MiG-21PF Academy 1:48 - Model construction

Although there is a better kit from Eduard for this aircraft, I decided to build a MiG-21 in the PF version from this older kit from the Academy. The main reason for my decision was that I gradually bought a large number of accessories for this kit and it would be a shame to throw them away. In addition, I have a large number of parts left from the Silver Arrows kit (limited edition Eduard) that can be used to improve this model.
The caption on the box of the kit says that it is a PF version, but the picture on the box more corresponds to the PFM version. But even this version does not match exactly. In fact, the picture shows a mixture that has something from each version (PF and PFM). The front part of the fuselage with a one-piece cabin cover corresponds to the PF version and the rear part of the fuselage with a wide tail fin and parachute case corresponds to the PFM version. The kit offers parts for both versions, but for the PFM version the cab cover is missing. The set includes only a one-piece cab cover, which folded forward. Only the PF version had this cab cover. The later (modernized) version of the PFM had a two-piece cab cover with a fixed windshield and a side-hinged cover, as did the later MF versions.

The kit is not the worst, but some mistakes can be found. The fuselage in the kit is higher and thanks to that the shape of the bow and stern is inaccurate. There is a set from CMK to repair the shape of the rear of the aircraft. To repair the bow, I will use the parts I have left from the Eduard kit.

The canopy cover and the shape of the fuselage behind the canopy cover are bad. The cab cover is too wide. I will use a part from the kit from Eduard for the repair. In the photo, it is a dark part on the left.

Even when viewed from above, the part from the kit does not have the correct shape (above, the original part from the kit, below the part with the correct shape from the kit by Eduard).

I replaced the landing gear shafts with new ones from the set from CMK.

I replaced the landing gear shafts with new ones from the set from CMK.

To properly connect the middle part of the fuselage with the new front part of the fuselage (Eduard), I cut a wedge in the upper joint of the fuselage halves in the shape of a very narrow letter V.

I cut the same wedge into the lower joint of the fuselage halves.

I glued a partition made of plastic plate to the front part of the fuselage and tightened the fuselage firmly with wire. After the glue dried, I removed the wire.

The sides of the fuselage got the right shape after gluing to the bulkhead.

The sides of the fuselage got the right shape after gluing to the bulkhead.

At the bottom of the fuselage, I cut a panel with a rear air brake ...

... and I replaced it with the better one from the Eduard kit.

I sanded the dashboards on the cockpit part and cut off the rear wall ...

... I made the new cockpit rear wall from a plastic plate and plastic profiles.

The base of the new cockpit is painted with interior paint...

... I'll add more equipment to this base later

I cut out schematic shafts of the front air brakes ...

... and I replaced them with better shafts from parts from the Eduard kit.

After gluing the bow of the fuselage, it will be time to work with the sealant.

I glued the inner parts of the front air brakes to the prepared holes in the front part of the fuselage.

I glued the landing gear shaft (CMK accessory) to the front part of the fuselage, partially assembled cockpit (the base is the original part from the kit supplemented by a newly made rear part from a plastic plate and plastic profiles + equipment from Eduard photo-etchings) and I glued a lead weight to the space in front of the cockpit.

I glued the engine assembly glued to the new rear part of the fuselage to the rear part of the fuselage (repair set from CMK).

I let the glued-off fuselage dry.

I let the glued-off fuselage dry.

After the glue dried, I glued a canopy and a fixed part of the rudder to the upper part of the fuselage.

Before gluing, I cut out the moving part from the rudder.

view of the assembled fuselage ...

... and a view of the assembled hull from below ...

The kit includes wings for the MF version. The PF version had other flaps. So the flaps from the kit need to be adjusted.

First, I cut off the extensions in their lower part (closer to the fuselage) and widened the upper part with a plastic plate (on the far side from the fuselage). I slightly thinned the part of the upper side of the flaps in the part closer to the wing by grinding.

I glued the photo-etch to the thinned part of the flaps.

I glued the photo-etch to the thinned part of the flaps.

Unlike the MF version, the PF version had a landing flap on the upper side of the wing partially covered with sheet metal. That's why I glued a thin plastic plate to the cut-out of the flap on the upper half of the wing.

View of the glued plates from the inside ...

photoetched with internal construction of the landing flap space

After the glue dried, I glued a photo-etch from the inside showing the inner structure of the wing in the area of the landing flap.

I replaced the parts of the chassis shafts in the wing with cast parts from the CMK set.

Before gluing, I painted the landing gear shafts.

I glued the painted shafts of the landing gear to the lower halves of the wings.

I glued the painted shafts of the landing gear to the lower halves of the wings.

I glued the painted shafts of the landing gear to the lower halves of the wings.

I glued the painted shafts of the landing gear to the lower halves of the wings.

I added protrusions with flap guides to the lower halves of the wings.

I also added protrusions between the aileron and the flap on the upper halves of the wings.

Left side of the fuselage ... The bulges above the chassis shafts are badly shaped and are moved forward. Correctly, the bulges should be shorter and exactly in the middle above the chassis shafts.

Right side of the fuselage ... The bulges above the chassis shafts are badly shaped and are moved forward. Correctly, the bulges should be shorter and exactly in the middle above the chassis shafts.

