Rook-ie Shturmovik

Historical Background

In 1968, after analysing the experience of Ilyushin Il-2 units during WW2, the Soviet Ministry of Defence decided to develop a modern descendant of the famous Shturmovik (armoured assault aircraft) in order to provide Close Air Support (CAS) to the Red Army. The Ministry decided that the contemporary Sukhoi Su-7, Sukhoi Su-17 and MiG-21 did not meet the Red Army's requirement for a CAS aircraft. The Fitters and the Fishbeds lacked armour to protect the pilot and essential systems and that their high speed made it difficult for pilots to accurately aim their weapons. In 1969, the Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily announced a competition for a new battlefield CAS aircraft. Sukhoi submitted its T-8 design which was declared the winner against its Mikoyan-Gurevich, Ilyushin and Yakovlev rivals. In appearance, the T-8 resembles Northrop's YA-9 entry for the almost-similar USAF's A-X program (which was won by Fairchild's YA-10, which became the A-10 Thunderbolt II). The Su-25 is armed with a twin Gsh-30-2 30mm cannon and equipped with 11 hardpoints  for up to 4,400kg of disposable ordnance.

Production started in 1978 with the first operational squadron taking shape in May 1981. The Su-25 received its baptism of fire two months later when the 200th Independent Shturmovaya Air Squadron were deployed to Afghanistan. It was there that the aircraft received its 'Grach' (Rook) nickname.By the end of the Soviet occupation in 1988, 50 Su-25s were deployed in-theatre, carrying out 60,000 sorties. 21 were shot down by the Mujahideen guerillas (including one shot down by Pakistani F-16s when the Soviet aircraft strayed into Pakistani airspace). The Su-25 also saw service during the First and Second Chechen Wars, South Ossetia War in 2008, Iran-Iraq War, the Persian Gulf War, Ethiopian-Eritrean War, Albanian Insurrection in Macedonia, Darfur and the Ivorian Civil War.

The Kit

I bought the kit some time in 2003 from the old Miniature Hobbies shop at Midvalley Megamall. I read somewhere that this kit is actually reboxed Italeri kit. The kit comes in two light grey sprues, a clear sprue and a small decal sheet. Assembly instructions was printed in a rough paper which reminded me of my Primary School exam papers! On cursory glance, the panel lines appear crisp on the wings but rather deep and rough on the fuselage. Parts were also thickly moulded, including the wing trailing edges, the dorsal aerial and wheel well doors. The nose laser designator window is just a raised pattern (of the wrong shape!) and I believe that the entire nose looks plain wrong when viewed from the front. The cockpit parts meanwhile look rudimentary. Weapons were included but with rather rough details. The decals supposedly were for aircraft based in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation but the decal placement guide were ambiguous. Paint instructions were for the port side and half of the wing only!

Construction

As usual with aircraft models, I started with the cockpit. This time however I opted for Neomega resin replacement cockpit set. The set consists of the cockpit tub, instrument panel, side consoles, control stick, K-36 ejection seat and the overhead armour plate. Cleanup was quick for the smaller parts but I took some time to cut off the pour stub from the cockpit tub and the seat. Some cutting had to be done to the original kit parts especially for the instrument panel cover. Prior to attaching the cockpit to the fuselage, I painted them in XF-23 Light Blue with the seat and dials in XF-69 NATO Black. The dials then received a single drop of X-22 Clear each to simulate glass. The seatbelts were painted XF-49 Khaki.The overhead armour did not fit well though so I have to putty the gap between the fuselage and the armour piece.

Fit for the rest of the kit was not terribly well especially for the fuselage halves - a large amount of putty was needed here. Fit of the wing to the fuselage is OK, although the wing trailing edges were thick. Although I didn't glue it at this time, I realised that the landing gears are to be butt-jointed, rather the regular post-and hole joint - have to use superglue here. The kit also provided the extended flare/chaff dispenser, first used in Afghanistan to provide countermeasures against Stinger MANPADS, which I used. Finally before getting to the painting stage, I attached the weapons pylons. And talk about weapons, the kit did not provide the muzzle for the cannons (it's either that or I lost the part somehow!).

Painting and Decaling (I)

As I have stated before, the instructions only showed camo pattern for half the aircraft only. The other half have to be sourced from elsewhere. As I was rather unknowledgeable about military camouflage application, I simply repeat the pattern shown on the instruction sheet for the 'dark side'. I used Tamiya XF-23 for the bottom and the camouflage were painted using Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown, XF-60 Dark Yellow and XF-58 Olive Green. Dieletric panels on the fin top and the front of the wingtips were painted XF-5 Flat Green.

