[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:72 Mitsubishi XF-2B 63-8101 JASDF, Gifu Air Show 2007( Hobby Master)

Dual seat variant of the F-2 in Narayan Sir's collection. - the F-2B. Model armed with 1 X AAM-2 IRM, 1 X AIM-9 SIdewinder, 3 X F-16 drop tanks and 4 X ASM-2 Anti-ship missiles.

Re-posting this Hobbymaster XF-2B model of mine to highlight Hobbymaster's generosity when it comes to shipping missing spares . I do not know of any other brand that honours requests by collectors for spares like missiles, antennas etc. I know JC Wings doesn't nor does Inflight. Geminijets apparently does it but I am not sure.

When I got this model, the model was missing its starboard wingtip AAM-2 missile. The missing AAM-2 was nowhere to be found in the box either. Somewhat disappointed, I had displayed it as it is(with its starboard wingtip missile missing). Later, to mask the issue of missing armament, I mounted an AIM-9 missile instead from a weapons pack I had, but it just did not look right.

Earlier this year, I came to know that one can request spares from Hobbymaster and they ship the requested spares to you directly at no cost by Registered post from Hong Kong. In April this year, I made a request to them on e-mail(by giving the model No. - HA20707 in my case and a photo of the missing missile). They acknowledged the e-mail, asked for my postal address and shipped out the spare missile to me by Registered Post within a day(at no charge to me).

Understandably, it took two nearly three months to reach me but the wait was well worth it. An incomplete model was something that was bugging me and I can't thank HM enough for their gesture.

So, if anyone ever has any issue with any of the spares on their HM models, HM is there to support you.

























P.S I came to know later that this model was from the order stock that HM's previous Indian dealer(not DBJets) had got and some mischief was done by that dealer before he handed out the unsold stock to someone else in India. I have a HM P-51 too that has a missing signature plate on the stand(which was neatly cut out and removed from the stand's plastic cover!!!

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

Re-posting this Hobbymaster XF-2B model of mine to highlight Hobbymaster's generosity when it comes to shipping missing spares . I do not know of any other brand that honours requests by collectors for spares like missiles, antennas etc. I know JC Wings doesn't nor does Inflight. Geminijets apparently does it but I am not sure.

Thats very nice of them and its great for loyalty to keep the customer Happy

I remember as a child in the early 1990s I had a model kit of an aircraft carrier which was either missing planes or I had wanted more so I had written to the manufacturer. The kit came with a pre-printed post card to mail to them in case of missing parts and after some time they did mail more 1:572 Scale planes to me. However the planes had two parts, the body and the vertical tail, unfortunately I wasn't very smart and asked only for the main body

Even now some scale model kits like Italeri give an address to request for missing parts and a pre-printed form. If any of your Russian 1:72 models are missing any missiles or armaments let me know as I have some spares left over from model kits.

1:400 Air India Boeing 747-400 Registration VT-ESO.



Along with an 1:200 Air India 747-200.


The Real Aircraft.



1:400 Jet Airways Boeing 777-300ER Registration VT-JEA







The actual Aircraft.






Both of these models are 15-20 years old but seem to be unsold and were still in their original packing. I had bought them online almost a year back and shipped them to a US address but someone managed to bring them to India just a few days ago.

Huge difference in quality in the 1:400 models by Gemini Jets now and these antique models from the past !

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Thats very nice of them and its great for loyalty to keep the customer Happy

From what I have read, HM patiently responds to almost all e-mails sent to them and this is what sets them apart. Be it spares request, Model suggestions or feedback, they do respond.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

I remember as a child in the early 1990s I had a model kit of an aircraft carrier which was either missing planes or I had wanted more so I had written to the manufacturer. The kit came with a pre-printed post card to mail to them in case of missing parts and after some time they did mail more 1:572 Scale planes to me.

That is nice. I cant imagine how frustrating it would be to find missing parts in a model one intends to build.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

If any of your Russian 1:72 models are missing any missiles or armaments let me know as I have some spares left over from model kits.

