Firefox, as in MiG-31, the novel & the movie

[famvburg]

   I was recently doing some research on the MiG-31 Firefox, partly for the Anigrand kit & partly for other interests. I can't believe there's never been a thread here about Firefox, but I did a search & nothing. Anyway, I was thinking of making one Anigrand kit in US markings, as if once Gant made it safely to NATO hands, the US began testing it. Mainly generic USAF markings & possibly some test-type markings & maybe some red panels. Maybe even another in Flanker camo for an update had it entered service. Who knows if the Soviets would have built another after we stole it? When I read the novel back in '81, the cover had a model of a modified F-15, mainly had different tail surfaces & Sparrow missiles under the wings, of course it was silver with a red nose & red stars. The novel seemed to indicate it was similar to the MiG-25, much like the real MiG-31 turned out. I built an F-15 modded like the one on the cover, as well as having scratched a couple of Firefoxes. I also thought the RA-5 Vigilante looked MiG enough that I painted one silver with red stars & hung Acrids under the wings. Since the F-18 was coming around then & was an advanced fighter at the time, I did an F-18 likewise only put Sparrows under it. I keep planning to do a Foxhound similarly just for principle. I've been tempted to do something similar to an SR-71 as well, just for kicks. Some time back, I read that Clint Eastwoods production company was in negotiations with the Swedish AF to use two SAAB Viggens for the movie Firefoxes. Naturally, I need to add a Soviet Viggen to my Firefox collection. I can't decide if it should be silver, or gray or maybe even a MiG-23 type of camo, or would they have even left it in the Swedish camo to add to its exotic look. Maybe they would have used the very dark gray that was used on the movie Firefox. I'm tempted to go with a silver scheme. Any thoughts? Also, any thoughts on other alternate real aircraft to stand in for the Firefox? I also have a CF-105 Arrow in the stash for consideration at some point.

[GTX]

   I was recently doing some research on the MiG-31 Firefox, partly for the Anigrand kit & partly for other interests. I can't believe there's never been a thread here about Firefox, but I did a search & nothing. Anyway, I was thinking of making one Anigrand kit in US markings, as if once Gant made it safely to NATO hands, the US began testing it. Mainly generic USAF markings & possibly some test-type markings & maybe some red panels. Maybe even another in Flanker camo for an update had it entered service.

I like the US Testing scheme idea.  I have a 1/48 Resin kit that I plan to do in Flanker style colours some day.

Regards,

Greg

[gofy]

I always thought that the Eurofighter looked like a good-looking Firefox...

[pyro-manic]

If there's one thing the Typhoon isn't, it's Russian. IMO of course. Soviet stuff always had that brutal, massive look that the Tiffie just doesn't have. The Arrow would work well, I think, and what about the F-108? Another idea that occurs would be to scale-bash a Tu-22M Backfire. Take a 1:72 kit and put a 1:48 cockpit and weapons on it, or likewise a 1:144 (can you get a 1:144 Backfire?) to 1:72 scale. Maybe change the wing to a fixed, large wing rather than the VG original.

[Dizzyfugu]

In my huge project pile there's a kitbash for something in 1:72 that would have been the REAL Firefox, based on the the MiG 301 and 701 projects:





Basis will be B1-B in 1:144, with donation parts, among others, from an F-15E and Tornados. Still far behind the horizon, but these things look so great... 

[Mossie]

This one as well, a MAI graduate thesis for a Foxhound replacement.  You could maybe get part way there with a forward fuselage from a Fullback and wings from a J-20.

More here, including detail drawings:
http://www.sdbp-harpoon.narod.ru/HTML/scheme_eng.htm

[TsrJoe]

wasnt there a kit of the 'Harpoon' announced a year or so back ? i haven't heard anything since tho  

i like your US. test 'Firefox' idea, i built a model of the film 'MiG.31' from an inaccurate resin kit about 6 years ago, correcting and adding detail where i could, turned out ok in the end. I did finish it in an overall black scheme tho to fit in with my other 'stealth' builds 

cheers, Joe

[Mossie]

It was originally announced about five years ago by Allanger, they of course went boobies up.  I remember hearing a rumour around the same time that Zvezda had taken the moulds, but no kit so far.  I hadn't heard anything more recentley, I would like to see it ressurected.

I had a thread on it in 2007 with a scan from the Pocketbond catalogue:
http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,15625.0/highlight,garpun.html

[MiB]

35 years ago I built a firefox out of an x-wing kit: new wings (from plasticard sheet), forwarded cockpit and matt black finished.

Now, this week, I'll modify an FSX model with a new american test livery, USAF or NASA (maybe black or silver or olive drab).
Stay tuned!

[MiB]

thumbnail by ilmib, su Flickr

USAF/NASA Firefox FSX model, whit 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron patch and Groom Dry Lakem Test Facility patch

[sandiego89]

A natural metal finish or something like a SR-71 would likely be the most realistic for high Mach speeds if you are going for realism.  Cammo schemes would do poorly with the heat from high-speed flight, as would white, look at pictures of the XB-70 after her Mach 3 run, she looked scorched. 

Boring, but more realistic.       

[KiwiZac]

I recently reread the novel with an eye to building a model of PP1 and these are the notes I took:
- silver, elongated nose
- huge intakes
- wing-mounted cannon
- single nosewheel
- 22' mainwheel track
- possibly single rudder
- AA-3 Anab on underwing and wingtip mounts
- detachable drone tail unit

[Mossie]

It's a long time since I read it, but IIRC there's a small mention about passive stealth, so probably some faceting?

[Weaver]

Re alternative Firefoxes, if the movie had been made three years later, they could have used the F-16XL prototypes, which by that time had lost the ETF competition to the F-15E and were in flyable storage.