Once cured, it's decaling time. As I have stated before, the instructions were quite vague about their placement. I was interested in using the 'sharkmouth' art but alas the instructions did not show which bort number goes with the option, or whether the 'rook' insignia is used or not. So I decided to use creative license and used 'Yellow 07' bort number and the 'rook' insignia on the left engine intake. However the Zvezda decals were translucent when applied...darn. So I thought to myself that this Shturmovik is a prime candidate for aftermarket decals! Despite that, I still finished the kit with ordnance loads (more of this later).

Painting and decaling (II)

A few years after I finished the Su-25, I came across Linden Hill 21st Century Shturmoviks decal sheet at Hobby HQ. The sheet features SU-25s from Soviet Union (during the Afghan War), Russia (Second Chechen War), Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Peru. So after a further wait, it was the Su-25s turn to be repainted.

I started by stripping off the paint using Kiwi Window Cleaner (any window cleaner with ammonia will do). But before that I detach the fixed ordnance load and put them aside. The decals were stripped using Dymo tape. This time I chose a marking from a Su-25 involved in the Second Chechen War in 1999, also with a sharkmouh on the forward fuselage and a tiger's head on each intake. And according to instructions, I painted the aircraft using RLM65 for lower fuselage (yeah, not accurate I think but it was the closest I could match), Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab, XF-59 Desert Yellow and Gunze Light Ghost Grey. The Linden Hill instruction also missed showing the right side and upper wing surface patterns, but this time, thanks to the internet, I guessed the missing pattern by looking at photos of Su-25s in service (though not of the actual aircraft).

'If anything that can go wrong, will go wrong' - it happened this time. While I was applying the sharkmouth decal, it folded against itself and I can't get it right again. I decided to do the first option, 'Red 05' also from Chechen War but with a wolf's head nose art. However this aircraft, whilst having the same camo pattern as 'Red 27', has its Light Ghost Grey parts in light green. Having stripped the paint once, I'm not going to do it the second time. To compound my misery, I have already placed the 'Sukhoi wing' emblem on the tail and the Russian red stars (which was not painted on 'Red 05'). I decided to apply creative license  again. After googling, I found that even 'Red 27' were painted differently from the decal instructions ( I guess the photo were taken at some other time). So, I made 'Red 02' using  the bort number from another option (the Turkmen aircraft!) whilst using the wolf's head nose art from Red 05!

Finishing

Once everything settled, I used a 2B pencil to mark out panel lines. I then reattach the canopy and ordnance.  The weapons were sourced from Dragon's Soviet Aircraft Weapons Set 3 : Rockets And Bombs. I arm my Su-25 with four UB-20-80 rocket pods and four PROSAB-250 cluster bombs. The two R-60 missiles came from the kit. As luck would have it, I broke the portside pitot tube...No matter though as I replace it with one from the-now cannibalised MiG-23! Finally a spray of Flat Clear finishes everything.

Conclusion

Not my best effort, this one. The basic kit also have some problems especially around the nose. But I'm satisfied enough to have a modern Shturmovik in my collection. 

A Large Hunting Dog

Historical Background

Despite the initial Western panic about its perceived performance, the MiG-25 had substantial compromises in order to achieve high speed, altitude and the rate of climb. The Foxbat lacked maneuverability at interception speeds, short operational radius and excessive weight caused by its mostly nickel steel construction. The Smerch-A radar, while powerful, had a short range and lacked look-down, shoot-down capability. The MiG-31 began as an upgrade program for the MiG-25RBK 'Foxbat-D' reconnaissance variant. The first prototype was designated Ye-155MP which first flew on 16 September 1975. It was intended to be a long-range interceptor with look-down, shoot-down capability, able to engage penetrating bombers and low-flying cruise missiles. For that, it was to carry another crew member - the radar systems officer in tandem position. Although it resembled a stretched MiG-25, in many respects it was a new design and warranted a new name, which was designated MiG-31.

