MIG 19 introduction and colour schemes

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-17) is a jet fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants. Licence production was carried out in East Germany, Poland (PZL-Mielec Lim-6) and the Peoples Republic of China (Shenyang J-5). USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 38", NATO reporting name "Fresco".

Development

The MiG-17 design was generally based on a previously successful Mikoyan and Gurevich fighter, the MiG-15.The major novelty was its introduction of a swept wing with a "compound sweep" configuration: a 45° angle near the fuselage, and a 42° angle for the outboard part of the wings. Other easily visible differences to its predecessor were the three wing-fences on each wing, instead of the MiG-15's two, and the addition of a ventral fin. The MiG-17 shared the same Klimov VK-1 engine and the rest of its construction was similar. The first prototype, designated "SI" by the construction bureau, was flown on the 14 January 1950, piloted by Ivan Ivashchenko.
Despite the SI prototype's crash on 17 March 1950, tests of another prototype "SI-2" and experimental series aircraft "SI-02" and "SI-01" in 1951, were generally successful, and on 1 September 1951 the aircraft was accepted for production. It was estimated that with the same engine as the MiG-15's, the MiG-17's maximum speed is higher by 40-50 km/h, and the fighter has greater manoeuvrability at high altitude.

Serial production started in August 1951. During production, the aircraft was improved and modified several times. The basic MiG-17 was a general-purpose day fighter, armed with three cannons. It could also act as a fighter-bomber, but its bombload was considered light relative to other aircraft of the time, and it usually carried additional fuel tanks instead of bombs.

The second prototype variant, "SP-2", was an interceptor equipped with a radar. Soon a number of MiG-17P all-weather fighters were produced with the Izumrud radar and front air intake modifications. In the spring of 1953 the MiG-17F day fighter entered production. Fitted with the VK-1F engine with an afterburner, which improved its performance, it became the most popular variant of the MiG-17. The next mass-produced variant with afterburner and radar was the MiG-17PF. In 1956 a small series (47 aircraft) was converted to the MiG-17PM standard (also known as PFU) with four first-generation Kaliningrad K-5 (NATO reporting name AA-1 'Alkali') air-to-air missiles. A small series of MiG-17R reconnaissance aircraft were built with VK-1F engine (after first being tested with the VK-5F engine).

Several thousand MiG-17s were built in the USSR by 1958.

Design

Day-fighter variants (MiG-17, MiG-17F) were armed with two NR-23 23 mm cannons (80 rounds each) and one N-37 37 mm cannon (40 rounds), which were mounted on a common bed under the central air intake. The gun bed could be easily wound down for maintenance. On radar-equipped variants (MiG-17P, MiG-17PF), the N-37 37 mm cannon was replaced with a third NR-23 23 mm cannon (carrying 100 rounds each) to compensate for the weight aft of the radar. All variants could carry 100 kg bombs on two underwing pylons and some could carry 250 kg bombs; however, these pylons were usually used for 400l fuel tanks. The MiG-17R was armed with two 23 mm cannons. Most MiG-17s in third world service today fly as ground attack or trainer aircraft.

The only variant with air-to-air missiles was the MiG-17PM (or MiG-17PFU), which could carry four K-5 (NATO: AA-1 'Alkali'). It had no cannons. Some countries occasionally modified their MiG-17s to carry unguided rockets or bombs on additional pylons. MiG-17s in Cuba could be armed with AA-2 "Atoll" missiles.

The MiG-17P was equipped with the Izumrud-1 (RP-1) radar, while the MiG-17PF was initially fitted with the RP-1 which was later replaced with the Izumrud-5 (RP-5) radar. The MiG-17PM was also equipped with a radar, used to aim its missiles. Other variants had no radar.