Thank you for the offer. But all missiles & parts are accounted for so far.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

1:400 Air India Boeing 747-400 Registration VT-ESO.

Excellent!!! Congratulations, another wonderful addition to your Indian fleet!!!

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Both of these models are 15-20 years old but seem to be unsold

And that makes them even more desirable. You are lucky to find such old model is such fantastic condition

With its newly installed AAM-2 CCM, Viper Zero became Airborne!!!









Comparing it with an F-16. The F-2 is to the F-16 what the Super Hornet is to the Hornet.

[V.Narayan]

Sandesh, Foxbat, congratulations on your lovely, delectable, delightful exciting, yummy new acquisitions. Foxbat I agree as a 12-year old your modelling skills and painting skills were really good. I assume you will preserve these models. You'll value them even more 25 years hence. I love the Air India B747-200. That livery of AI was the best of all introduced with the first 747 Emperor Ashoka in 1971. The 707s had a slightly different font.

Sandesh, congratulations on correcting the missing AAM on the F-1. Can you PM me the address of HM to which I can write for new stands for some of my HM aircraft {MiG-21, Mirage 2000, Lockheed Viking, Phantom etc} so I can better utilize my floor area of the shelves. The F-1 is just such a great aircraft and that model is so well made. I sometimes wish in 1988 we did to the MiG-21bis what the Japs did with the F-1 and built our interim LCA.

I just fell in love with your tanks & MICVs. Foxbat must be celebrating your drift to the East :-). Marvelously sculpted. What make are these? The BMP-1, though outdated by todays standards was a revolutionary product and concept when it entered service in the 1960s. Goes to show how much creativity and open thought existed in the Soviet military. Really top class pieces - all of them with their beauty enhanced by your superb photography. I've been out of circulation a bit from this thread due to pressures of work. Plan on shooting my MiG-29 soon. There is a Su-24 also waiting for me to assemble.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Sandesh, Foxbat, congratulations on your lovely, delectable, delightful exciting, yummy new acquisitions.

Thank You Sir.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Can you PM me the address of HM to which I can write for new stands for some of my HM aircraft

Done. Please check PM.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

I just fell in love with your tanks & MICVs. Foxbat must be celebrating your drift to the East :-). Marvelously sculpted. What make are these?

Yes, they are extremely well detailed. They are from a Russian brand called "Modimio", but as in the case with most diecast models, they too are Made in China.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Plan on shooting my MiG-29 soon. There is a Su-24 also waiting for me to assemble.

Can't wait to see them, especially your Su-24, which has been pending since a long time

[sajands]

This landed in today

Was looking for one with the sharklet wings.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by sajands

This landed in today

Was looking for one with the sharklet wings.

Wow! Great Find! Extremely good detailing for 1:400 model especially for a A320. Where did you get it from ? I saw it on many websites abroad to pre-order only.

[sajands]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Wow! Great Find! Extremely good detailing for 1:400 model especially for a A320. Where did you get it from ? I saw it on many websites abroad to pre-order only.

Got this from a collector friend of mine who happened to have a spare.

[Foxbat]

After approximately two decades in service, the Indian Air Force decided to give a new life to the Mig-29 with the signing of the UPG upgrade program. The program aimed to bring Indian MiG 29s upto the Russian MiG 29SMT standard, called the MiG 29UPG(Product 9.20). The program included a new fire control suite, with a new Zhuk ME slotted array radar, new IRST and at India’s request few other foreign and Indian avionics equipment were also integrated. The program also saw a few structural changes, with addition of an A2A refueling probe, an enlarged fuel tank. The first six MiG 29s from India flew to Russia after the deal in 2008 itself, and the first flight of the first upgraded MiG 29 happened from Zhukhovskii in 2010. After an initial upgraded batch from Russia, the rest of the fleet was upgraded in India itself at 11 Base Repair Depot.