Externally, the main difference between the MiG-25 and MiG-31 was the stretched forward fuselage to accommodate the new radar and its operator, LERX, extended tailpipes and reshaped vertical fins. The interior changes were more substantial. Most of the structures now comprised of aluminium alloys, with titanium and steel limited to critical areas only. The wings and airframe were made stronger than the MiG-25 with the addition of a third spar. The MiG-31 was however limited to 5 g at supersonic speeds; this wasn't really a handicap as it was not designed for close combat and rapid maneuvering. The main undercariage was changed to tandem staggered arrangement to allow operations from snow-covered or semi-prepared airfields. The Tumansky R-15 turbojets powering the MiG-25 were replaced with a pair of Soloviev D-30F6 low-bypass turbofan engines capable of generating 34,200 lb of thrust with afterburner. Most importantly, it allowed the MiG-31 to fly at supersonic speed at low-level, unlike the the MiG-25. While the thrust-to-drag ratio allowed it to go past Mach 3, the engine was redlined at Mach 2.83 to avoid unacceptable hazards to engine and airframe life.

But the most significant change was to the detection and weapons system, centred on the RP-31 N007 Zaslon phased-array radar (NATO codename 'Flash Dance'). The Zaslon was able to track up to 24 targets and engage 8 of them simultaneously. It was also equipped with ECCM capability to counter the jamming systems carried by aircraft such as the B-1 Lancer and the B-52 Stratofortress. The Zaslon was also coupled with the RK-RLDN and APD-518 digital secure datalinks with the latter enabling a flight of four MiG-31s to exchange data within 200km from each other. It may also be used  with other aircraft with less sophisticated avionics (such as the Su-27, MiG-29 and MiG-23. The radar was backed by a IRST system in a retractable turret under the nose. The main armament was a quartet of long-range (160km) Vympel R-33 (NATO : AA-9 'Amos'), which was considered to be the Soviet/Russian equivalent of the Hughes AIM-54 Phoenix missile. The earlier R-40 (AA-6 Acrid) and the shorter-ranged R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) and R-73 (AA-11 Archer) IR-guided missiles can also be carried. The MiG-31 also carried an internal cannon, the six-barrel GSh-6-23 23mm with 800 rounds of ammunition.

The MiG-31 (NATO : 'Foxhound') entered service with the Voyska PVO in 1982 where it became the only interceptor able to (and did) intercept the Mach 3 Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance plane. In 1990, a new variant, MiG-31B was introduced. This was as result of the discovery that Adolf Tolkachev, an engineer at the Phazotron radar division had sold secrets of Russian radars to the West. A new version of the Zaslon was hurriedly developed and many MiG-31s were re-equipped with the new radar, and designated MiG-31BM. A more advance variant, called the MiG-31M was begun 1983 and first flew in 1986. However the break-up of the Soviet Union curtailed further development.  The MiG-31M added further features such as GPS and GLONASS receivers and three colour MFDs for the radar officer. Around 280 Foxhounds served with the Russian Air Force with another 29 serving with Kazakhstan.  Syria ordered eight MiG-31E (export) in 2007 but in 2009 the order was suspended due to either Israeli pressure or lack of Syrian funds.

The Kit

Zvezda came up with a 1/72 kit of the baseline MiG-31 in 2004 and a year later came up with the MiG-31B. The kit is molded in a light grey styrene with a rather thick sprue gate. While the parts were nicely moulded, apparently the Matchbox trench digger has found new employment in Russia as the panel lines would resemble Western Front trench lines if enlarged to 1:1 scale! The large intakes have no details inside them and you can actually see all the way to the exhaust piece. Interior detail is rather sparse and the ejection seats are best replaced with resin products. I also found that the clear parts are rather thick. Weapons and stores include two large fuel tanks, a quartet of R-33 missiles and a pair of R-40 (probably R-40RD version) missiles. Marking is provided for one aircraft, Blue 74 of 786th GIAP, Pravdinsk in 1995. There were however no stencilling decals included. The decals are also typically Zvezda - thin and in register but matt in appearance.

Construction

As always construction starts with the cockpit. MiG cockpits are painted in a shade of blue-green which is rather hard to capture (especially when I didn't have the correct paints at the time). I tried to mix XF-23 Light Blue with XF-5 Flat Green but it ended up greener than it should be. The Zvezda K-36 ejection seats have basic details but they look better than the one in the Italeri MiG-29. Also to note that this is my first modern aircraft kit, building only WW2 ones previously. Lacking proper information from the instruction sheet (and common sense, ha!), I painted the whole cockpit, including seats and internal cockpit frame XF-5 Flat Green! Once dry, I applied the decals, which are provided for the dashboards only.

