|
Continuing with the Kp Kit, I purchased an Eduard P.E. fret! This Photo-Etch fret really goes a long way towards improving the cockpit innards and supplies quite a few exterior antennae and small details as well. My first step towards tackling this beast of a kit was to fabricate the cockpit tub, from scratch, using a Bilek one as reference. I used strips of evergreen plastic and formed the general shape taking minimum measurements! Then I installed the painted P.E. parts for the various consoles and the instrument panel sandwich, which adds a lot of detail. The cockpit colour was the peculiar �model master� Intermediate blue FS# 35164. Lightened a bit for scale effect. A resin �Pavla� 1/ 72 scale Martin and Baker PKD-10L nicely filled up the remaining void in the tiny cockpit. A scratch built control column from the spares box along with the little tiny bits and pieces for the throttle quadrant, rudder pedals and various switch boxes and panels brought the cockpit details up to acceptable standards. The rest of the kit then fell together very easily, and over the next few days of careful puttying and sanding the wing to fuselage joints and the basic filling the seams, the mig was up for a paint job.
It was at this juncture that one has to make a decision as to the choice of the very colourful and striking PAF F-6/ Mig-19 camou scheme�s that have served with the various squadrons of the PAF over the last almost 40 years. The kit decals even though they are done by the very famous Czech company, �Propagtem� the green in the PAF fin flash as well as the roundels tends to be very light. That renders them virtually unusable! Luckily there is light at the end of the tunnel. Over the years Super Scale decals has released many different sheets for PAF subjects. Mainly sheet numbers; 72-392 (AT-6�s), 72-102 (Mig-17F/ Shenyang J-5�s/ J-6�s/ Mig-19�s) and 72-353 (Mirage II/ V) sheets. I chose sheet number 72-102, as well as the squadron 19 �Cobras� squadron badge from the 1/ 48-scale Tiger wings, decal sheet. This worked out perfectly as the roundels; fin flash and squadron badges and other stenciling were all the correct size.
I decided on a more modern rendition of the F-6 during its service career. It was fairly evident that going for a Natural metal finish on raised panel lines was asking for trouble. So I settled for the ubiquitous F-16 style, three tone air-superiority gray finish that became the standard scheme for all PAF F-6�s throughout the 80s and 90�s, until their belated and eventual retirement last year. A good resource for deciphering the accurate paint and camouflage specifications for most International, �Migs� and �Sukhois� in general can be found at the following website:
|
|
|
The three grays that are fairly accurately called out are given in Humbrol paint numbers. After spraying the now finished model using Americo Maia�s mig and sukhoi website colour references as a guide. I then proceeded towards sealing the paint with thin misty coats of Future (Acrylic) floor polish. Then the decals were applied and also later sealed with future. A minimum of weathering was also applied and sealed in at this point, as it is hard to weather a model kit with raised panel lines. A sharpened number 2 pencil was also used in outlining the various panels, and the rear nozzle area was given a coat of the usual Burnt metal mix. I enjoyed building this kit, as it represented a challenge to put together. Most people would refuse to build this kit, as it is quite outdated by modern standards, and are mainly interested in collecting it. I would recommend it to anyone who already has a few years of modeling experience under his belt.
Happy modeling.
References:
Hans Heiri Stapfer. Mig-19 In Action, Squadron Signal in Action series.
Sultan M. Hali. July 2000. The F-6 in PAF service. Defense Journal.
Bill Gunston. Combat Aircraft of the world.
Jay Miller, Butowski. OKB mig. The aircraft and designers of the Bureau.
Soviet Combat aircraft. Salamander books.
Encyclopedia of Air warfare. ISBN publications, 2002.
History of the Pakistan Airforce, 1947 � 1988. Feroze Sons PVT LTD.
John Fricker.(1972). 1971 Airwar, An analysis. Ian Allan Publications |
|
