thomas Kolb
Pierre & Urban, correct, it is the old Badger stuff, an acrylic polyurethane primer. A bit thick so it needs a lot of air, but it levels out absolutely beautifully by itself.

Jan Peters
Superb conversion work, love the sbs photos.
Of course, after all the work and effort you invested, airfix will soon announce a new tool PF version, isn't that always the case? 🙂

Urban Gardini
Stynylrez is the best non-laquer primer but the best primer in my mind is Mr Surfacer 1500 but then you'll need a safe work place so you can evacuate the unhealthy fumes.

Thomas Kolb
Jan, I wouldn't mind that at all, the radome of the MisterCraft kit is still hideous.
Urban, yes, I used Mr Surfacer a lot, but once had a nasty mishap where it just wouldn't stick to the plastic but would peel off. Maybe it was a bad batch or something because I never had that before.

Alec K
Great job combining the two kits 👍

Dominik Weitzer
wow. the last picture is awesome!

Jan Peters
I wouldn't mind either Thomas 🙂

Robert Podkoński
@Thomas - I will reveal you a secret here: MisterCraft kits generally are hideous...

Urban Gardini
It must have been a bad batch as that's so unnatural for Mr Surfacer.

Łukasz Gliński
That's why they used to be called Mr Crap 😉

Thomas Kolb
Robert, Łukasz, guys, I cannot agree with you more. Normally I won't touch Mistercraft (Plastyk), with a ten foot pole. It will bite you at every step.

Daniel Mysak
Great work and a really nice finish with the soft weathering.

Clement
Very impressive work, the end result was well worth the effort!

Neuling
Very good finish and presentation! 👍