The nose was then closed up. But before that, a weight of 7 grams were put inside ( I used plasticine). The fit between the halves was not very good and some filling and sanding works were needed Construction then moved to the main fuselage. The main wheel wells were cemented to the bottom half of the fuselage and this was followed by the outer walls of the intakes. There  were no air intake tunnels or compressor faces (or at least plain bulkheads). One can see all the way through the fuselage as a result. On the other end however, Zvezda provided a bulkhead with patterns for the rear turbine faces molded on. The upper and lower halves of the fuselage were then cemented togther with the wing structure sandwiched between them. The dorsal fairing extension at the end of the fuselage was then cemented but I temporarily leave off the ventral strakes and the tail surfaces off in order to facilitate another round of filling and sanding the main fuselage joint.

Turning back to the forward fuselage, the nose section was cemented to the main fuselage. As for the intake ramp, Zvezda provided two positions for the intake ramp: an open one at roughly 45 degrees and a 'closed' one (almost all the way): I chose the 45 degree position. The bleed air doors were the last parts installed at this time. Available in open or closed position,  I have them in the latter. 

Painting and Decalling

According to the instructions, the fuselage is painted FS 36375 (which makes me wonder whether the Russians refer to US Federal Standard in the first place!). Anyway it was painted so using a mixture of Tamiya paints. Nose cone and dielectric panels were painted FS36118, also using Tamiya paint mixes. Landing gear wells were painted FS36320 and the wheels were painted Tamiya XF58 Olive Green. Decals are then applied. My example has yellowed and were very noticeable on the pale grey fuselage. Apart from the Red Stars, bort numbers and the Russian coat of arms, there is only a small number of stencils. The model is then completed when I attach all the small parts, the landing gears and the canopies.

A few months back, while looking for model kits at Hobby HQ Kuala Lumpur, I came across Begemot Decals Sheet 72-006. Not only does this sheet has more marking options, it also has a more comprehensive stencils compared to the kit sheet and also decals for the cockpit side console. Not only that, it is also quite cheap! Without much hesitation, I bought it. Also in the meantime, I found out that the actual color of the Foxhound is not straight FS36375 and someone suggested an 80:20 mixture of FS36375 and FS36320. So after soaking the original kit decals in Mr Mark Softer, I pulled the now fragile decals off using strips of Tamiya tape. The paint was then stripped off using Easy-Off Bang kitchen cleaner.

Having realised that modern warplanes is painted differently from their WW2 ancestors, I repainted the K-36 bang seats according to the guide I found on the internet. The inner frame of the canopy is now painted flat black using Tamiya XF-1. The whole airframe was then painted according to the mixture above. Once the paint is dry it's time for re-decaling. I decided on the rather colourful markings of Foxhound 'Red 08' assigned to the 174 GIAP at Monchegorsk, Kola Peninsula in 1995. The 174th was named 'Boris Safonov' after the Soviet World War 2 fighter ace, who fought in the same region during the German invasion (see here for my build of Major Safonov's Polikarpov I-16). 'Red 08' was a MiG-31 rather than -31B. However, no major surgery was made to the kit as the difference is mainly internal.

Finishing

The landing gears were tackled first as they would allow the model to stand on its own, so to speak. The tyres were painted Flat Black while the wheels were painted XF-58 Olive Green. After the landing gears have been cemented, I add the wheel bay doors, although the one on the bottom of the fuselage would be cemented later. The R-33 missiles were painted and decalled and were then superglued to the fuselage bottom  The pylons for the fuel tanks and missiles were then cemented to the bottom of the wings followed by the external tanks and the missiles themselves. The pitot and other probes were then cemented, followed by the canopies; the latter were set in the open position. Finally the airbrakes were cemented. To prolong the build a bit, I knocked the dorsal antenna and had to build a replacement using scrap plastic. The panel lines were enhanced using pencil. A final spray of Semi-Gloss Clear completed the build.

Conclusion

Ok, Zvezda's kits are not of the same level with Tamigawa's. However, their generally lower price makes great enticement to buy their kits. Whilst OOB the kit is fine enough, detail freaks might want to replace kit parts with aftermarket resin, PE, white metal or vacform parts plus filling and rescribing the panel lines. I'm not suffering from AMS, and to my eyes the kit looks like a MiG-31 and that was good enough for me.