MiG 23S PDRV PAuxAF 1996

[zenrat]

MiG 23S PDRV PAuxAF 1996

MiG 23 - 11 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-23) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is a third-generation jet fighter, alongside similar Soviet aircraft such as the Su-17. It was the first Soviet fighter to field a look-down/shoot-down radar, the RP-23 Sapfir, and one of the first to be armed with beyond-visual-range missiles. Production started in 1969 and reached large numbers with over 5,000 aircraft built, making it the most produced variable-sweep wing aircraft in history. Today the MiG-23 remains in limited service with some export customers.

MiG 23 - 2 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

When the People's Democratic Republic of Victoria People's Air Force (PDRV PAF) and Republican Guard replaced their MiG 23s with MiG 29s & 31s the aircraft were passed to People's Auxiliary Air Force units (PAuxAF) to serve as part of the republic's second line of defence.
As is often the way with auxiliary units their equipment was used in any tests and/or trials the regular air force deemed beneath them and managed to fob off their way.  This is the case with the aircraft pictured – it was part of a program trialling alternative colour schemes.

MiG 23 - 15 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

I don't know the reasoning behind this scheme.  It is described as Silver Grey but looks more like a sludgy pale Green to me (not an attractive colour).  According to the few documents on the trials released by the Air Ministry the paints specification calls for specular and colour shifting properties.  It does change shade depending up on the light, but not by the amount one would suspect if the specs had been met.  It may be that these properties have broken down with age.  The finish certainly seems to attract grime which withstands cleaning (PAuxAF units pride themselves on the appearance of their equipment) and as can be seen from the swept region of the wings it does not stand up well to wear or hydraulic fluid.

MiG 23 - 13 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Low visibility markings have been applied in a medium grey with the bort number in a paler shade – almost a flat silver.  While the roundels and fin flash can be made out the numerals on the forward fuselage are all but unreadable against the "Silver Grey" (they read 46).  Again this may be due to deterioration with age.  I am surprised it has not been repainted but maybe it serves the purpose of rendering the specific aircraft unidentifiable by observers?

MiG 23 - 10 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

It certainly carries an unexpected weapons loadout.  While the R-73s on the ventral hardpoints are normal for a PAuxAF plane P-77s as mounted on the inner wing hardpoints were at that time a relatively new system and as such were usually reserved for Republican Guard or more special operational use.  It could be that the aircraft, when photographed, was being used in covert operations by the organisation conspiracists claim is called Extraordinary Action but which in reality is part of the...

At this point the manuscript ends.  There appears to be a stain of some sort on the typewriter and chair.  It could be red wine.  The writer certainly seems to be suffering from delusions which could be blamed on alcohol.  One thing is for sure, no sober citizen would have typed that last sentence without engendering a certain amount of fear.

MiG 23 - 8 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Model

Hasegawa 1/72 MiG 23S built OOB apart from weapons.
Missiles by ICM from Soviet Air to Air weapons set.
Paint is Vallejo Model Air 71401 UK BSC Silver Grey Matt.  The box art features an aircraft finished in what the instructions describe as Silver but which looks more like beige.  I like the look and wanted to replicate it but the paint wasn't the shade I expected but rather this unattractive sludge green colour.
MiG 23S Green E13 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

MiG 23 - 18 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[comrade harps]

l dunno, l like that colour 

[Old Wombat]

Nice batch of builds, Fred! Like 'em all!

[Wardukw]

Im starting to see where Womby is coming from now 
Yeah i agree..lovely bunch of builds ..    ive got this bird in 48th and its sure as hell not going to be russian...honestly i dont know what it will be 

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.
DUKWy - Plenty of RW users to choose from.  Wiki lists 9 current operators and 25 former operators.  Uganda has interesting roundels.

This is the third Hasegawa MiG 23/27 kit (as in real life a lot of parts are shared) i've 'built".  First one got fixed wings as a strike aircraft and the second one got cut up to provide parts for my Harrier B (cut price CTOL version like an F-35A).
If you want good sturdy fuselage mounted main undercarriage legs then you can't go wrong pinching a set from one of these.
I have a Hasegawa MiG 27 in the stash.  No ideas yet.

[NARSES2]

That looks very good in that simple scheme.

I think I built that kit eons ago, probably bought it in Beatties 

[Wardukw]

During one of the 4 power cuts we had yesterday i got to thinking ..which we all know always leads to something becoming more complicated than it needs to be  and thats no different from what ive now got planned for the 23.
Lets just say quite a bit of cutting and shaping and moving of parts and out rigger landing gear 
Oh and possibly still swing wing