Микоян - Гуревич, МиГ-21 [Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21] NATO Reporting Name FISHBED

[The Wooksta!]

I want one of them new kits of teh version with the ventral intake.

[nighthunter]

My two cents:

[ChernayaAkula]

^ I'd love to see a three-view of that!  Looks absolutely great! 

[Dizzyfugu]

Since I am waiting for parts from overseas for a figure conversion project, I pulled out a MasterCraft MiG-21 and started converting it to a German Luftwaffe whif. It will become a modernized/westernized version of the MiG-21bis from the NVA/LSK from the early 90ies, as an interceptor stop-gap when the Luftwaffe was waiting for the Jäger 90/Eurofighter/Typhoon to replace its aging F-4Fs (until 2004...).

[Dizzyfugu]

Another historical twist on the MiG-21:


A future project: MiG-21 with T-tail by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Found this in literature (it has been publishe4d in several books from Yefim Gordon), and it IMHO deserves whif attention: it's a desktop model from the early design stages of the famous MiG-21, which evolved from the swept-wing MiG-19 to a delta wing aircraft. And even though no further documents exist, Mikoyan OKB considered a very F-104ish wing and tail arrangement at the early design stages...

Looks strange, but somehow convincing, and it's on my list for whif projects!

Fuselage looks like a MiG-21F, wing surfaces should be easy to transplant from a Starfighter. When I do it, it will probably end up as a prototype (not as a production aircraft), allover NMF/aluminum/steel, with slender wing tip tanks and carrying and with orange dummy R-3 missiles under the wings. A new landing gear will be the biggest challenge, since the even thinner wings offer NO space for wheels? I might improvise a F-104 landing gear, or something like the early Su-7 protytypes had? Much room for creative work!

Photo calibration markings and maybe a small camera pod under the fuselage would also be plausible additions.

[PR19_Kit]

If you did similarly as they did with the production Mig 21 for the undercarriage wouldn't that work?

Only the legs are housed within the wing and the wheels fold vertically into the fuselage, even to the extent of needing bulges above and below to accomodate the tyres.

[Dizzyfugu]

Yes, that might be an option - but IMHO, if they had used a similar wing as on the F-104 which was just a few inches thick, I'd assume that there would be not enough internal space for a landing gear, despite the rotating wheels. If I tackle this one, I'll try to stow anything in the fuselage and leave the wings "clean" from the undercarriage. Unfortunately there's no documentation left that yields more details on this Mikoyan design - but it certainly does not look out of place or inplausible!

[Sauragnmon]

The internally folding tight-quarters config of the Flogger might be a solution, or Viper-style main gears where they fold forward.

[Dizzyfugu]

That's an option, too, even though I guess that these donation parts might look a bit massive on the slender MiG-21F? But it would be logical, indeed. But I suppose that I'd try to create "something" from the Starfighter landing gear, or search in the scrap box - an A-7 landing gear could also be an option?

[Dizzyfugu]

Current project: the simulation of an in-service Chengdu J-7FS interceptor, PLAAF use:


1:72 Chengdu J-7FS (Whif/Matchbox kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Chris707]

I've often thought a Fishbed evolution with the Analog wing, a butterfly tail, a ventral intake, and some manner of thrust vectoring would look very 21st Century-ish...

Here's a 1959 article I found on MiG's Faceplate, back when the West thought it was the MiG-21:

http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1959/April%201959/0459close.aspx

And here's a Ye3/1 "Filbert" WIF prototype in 1:72 scale; wonder if the gentleman who did this is active here?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/7988033078/

He has quite a few more, including the MiG-SPB Flintstone!

Fishbed D at NMUSAF

[pyro-manic]

Yes, Dizzyfugu has been quite active here in the past few months - he's posted just above you! Check out his builds in the Current and Completed Projects section.

[Dizzyfugu]

You're welcome!

[Daryl J.]

Rather than using the MF for the Analog, use the F-13 variant.

[Daryl J.]

Now that there is a proper MiG-21 PFM available in 1:48, equip it with either a ground attack suit or the recce pod of a MiG-21R and paint it up in Khemedi markings.