1/72 Indian Air Force Mig-29UPG "Baaz"













The Actual Aircraft.



This model has been work in progress since February, finally got time to finish it today

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

1/72 Indian Air Force Mig-29UPG "Baaz"
This model has been work in progress since February, finally got time to finish it today

Hearty congratulations. This is a first class kit and I admire your tenacity to see the job through. These models are very tough to put together and even tougher to paint. Well done!

The MiG-29 especially in its developed variants - SMG, M, K, UPG is an eagle in every way with the shortfalls of the early versions ironed out. If the Cold War had not closed so abruptly the MiG-29M would have been our ideal MMRCA back in the 1990s onwards to today. Alas. Glad these versatile machines will continue with us for another 10 years or so.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Hearty congratulations. This is a first class kit and I admire your tenacity to see the job through. These models are very tough to put together and even tougher to paint. Well done!

The MiG-29 especially in its developed variants - SMG, M, K, UPG is an eagle in every way with the shortfalls of the early versions ironed out. If the Cold War had not closed so abruptly the MiG-29M would have been our ideal MMRCA back in the 1990s onwards to today. Alas. Glad these versatile machines will continue with us for another 10 years or so.

Thanks 👍

This is an excellent kit by the Russian manufacturer Zvezda made in mother Russia. Excellent fit and finish but hundreds of parts and decals. I scratch built the antenna on the right fin and also printed IAF stickers which unfortunately came out transparent. Hours then had to be spent to to put upside down Finnish and French roundels below the stickers to have a white background. But at the end the model came out well.

Thanks for waiting to post your Mig-29, looking forward to it now!

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

1/72 Indian Air Force Mig-29UPG "Baaz"

Simply Outstanding, Foxbat. The hardwork, love, attention to detail you have put on model shines through brilliantly. Icing on the cake is the IAF UPG specific mod that you have depicted so well!!!

If I may ask, why that odd serial number?

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Thanks 👍

I scratch built the antenna on the right fin

Can you please tell me what material did you use to build that?

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

Simply Outstanding, Foxbat. The hardwork, love, attention to detail you have put on model shines through brilliantly. Icing on the cake is the IAF UPG specific mod that you have depicted so well!!!

If I may ask, why that odd serial number?

Can you please tell me what material did you use to build that?

Thanks This is in my Top 2 favourite assembled models now!

While adding that serial number I was thinking SKanchan would definitely catch the fake number The Kit is from a Russian Mig-29SMT and the serial is also a trim of 'RF-92937' supplied with the kit. I know Indian Serials are KBU31XX but I didn't have any decals nor are they available separately(maybe from a specialty shop abroad but they would take months to arrive). So instead of leaving it blank I decided to added a fictional number.

Many professional model makers print their own decals on special decal paper but I neither have a printer at home nor want to spend 3-4k on the paper.

The antenna on the rear starboard fin is made of an unused part of the kit(the intake covers which I didn't install). It was cut, glued together and then sanded to fit.

[sajands]

Move over Air Force One, our Air India One has just landed.

[Foxbat]

The MiG-19 "Farmer" was the first supersonic fighter built in the former USSR. The MiG-19 prototype made its first flight in September 1953 and was placed into production in 1955. It was the Soviet Union's primary fighter during the last half of the 1950's. Possibly as many as 10,000 MiG-19's, in various versions, were built by the Soviet Union, China, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. About 2,000 have been built in the People's Republic of China. Many other countries used the MiG-19, including Cuba, North Vietnam, North Korea, Iraq, and most of the Warsaw Pact nations. The Soviet Union phased out the MiG-19 in the early 1960s in favor of the more advanced MiG-21. However, the MiG-19 continued to be used by the other nations for many more years.

The F-6 (Jianjiji-6 Fighter aircraft 6) is the Chinese version of the MiG-19, which as of the mid-1990s was still in production in China. The J-6, which began flight tests in 1958, was China's first supersonic jet fighter. The F-6 has six attachment points for external stores (three on each wing).

