KP 1/72 MiG-17PF
I finally got to complete my first build for 2024, this is KP's old MiG-17PF, kit no.7 released in 1974. This was a semi rough build, fit was not the best, some light flash that needed cleaning. Wings to the fuselage and canopy fit had some pretty big gaps, nose inlet fit to the forward section of the fuselage was not the greatest. The kit's cockpit seat was missing so I had to scratch build one. I did not like the overall size of the tail-plane, it was too big, so I cut, trimmed and filed it to the size that looked correct to my eyes. The surface details were very fine with raised panel lines and rivets, some areas were wet-sanded down but I did not want to totally remove all of the details. After saying all this, this really was not a bad kit to build, I really enjoyed it. I started this build back in December but stopped, about 5 weeks ago I started working on it again and just took my time.
The MiG-17PF Fresco-D was the Soviet's first true all weather radar equipped interceptor with an after burning engine. The PF also had some changes over the F model by swapping its 37mm cannon out, replacing it with a 23mm cannon to lose weight because of the weight gain of the radar system installed in the nose. The gun camera was moved from the 12 o'clock position of the nose in the F model to the 3 o'closk position on the PF model. The canopy's windshield front angle of the PF model is a little longer and angled a bit more shallow compared to the F's canopy. The Fresco-D had a fixed-scan radar system that includes two radomes in its nose, one for search radar and one for tracking radar.
After filing, blending and primed the model I airbrushed Tamiya's X-11 Chrome Silver. I gave this a few coats. I later highlighted the flight control lines using Black Tamiya's panel line Highlighter, the rest of the panel lines, access panels and larger panels were weathered by using a fine mechanical pencil and for a slight change of shade, I also used a fine black water color marker. After applying to the area I used a cotton Q-tip to soften the panel lines, fill in the access panels and spread the water color to fill in the larger panels.
I chose to go with the box art markings. The original decals were not good, so I ordered a set from this site, https://www.hobbyshop.cz/shop/en/9_apc-decals...This was my second time ordering from this site and their decals do not cost much. I chose their APC line of decals, great for someone like me. They make replacement decals for the older Frog, Heller and KP kits.
This is not going to win any contest but all in all, I am happy with this build.
Nice work, Bob (@v1pro). My hat is off to you, Bob, these old KP kits can be a handful. I had several of these that I drug around for many years. I decided to build one and discovered the fit problems and the canopy was almost opaque. After finishing the kit I took all the rest of the KP I had and gave them away. Not only did you finish this one, but you made it look really good. Well done.
Thank you George @gblair. Yes, definitely not a shake a bake kind of build. For some reason I like them eventhough over 30 years I had a few in my stash and got rid of them. But in the last few years I took a liking to them, bought a few kits and built a few. My built collection has now grown to three.
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
You really did nice work on this challenging classic kit, Bob @v1pro ! It looks great!
Jay @ssgt, thank you. I am glad we went back and forth about this build. It made the build more enjoyable.
Excellent job and really great result out of this elderly and challenging kit, Bob!
Well done!
Thank you Spiros @fiveten!
Excellent result on this old and far from easy kit, Bob @v1pro
Looks wonderful.
Thank you John @johnb.
I love the different shades of silver, beautifully done Bob @v1pro. And a nice diorama base, by the way!
Thank you Felix @fxrob! The brown base I made from construction paper and penciled in the lines. Then used a cotton Q-tip to soften. The concrete base I downloaded from this site: http://www.grubby-fingers-aircraft-illustration.com/model...
Great job with this old nut.
Capt. R (@lis), thank you!
I remember getting this kit back in the 1970s, in trade with a Czech modeler for a used copy of "Rubber Soul," which I hope did its duty in leading to the overthrow of the dictatorship in the Velvet Revolution.
Yours definitely turned out better than I remember mine looking.
Tom, I think the Rubber Soul album did the job since it did end peacefully.
And thank you!
Very cool build Bob. Sometimes I really enjoy building the old kits. If you go into the build knowing the downfalls of some of these kits, they can definitely be a fun change of pace. Your little Mig really turned out nice. Thanks for mentioning the website for the decals. I have a few old Frog and Heller kits in the stash that I'm sure will need the decals replaced when I finally get to building them.