Licence production
 

In 1955, Poland received a license for MiG-17 production. The MiG-17F was produced by the WSK-Mielec factory under the designation Lim-5. The first Lim-5 was built on 28 November 1956 and 477 were built by 1960. An unknown number were built as the Lim-5R reconnaissance variant, fitted with the AFA-39 camera. In 1959-1960, 129 MiG-17PF interceptors were produced as the Lim-5P. PZL-WSK also developed several Polish attack plane variants based on the MiG-17: the Lim-5M, produced from 1960; Lim-6bis, produced from 1963; and Lim-6M (converted in the 1970s); as well as two reconnaissance variants: the Lim-6R (Lim-6bisR) and MR.

In China, an initial MiG-17F was assembled from parts in 1956, with license production following in 1957 at Shenyang. The Chinese-built version is known as the Shenyang J-5 (for local use) or F-5 (for export). According to some sources, earlier MiG-17s which had been delivered directly from the USSR were designated "J-4". From 1964, the Chinese produced a radar-equipped variant similar to the MiG-17PF, which was known as the J-5A (F-5A). The Chinese also developed a two-seat trainer variant, the JJ-5 (FT-5 for export), which integrated the cabin of the JJ-2 (a license-built MiG-15UTI) with the J-5. It was produced in 1966-1986, being the last-produced MiG-17 variant and its only twin-seater variant. The Soviets did not produce a two-seat MiG-17 as they felt that the training variant of the older MiG-15 was sufficient.

Many Soviet and licence-built examples remain in service to this day, though not all are currently active, making the MiG-17 one of the longest serving fighters ever built.

Operational history
 
The strategic purpose of this, and most other Soviet fighters, was to shoot down US bombers, not engage in dogfights. This subsonic (.93 Mach) fighter was effective against slower (.6-.8 Mach), heavily loaded US fighter-bombers, as well as the mainstay American strategic bombers during the MiG-17's development cycle (such as the B-50 or B-36, which were both still powered by piston engines). Even if the target had sufficient warning and time to shed weight and drag by dropping external ordnance and accelerate to supersonic escape speeds, doing so would have inherently forced the enemy aircraft to abort its bombing mission. By the time the USAF introduced strategic bombers capable of cruising at supersonic speeds such as the B-58 Hustler and FB-111, however, the MiG-17 became obsolete in PVO service and was supplanted by supersonic interceptors such as the MiG-21 and MiG-23.

Twenty countries flew MiG-17s. The MiG-17 became a standard fighter in all Warsaw Pact countries in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They were also bought by many other countries, mainly in Africa and Asia, that were neutrally aligned or allied with the USSR. The MiG-17 flies today in several of these nations air forces. Including Angola, Mali, Mozambique, North Korea, Sudan, and Tanzenia.

MiG-17s were not available for the Korean War, but saw combat for the first time over the Straits of Taiwan when PRC MiG-17s clashed with ROC F-86 Sabres in 1958. The MiG-17 was the primary interceptor of the fledgling Vietnam People's Air Force in 1965 and scored its first victories and saw considerable action during the Vietnam War, when they frequently worked in conjunction with MiG-21s and MiG-19s. Some North Vietnamese pilots, in fact, preferred the MiG-17 over the MiG-21; it was more agile, though not as fast.

The American fighter community was shocked in 1965 when elderly, subsonic MiG-17s downed sophisticated Mach-2-class F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers over North Vietnam. To redress disappointing combat performance against smaller, more agile fighters like the MiGs, the Americans established dissimilar air combat training (DACT) in training programs such as "TOPGUN", which employed subsonic A-4 Skyhawk aircraft to mimic more manoeuvrable opponents such as the MiG-17. The US Navy also set Adversary squadrons equipped with the nimble A-4 at each of its fighter and attack Master jet bases to provide DACT.

MiG-17s also flew against Israel in the various Arab-Israeli conflicts, with very disappointing results. This was mostly due to poor pilot skills on the Arab side of the conflicts. At least 24 of them served with the Nigerian Air Force and were flown by a mixed group of Nigerian and mercenary pilots from East Germany, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia during the 1967-70 Nigerian Civil War. Four were hurriedly supplied by the USSR to Sri Lanka during the 1971 insurgency and were used for bombing and ground attack in that conflict.