The aircraft's wings are mid-mounted, swept-back, and tapered with blunt tips. There are wing fences and wide wing roots. There are two turbojet engines mounted inside the body and a single, round air intake in the nose. Note that what appears to be a single air intake is actually separated on the inside with each engine drawing air from its own intake. Two aircraft that have a single air intake with two engines are the Lightning and the G.91Y. There are dual exhausts. The fuselage is long, tube-shaped, and tapers slightly to the blunt nose and widens to the exhausts. There is a bubble canopy well forward on the nose. The tail fin is sharply swept-back and tapered with blunt tips. Flats high-mounted on the fuselage and swept-back with blunt tips.

The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) began receiving the MiG-19 at the end of Operation Rolling Thunder, which ended in 1968. Despite their limited numbers, MiG-19s were involved in extensive combat during Operations Linebacker and Linebacker 2. The VPAF claimed seven victories over U.S. aircraft using the MiG-19, all of which were F-4 Phantom IIs.The MiG-19 was tested by U.S. pilots in the United States in 1969 after receiving a Chinese J-6 (F-6 exported model) from Pakistan.In addition to finding the aircraft to have a good canopy allowing good visibility for the pilot, along with three hard hitting 30mm cannons, U.S. pilots found the MiG-19 (J6/F6) to be an excellent fighter, "like the MiG-17, it could easily out-turn the Phantom...and could out-accelerate the F-4 out to Mach 1.2, but was slower than the MiG-21.

1/72 Vietnam People's Air Force MiG-19S (F-6) 'Farmer C', 6032 of Nguyen Hong Son, 925th Fighter Regiment, May 1972











I bought this excellent book by Istvan Toperczer while building this model which gives the story of the air war from a Vietnamese perspective. US air combat losses seem to 3-4x what they admit to since they attribute most of their losses to SAMs or AAA which seem to appear out of nowhere at any altitude!


The Phantom Killer: Three pilots serving with the 925th
Fighter Regiment became well known for their similar names -Nguyen Hong Son, Pham Hung Son and Nguyen Hung Son, who were
quickly dubbed 'Son A', 'Son B' and 'Son C', respectively. All three were successful in downing enemy aircraft.

6032 can be seen in this picture in the background.


Nguyen Hong Son (A), seen in this photograph shot down an F-4
over Yen Bai on 8 May 1972. Two days later his MiG
was struck by an missile and although he successfully ejected
from his stricken fighter, 'Son A' was fatally injured on landing. No US aircraft a claimed a kill so its possible he was hit by a friendly SAM.


During the confusion of battle, Nguyen Hong Son tried to drop his
fuel tanks but pulled the wrong lever. The brake chute deployed instead,
and it was instantly ripped away. At the same time Nguyen Ngoc Tiep
thought he saw an American pilot ejecting.
Eventually Nguyen Hong Son managed to get rid of his fuel tanks,
only to see he was being lined up by an AAM. He only escaped thanks to
a sudden dive.
His attacker followed him, but because of his greater speed he overran
the MiG-19, and it was Nguyen Hong Son who now became the hunter.
The Phantom II flew into a cloud, but Nguyen Hong Son pressed on, and
when they had closed to within 500 m of each other he fired again. Son
noticed flames streaming from the back of the Phantom II, but broke off
his attack when he spotted a mountain looming large in front of him. He
made it safely back to Yen Bai.

6032 Shooting down a Phantom.


A rare historical video of the Mig-19 in the Vietnam war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1_iqQbvvZw

This is another horrible plastic kit from Mistercraft (a brand I promised never to buy after my defective Mig-25) but there are hardly kits of the Mig-19 in 1/72 Scale. Its now the worse model I have ever made(beating the Mig-25), I spent more time trying to get the canopy to fit with putty, sanding and glue than making the whole model !


Love the "Phantom Killer" tag line but shouldn't it be in Vietnamese Air Force livery rather than Pakistani !