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Spiros Pendedekas
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Trumpeter 1/32 Shenyang J-5 (Mig-17F)

August 11, 2021 · in Aviation · · 33 · 2.4K

Hi everyone!


This is my J-5 (歼-5), a Chinese-built single-seat jet interceptor and fighter aircraft, derived from the license-built MiG-17F. The first J-5 (Φ0101), performed its initial flight on 19 July 1956 with test pilot Wu Keming at the controls.
Plans were obtained in 1961 for the MiG-17PF interceptor and production began, as the J-5A (F-5A), shortly afterwards. At this time the Sino-Soviet split occurred, causing much disruption to industrial and technical projects, so the first J-5A did not fly until 1964, when the type was already obsolete. A total of 767 J-5s and J-5As had been built when production ended in 1969. The type saw widespread use by the PLAAF, until supplanted by more capable aircraft, such as the Shenyang J-6 and later the Chengdu J-7.
The Chinese also built a very interesting two-seat trainer version of the (designated the Chengdu JJ-5) by combining the two-seat cockpit of the MiG-15UTI, the VK-1A engine of the J-5, and the fuselage of the J-5A. All internal armament was deleted and a single Nudelman-Richter NR-23 23 mm cannon was carried in a ventral pack. Production of the JJ-5 reached 1,061 (!) when production ceased in 1986, with the type exported to a number of countries. The super cheap Trumpeter kit is broadly based on the very good 1/48 Tamiya Mig-15 kit (with some accuracy issues, mainly canopy and tail shaping...) As it is practically pantographed to 1/32, some areas like the cockpit and the wheel wells look more plain/simplistic than most modelers would wish. For the former, I added the very nice kit provided pilot, for the latter, I did nothing 🙂 . Whereas the Tamiya kit offered styrene wheels, Trumpeter decided to provide separate rims with vinyl tires. The rims provided were hollow from the inside, looking reeeeeealy toy-ish: I blanked them with sheet styrene (yes, pieces from my sons' party plates 🙂 , whereas the more devoted modeler might have attempted creating some kind of brake assemblies in there... Putting the kit together was easy and fit was good. Since only some generic codes and insignia, but no camo instructions were provided whatsoever (!), I was not reluctant at all to adopt a nice night fighter scheme, as depicted at the Net, drawn by artist Americo Maya and justified by some other net sources.
Should you wish to read the full build review, please do so by visiting my beloved Modelingmadness here:

https://modelingmadness.com/review/korean/ussr/fighters/penj5.htm


Happy modeling!
Reader reactions:
9  Awesome

2 additional images. Click to enlarge.


33 responses

  1. Great job Spiros. I love the camo!

  2. Another nice 1/32 build, Spiros!

  3. very nice camo!

  4. Very nice, Spiros. I remember hearing all kinds of bad things about that kit years ago. It certainly looks like a decent Mig-17 to me.

  5. Spiros, I’m reading a book about how the U.S. during the Vietnam war acquired various MIG’s to train pilots in dissimilar Air to Air combat. This has inspired me to look at building one in those color schemes and markings. Great model!

  6. As jet models go this one looks great . Interesting camouflage. Perhaps for Xinjian province where the earth is desert like. Nice .

  7. Spiros this is a great build. I love the overall scheme!

  8. Very nice work @fiveten! That camo paint looks great Spiros. That's one of my all-time favorite aircraft and I always enjoy seeing one built! Thanks for sharing her with us here! 🙂

    • Thanks my friend @garybrantley!
      The Mig-17 is one of my favorite aircraft, too, it's simply so cool!
      Add to that the cheap kit price, easiness of construction, manageable size (for 1/32) and this breathtaking scheme: how long can you resist building it?...

  9. Good looking build Spiros. The camo is definately eye catching.

  10. Greatly executed build of this J5, Spiros @fiveten.
    This scheme is looking really great on this early jet fighter.
    Thanks for sharing it here and on Modelling Madness.

  11. I really like this Spiros ,love the camo those colours really look cool.Your masking on the canopy is super neat a thing I struggle with .
    Well done mate.
    Neil.

  12. Very nice and clean build. Nice camo scheme, it turned great.

  13. You mastered this Mig! a great build!

  14. Seems like everyone has used the MiG-17, you can never run out of schemes to finish them in. I really like the smooth edge to your camo, Spiros.

  15. Great build of this classic plane, Spiros, and nice to see it in a camouflage scheme for a change. There are several examples of this plane in various settings in China, but all the ones I've seen are in NMF, and are gradually deteriorating from being left outside. Definitely liked.

    • Thanks my friend @chinesegeorge!

      The Mig -17 was utilized by many Air Forces and, at times, carried amazing, truly "exotic" camos, many of them hastily or field applied. Yes, the "de rigueur" scheme might possibly be considered the NMF by most: it's a nice scheme, for sure, but who can resist to some lesser worn schemes (with a number of of them questionable for their existence or accuracy, since documentation might be minimal to zero...).

      For example, check the following Chinese scheme, courtesy of Wings Palette:

      Now, how cool is that?

  16. Another nice job Spiros, and the article was informative and entertaining :). How many 1/32 kits are in your collection?

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