MiG-25 'Foxbat' and MiG-31 'Fox Hound'

[SinUnNombre]

Hey everyone. I've been trying to decide what to do with my Hobbycraft MiG-25 all week, but I'm drawing a blank. The only thing that comes to mind would be to paint it semi-gloss black with North Korean markings and scratchbuild a small tac-nuke for the centerline. What do y'all think? Thanks for your input. Later.

Jon

[gooberliberation]

Noseart: KIM JONG THRILLA

The highspeed bomber sounds plenty good enough. Perhaps some squiggle/mottled camo for the topside?

[Jennings]

USAF Red Hat aggressor?  Not as far fetched as you might think

J

[Sentinel Chicken]

Some MiG-25s were built as SEAD aircraft- this is from Greg Goebel's site:

* Along with the interceptor and reconnaissance variants, the Soviets developed a "suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD)" variant of the MiG-25. The idea had actually been around since before the first flight of any Foxbat prototype, embodied in a "Ye-155K" proposal, to eventually emerge as the "MiG-25BM", which was assigned the NATO codename of "Foxbat-F".

The USSR did not like the "up close and personal" approach of American "Wild Weasel" defense suppression aircraft and decided to adopt a "standoff" approach. The Foxbat-F was equipped with a sophisticated Yaguar (Jaguar) RHAWS, in a nose with 20 centimeter (8 inch) extension plug and dielectric panels for receiving antennas on the sides. The MiG-25BM carried a total of four "Kh-58" (NATO "AS-11 Kilter") antiradar missiles (ARMs) on its wing pylons. The Kh-58 has a range of more than 48 kilometers (30 miles), and was the first operational Soviet ARM that could be carried by a fighter-class aircraft.

The MiG-25BM generally carried the big 5,300 liter (1,400 US gallon) centerline tank. Since the MiG-25BM was a single-seat aircraft while US Wild Weasel platforms were two-seaters, pilot workload was probably on the high side.

The initial prototype was rebuilt from a MiG-25RBV and performed its initial flight in 1976. Production of the MiG-25BM began in 1982 and continued into 1985, with about a hundred built. Most or all Foxbat-Fs featured black-painted noses as a "deception" scheme to make them look like interceptors in surveillance images.

When East Germany was still a major basing area for the Soviet Frontal Aviation, there were -25BMs that were camouflaged.

So you could build it as a -25BM updated to today's standards- newer avionics and Kh-31 (AS-17 Krypton) missiles underwing. Disruptive splinter camouflage and Ukranian roundels.

Or if you wanna really go nucking futs, do the proposed supersonic bizjet version:



Give it Aeroflot markings like it's some sort of VVIP bird.  

[Captain Canada]

I've always fancied seeing one done up in CDN markings, as we could use an interceptor to stop US overflights.

[Brian da Basher]

Woah Sentinel Chicken, that Aeroflot supersonic bizjet is amazing! Hands-down, it's the best looking SST I've ever seen!

Brian da Basher

P.S. I'd love to see one in Eastern Airlines livery.

[noxioux]

SEAD Foxbat gets my vote.

[Matt Wiser]

When Viktor Belenko flew his MiG-25 to Japan in 1976, he brought the pilot's manual with him-he fully expected to teach American pilots to fly the Foxbat. Now, if the Japanese had consented, his bird winds up in Dreamland with the Red Hats...
Flying it would have to be done carefully, unlike the MiG-17s, -19s, -21s, and -23s
flown by the Red Hats, there would've been no ready source of spare parts.  Instead, the Japanese only allowed the U.S. to examine the plane, photograph it,
do ground tests of the radar and engines, before shipping it back to the Russians-
in pieces.  

[elmayerle]

The proposed four-seat "priority transport" version - not as stretched as the SSBBJ, but with four separate canopies but only the pilot having controls and insturments, the rest were all for passengers or very high priority cargo.

[K5054NZ]

North Koreeeeeaaaaaaa ^_^ !


You could go real world and do a Belenko diorama.....nah, I know - that buried Foxbat you showed me! Or, better yet, SEAD!

[Radish]

Drag Racer.....clip the wings and add some BIG tyres  

[Captain Canada]

But why use a MiG-25 when you have the CF-105, eh?

I was going with the idea that the -25 entered service whilst the 105 didn't.

Wonder where I got that idea ?

[Jennings]

Instead, the Japanese only allowed the U.S. to examine the plane, photograph it, do ground tests of the radar and engines, before shipping it back to the Russians-in pieces.

Well, most of it anyway...  Let's just say that Belenko's airplane was a few thousand pounds lighter when it returned to the USSR than it was when it left, and I ain't talkin' about fuel

J

[lancer]

But why use a MiG-25 when you have the CF-105, eh?

Because the MiG25 actually got to see service??

[gooberliberation]

I'm suddenly in this situation too. I've got a hasegawa foxbat sitting around. Mabye I'll do the tailsitter, since I've got an extra set of wings around.

Either that or an Satellite killer with laser pod and ASAT missiles. Nah, I'll do that to the MiG-31. Tailsitter for me!