Thank you Clint @curtisshawk. I love building these old kits and I think this website will be a plus for your build.
Nicely done Bob.
Thank you Allan @kalamazoo.
Well done, Bob.
Thank you Gary @gwskat!
Nice work..I believe it may still be the most accurate outline in 1/72 for a Mig-17.
The DML, Airfix & AZ have issues. Nice application of modelling skills!
Steve
Thank you Steve @sjcorvi, I agree with you on its overall shape. It does capture the actual plane nicely.
Ahoy Bob,
Semi-rough is an understatement. I've built this kit and can testify to its semi-rough features. However, it turns into a neat little jet if you have the courage to press on with the build. Your wonderful example and the finished model testify to your modeling skills. I salute you. You've done a great job on this one and thanks for the pictures.
Thank you, Thomas @strongeagle. Yes this one took some extra elbow grease but it was worth it in the end.
Nice job! I've got that very kit in my stash. I got it (and a few other kits from behind the Iron Curtain) from a USAF buddy of mine back in the mid-1970's. He found them in a shop in Berlin while he was stationed in England flying F-4's. At the time, you could not find any western built kits of most Soviet aircraft, so these were rare gems.
Thank you Tom @trod348. I remeber those days, the hobby shop I used to go to in the 70's had a corner labeled "Foreign Kits". Frog, Airfix, Hasegawa, Fujimi and some KP kits were located in that corner. As we got close to the 80's more of the overseas kits were taking over the shops. The KP ones were the hardest to find. One shop in Trexlertown PA, Rosemont Hobbies in the early 80's had a nice big inventory of kits from the Eastern Bloc. A pilot who flew for Pan Am used to supply the owner some neat kits when he flew to Europe. As the years went by, the internet made the world much smaller.
Yup, that’s how they came into the States back then. An enthusiast would “smuggle” them. I’ve got a MiG 17, MiG 19, Il 2, La 5, and a few others. Just haven’t gotten brave enough to try them and I’ve had them for almost fifty years. They were in the attic for most of that time after I took a break from modeling for work and raising kids.
Well done, Bob. Talk about the way back machine…..Those KP kits were the backbone of my WarPac Air Force in the ‘70s. I had that Mig-17 along with the Mig-21MF and Mig-15. Stanton’s hobby shop in Chicago always had a selection of kits beyond the usual Airfix, Revell, and Monogram.
Thank you John @j-healy. Yes, these were toigh kits to find back then. In the early 80 I used to drive to one shop in Trexlertown PA, Rosemont Hobbies. They had a nice big inventory of kits from the Eastern Bloc. A pilot who flew for Pan Am used to supply the owner some neat kits when he flew to Europe.
Oh wow, Rosemont Hobbies! I bought several resin and vac WW1 kits from them via mail order. I still have a Nieuport 24 or 27 fuselage in the stash. Great stuff.
Great build of that old kit! I have several of these KP kits in the stash (probably this exact kit as well), and though they take some elbow grease, I always find sprucing up an old kit rewarding, even though they'll normally not be "contest winners." Maybe it's just me, but I usually would rather build one of these old kits and say, "Hey, that's too bad!" than to build a shake-and-bake modern kit and have to say the same thing! 🙂
Thank you Greg @gkittinger. I've seen you builds of the older kits and they all look great! Yes, the satisfaction I get from building the older kits I enjoy very much. I go to the shake and bake builds to get an easy build, a break from building an old kit that sometimes does not want to be made, either physically or mentally. But in the end I enjoy the older ones a lot more. I do have a lot of the older KP kits in my stash. 😊
@v1pro - One of these days, we'll have to do a KP kit buddy build! Although don't ask me yet - still recovering from knee replacement so my bench time has been greatly restricted!
@gkittinger, I hope you have a quick and strong recovery. And I think that will be a fun group build to do.
@v1pro - This turned out really well Bob. There is no evidence of any fit issues.
I hope the knee recovery goes well. I had mine done a couple years ago...
Thank you, Brian (@brithebuilder)! 😊