That's why I ground the original bulge on both sides of the fuselage. I made new bumps with the right shape from a thin sheet (from a tube of salmon paste). This sheet is sufficiently thin and soft and sufficiently malleable. At the same time, it is strong enough to maintain its shape. I cut a strip of sheet metal about 8 cm long and 2 cm wide. For the production of new bumps, I used the fuselage from the kit from Eduard. I glued a metal tape to this hull with Tack It adhesive rubber. With a round wooden peg, I gradually pressed the metal belt against the fuselage. After "copying" the bulge of unevenness into the sheet metal, I cut the sheet metal bulges from the sheet metal. I sanded the edges of the metal bulges and then glued them to the fuselage.

The left side of the fuselage with a new metal bulge glued.

The right side of the fuselage with a new metal bulge glued.

Top view of the fuselage with glued metal bulges.

After several puttings and grinding of all joints on the fuselage, I sprayed the entire surface of the fuselage and wings with surfacer.

After several puttings and grinding of all joints on the fuselage, I sprayed the entire surface of the fuselage and wings with surfacer.

After several puttings and grinding of all joints on the fuselage, I sprayed the entire surface of the fuselage and wings with surfacer.

After several puttings and grinding of all joints on the fuselage, I sprayed the entire surface of the fuselage and wings with surfacer.

After several puttings and grinding of all joints on the fuselage, I sprayed the entire surface of the fuselage and wings with surfacer.

After several puttings and grinding of all joints on the fuselage, I sprayed the entire surface of the fuselage and wings with surfacer.

I continue to build the model by gluing the wings and rudders.

I continue to build the model by gluing the wings and rudders

To stick the wings to the fuselage at the right angle, I made a simple cardboard tool. This simple "stand" for me monitors the correct setting of the wings for the entire time the glue in the joint dries.

After gluing the wings and tail surfaces, small gaps remained in the joints. I used putty to remove the gaps. After the putty hardened, I sanded the joints with fine sandpaper and finally sprayed the whole model with a surfacer.

View from below after spraying the surfacer.

After spraying the model with a surfacer, minor defects appeared in a few places on the surface that will need to be repaired.

I equipped the cockpit with a pilot seat and instrument panel. Then I glued on the cockpit cover. After the masks were glued on, I sprayed the model with silver paint with a slight touch of grey. First I sprayed the upper surfaces of the aircraft and ...

... and after the paint dried, I sprayed the lower surfaces as well.

I got my air brakes ready. The rear airbrake is from Eduard kit (surplus parts from another Mig build) and the two front airbrakes are from photo-etch.

I sprayed the outer surfaces of the air brakes with silver paint ...

...... and I sprayed the inner surfaces of the air brakes with light grey-green paint.

Inlet cone and inlet ring added to the nose of the aircraft.

Inlet cone and inlet ring added to the nose of the aircraft.

The last two "steel" rings are sprayed on the stern.

The last two "steel" rings are sprayed on the stern.

The engine nozzle still needs a little colour correction.

The MiG 21 PF aircraft had a bland, uniform paint scheme during their time in the Czechoslovak Air Force. Until the overhaul, they flew in their original metallic colouring, but after the overhaul the entire surface was repainted with aluminium paint. This livery was complemented by black fuselage numbers on the nose and national emblems on the wings and vertical tailplane. The communist regime of the time suppressed any further non-standard additions and personal markings in the form of pictures. If a picture did appear on the aircraft, it usually had to be removed quickly. However, there were a few exceptions. Among them is machine No. 1212. It became the model for my model.

Apart from the fact that machine 1212 has the coat of arms of the town of Bechyně and shaded hull numbers on the left side of the bow, it is exceptional in one more way. Apart from the fact that machine 1212 has the emblem of the town of Bechyně and shaded hull numbers on the left side of the bow, it is exceptional in one more respect.
Nowadays nobody will probably find out whether it was an intention or a mistake, but during the overhaul, the mechanics sprayed the national emblems on the lower surfaces in reverse (the blue wedge should be forward in the direction of flight). How long these reversed characters lasted on Pé Efce 1212, I don't know. However, their appearance is documented photographically.

It's a good thing that there was a lot of small operational writing on the surface of the machine. The lettering brightens up an otherwise dull monochrome surface.

It's a good thing that there was a lot of small operational writing on the surface of the machine. The lettering brightens up an otherwise dull monochrome surface.

I painted the surfaces of the air brakes and the inside of the undercarriage shafts.

I will use the additional tank and RS-2US rockets from surplus parts from Eduard kit.

Also the hangers and their adapters are from surplus parts from the Eduard set. The fuselage hanger is a modified part from the Academy kit.

I assembled and painted the undercarriage shaft covers, brake shields and undercarriage wheels.

I used the landing gear wheels and main landing gear fuselage covers from the kit. The nose gear covers, wing landing gear covers and front air brakes are made from photo-etched parts. The rear air brake is from the Eduard kit.

I finished the auxiliary tank and the rockets. I added decals with stencils to the rockets.

Replacing the front landing gear bay with a cast part caused the front landing gear to be too long. That's why I had to shorten the front landing gear.

After shortening the front landing gear, the fuselage position is fine.