Variants

 
I-300
Prototype.
MiG-17 (Fresco-A)
Basic fighter version powered by VK-1 engine ("aircraft SI").
MiG-17A
Fighter version powered by VK-1A engine with longer lifespan.
MiG-17AS
Multirole conversion, fitted to carry unguided rockets and the K-13 air to air missile.
MiG-17P (Fresco-B)
All-weather fighter version equipped with Izumrud radar ("aircraft SP").
MiG-17F (Fresco-C)
Basic fighter version powered by VK-1F engine with afterburner ("aircraft SF").
MiG-17PF (Fresco-D)
All-weather fighter version equipped with Izumrud radar and VK-1F engine ("aircraft SP-7F").
MiG-17PM/PFU (Fresco-E)
Fighter version equipped with radar and K-5 (NATO: AA-1 'Alkali') air-to-air missiles ("aircraft SP-9").
MiG-17R
Reconnaissance aircraft with VK-1F engine and camera ("aircraft SR-2s")
MiG-17SN
Experimental variant with twin side intakes, no central intake, and nose redesigned to allow 23 mm cannons to pivot to engage ground targets. Not produced.

Shenyang J-5

Some withdrawn aircraft were converted to remotely controlled targets.


Specifications (MiG-17F)

General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 11.36 m (37 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 9.63 m (31 ft 7 in)
Height: 3.80 m (12 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 22.6 m² (243.2 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,930 kg (8,646 lb)
Loaded weight: 5,354 kg (11,803 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 6,286 kg (13,858 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Klimov VK-1F afterburning turbojet, 33.1 kN with afterburner (7,440 lbf)

Performance
Maximum speed: 1,144 km/h at 3,000 m (711 mph at 10,000 ft (3,000 m))
Range: 1,080 km, 1,670 km with drop tanks (670 mi / 1,035 mi)
Service ceiling 16,600 m (54,500 ft)
Rate of climb: 65 m/s (12,795 ft/min)
Wing loading: 237 kg/m² (48 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 0.63


Armament
1x 37 mm Nudelman N-37 cannon (40 rounds total)
2x Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 cannons (80 rounds per gun, 160 rounds total)
Up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of external stores on two pylons, including 100 kg (220 lb) and 250 kg (550 lb) bombs or fuel tanks.

Messerschmit Bf 109G-6

It's been said that "The best book has yet to be written and the best song has yet to be sung." However, if you've been waiting for the best 109G kit, look no further Hasegawa has produced it. Is it possible for another manufacturer to make a better kit? Probably, but it's unlikely that another manufacturer will spend the money that will take to make a better 109 kit. However, the individual modeler can always add labor as well as after market items to make the basic Hasegawa 109s better.
Because the kit is engineered to allow a number of variants to be built by using small parts molded on the sprue you must be careful to use only those parts for the variant you wish to build.

Hasegawa has released their Bf 109G-6 in a variety of boxes, all are the same excellent kit with minor differences usually different markings.

The entire cockpit is painted Schwarz Grau and dry brushed with light gray to bring up the details. The instrument panel is black and again dry brushed with light gray to bring up the bezels, knobs and levers. Red, yellow, green,and white are used to add color to the dials knobs and levers. When the interior was dry the fuselage halves were glued together and installed the cockpit and instrument panel.
Before gluing the wing tops to the lower wing be sure to install the two radiator screens. The wing to fuselage joints are extremely tight and to my non-contest standards required no putty. However, if you are building for competition you might make a different decision. The wing bulges are a little angular on the side facing the fuselage, but a few swipes of a sanding stick took care of it.
The protruding plastic representing the gun tube barrel was drilled outon the spinner and replaced it with a short piece of metal tubing. One of the finer points of the Hasegawa 109s are the individual cowl mounted machine guns. After drilling out the barrels they were painted with Gunze Stainless (NAMC213) and dry brushed with Testors silver and set aside.

Than the landing gear legs were painted with RLM 02 with Testors silver shock absorber sleeves and after using a wash of dark gray on the joints they were put aside. The wheel hubs were painted with RLM066 Black Gray and dry brushed with Testors silver. After that the tires with AeroMaster Tire Black and using shades of brown dried mud on the tires was simulated.

Hartman's aircraft carried the standard fighter scheme of RLM 76/74/75; Light Blue/Gray Green/Medium Gray.with yellow code letters and yellow theater markings. Gunze Sangyo paint were used for this model for all colors and each color was lightened by 25%. This colours on this model were applied with Badger 150 double action airbrush with a fine tip and first was sprayed Medium Grey 76 and than RLM 75 was added. At the and when the kit was dry the 74 was airbrushed. After the kit was dry(after one day) the kit was sprayed with . When the three colors were dry mottling the sides and tail begun. Then after few days when the kit is dry the kit was sprayed with kit overall with Future in preparation for applying the decals. As usual Hasegawa has supplied a magnificent decal sheet containing two different aircraft that Hartman flew.

German Colors...................Gunze Sangyo
RLM 02 RLM Grau...............MAH070
RLM 66 Schwarz grau...........MAH339
RLM 74 Graugrün..................MAH068
RLM 75 Grauviolet................MAH069
RLM 76.Hellgrau....................MAH062
RLM 27 Gelb...........................MAH004

Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4

The Bf 109F-4 continues Hasegawa's fantastic Messerschmitt series offering the entire line of 109s from the Bf 109E through the final war time production machine, the Bf 109K. The Hasegawa kits along with the B and C from HobbyCraft allows the modeler to build a complete collection of wartime Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Kudos must go to Hasegawa for attempting such an effort let alone completing it with such excellence.
  The kits have common parts where applicable, but Hasegawa has not spared expense in producing separate sprues of different parts as required to produce the most accurate representation of the respective aircraft.
  Molded in light gray plastic the sprues are virtually flash free. To often manufacturers have positioned the panel lines of the F and G the same ­Hasegawa has not, the panel lines are delicate and correctly positioned for each series.
  The cockpit is replaced with an after market True Detail resin (TD48493) cockpit which was designed for the Hasegawa kit. Using the painting guide that comes with the resin cockpit along with photos in Monogram's German Aircraft Interior book, the resin cockpit was finished and was set aside for installation later.
  Following the instructions the propeller shaft was installed and using Tennax 7 it was glued the fuselage halves together. The fuselage was set aside to dry while. When the fuselage and wing assembly were dry the cockpit was installed, then very carefully wing assembly was glued to the fuselage with Zap Superglue. 
The wheels were replaced with True Detail weighted wheels (TD 48003). First were painted the hubs, then covering the hubs with Fast Mask Wheel Hub Masks (TD83103) the tires were sprayed with a dark gray to simulate used rubber.
  The colors called for on the Hasegawa plans are three shades of gray, which are probably correct. 
  After a coat of Future dried, the kit decals went on nicely, snuggling down with an application of Micro Sol. A sealer coat was then sprayed of Future on the model and all the unassembled parts. When the sealer was dry several light coats of Testors Clear Flat Spray were sprayed and allowed it to dry overnight.
When the Clear Flat Spray was dry (at least 24 hours) the penciling process is next. Using a Koh I NOOR RAPIDOMATIC mechanical pencil with .03 lead the panel lines were penciled in as well as some rivets that Hasegawa has seen fit to indent. 
  Penciled panel lines may not pass the muster of the accuracy/realism police, but I've always thought of modeling as more of an art form based on engineering rather than an extension of engineering. And Hasegawa's engineering on their 109 series is superb, a perfect vehicle to add a good bit art.

Used Colours:

Gunze TS5061 RLM76 Light Gray
Gunze TS5060 RLM75 Gray Violet
Gunze TS5059 RLM74 Dark Gray