Ich hau' noch einen raus - diesmal ein klassisches Whif-Modell, denn es basiert auf einer vagen, realen Gegebenheit - und einem groben Tischmodell aus Holz!
Some background:Military aircraft development made huge leaps in the 50ies, and it was around 1955 that the successful, transsonic MiG-19 was soon to be replaced by a next generation fighter. This new type was to attain more than Mach 2, but, at that time, these speed and performance figures were terra incognita. However, OKB Mikoyan responded to the official request for a new light tactical fighter which was primarily intended to be used against high flying bombers, guided by ground radar.
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Since it was unclear which basic wing design would be most appropriate for the new high speeds, OKB MiG hesitantly brought forth several test aircraft which sported different wing shapes, so that direct comparison could be done.
These were the Ye-1, which featured 57° swept wings, much like the MiG-19's, the Ye-4, which featured a delta wing with an identical sweep, and finally the Ye-3, which featured a very thin but only moderately swept wing, certainly inspired by the contemporary development of the radical F-104 Starfighter in the USA, which had a very simlar duty profile to the new Soviet tactical fighter's requirements.
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
All three aircraft did not go unnoticed from NATO intelligence, and since it was not clear whether these machines would eventually end up in front service, all received code names, which were, respectively, 'Faceplate', 'Fishbed' and 'Filbert'.
As a side note, NATO expected the 'Faceplate' design to be the most likely to enter front line service - but eventually it became the 'Fishbed'!
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
The original Ye-3 used a fuselage and tail of the other prototypes. Beyond the different wings, it featured a modified landing gear which had to be completely retracted into the fuselage, due to the wings' thinness. Since the internal space inside of these thin wings also restricted internal fuel capacity - compared to the Ye-1 and Ye-4 - the aircraft carried drop tanks on its wing tips, while the armament, two IR-guided short range missiles, would be carried under the wings on two hardpoints. These could alternatively carry pods with unguided missiles or iron bombs of up to 1.100 lb calibre. Two NR-30 30mm guns with 50 belt-fed RPG in the lower fuselage complemented the missile ordnance.
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
The original Ye-3 prototype was powered by an AM-11 engine rated at 8.580 lbf dry thrust and 11.200 lbf at full afterburner. It was the last of the test machine trio to fly: aptly coded "31 Blue" it made its maiden flight on 4th of April 1956 with OKB Mikoyan's chief test pilot Gheorgiy K. Mosolov at the controls. It was immediately clear that the aircraft had poor directional stability. It tended to spin at lower speeds, and at higher speeds the tailplane became ineffective. Handling was hazardous, and after just four test flights the aircraft had to be grounded.
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
It took until December 1956 that a satisfactory control surface solution could be found. Wind tunnel test had suggested that the horizontal stabilizer had to be moved much higher - higher than on the other prototypes, which already progressed in their test programs.
The reworked Ye-3/1 featured a completely new T-tail arrangement with trapezoidal stabilizers. This new tail had little left in common with the other test types and made the aircraft look even more like a F-104 copy. In order to enhance stability further, the ventral strakes had been enlarged and the fin chord slightly deepened. This new configuration was successfully tested on 21st 1956 of December.
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
At that time, a second Ye-3/1 was close to completion. Featuring the tactical code "32 Blue", this aircraft was powered by the new R-11 engine, an uprated AM-11 rated at 8.536 lbf dry and 12.686 lbf with afterburner. The same engine was soon re-fitted to "31 Blue", too, and during 1956 and 1957 both machines took part in the extensive trials program for the MiG-21, how the new fighter should be known in service.
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
"31 Blue" crashed on 30th of May 1958 due to hydraulic failure, even though the pilot was able to escape unharmed. This accident happened just one day before another test aircraft, a Ye-6/1 (a modified swept-wing aircraft) crashed, too. Anyway, it was already becoming clear that the delta wing offered the best overall performance, being slightly superior to the swept-wing design. The straight, thin wing, though, was considered unsatisfactory and a dead end.
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr
The Ye-3/1 remained a touchy aircraft and was not popular among the test pilots. Compared to the swept or delta wing, the aircraft's agility was good, but it did not offer any significant benefit in speed, rate of climb or range and its poor directional stability was the biggest shortcoming.
Additionally, the fact that starting and landing from improvised air strips was much more hazardous than with the other design types (if not impossible with the small wings and tires), the Ye-3 was axed in January 1960 with no further development perspectives.
"32 Blue" survived the test phase, but eventually ended up as an instrcutional airframe at the Kharkov Aviation Institute without wings and fin.General characteristics:Crew: One
Length (incl. pitot): 16.05 m (53 ft)
Wingspan (incl. drop tanks): 8,18 m (21 ft 6 in)
Height: 3.81 m (12 ft 6 1/3 in)
Wing area: 18 m² (196,1 ft²)
Aspect ratio: 7.3:1
Empty weight: 4.820 kg (10.617 lb)
Loaded weight: 7.844 kg (17.277 lb)
Max. take-off weight: 8.625 kg (19.000 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Tumanskiy R-11F-300 turbojet, rated at 3875 kgp (8.536 lbf) dry and 5.760 kgp (12.686 lbf) with afterburner
PerformanceMaximum speed: 725 mph (1.167 km/h) at sea level, 1.190 mph (1.917km/h) at 13.000m (42.640 ft)
Combat radius: 450 km (245 nm, 280 mi)
Range: 850 ml (1.370 km)
Service ceiling: 19.000 m (62.320 ft)
Rate of climb: 38 m/s (7.480 ft/min)
Armament:2× Nudelmann-Richter NR-30 30mm cannons with 50 RPG;
1.500 kg (3.300 lb) of payload on four external hardpoints, including:
- 2x PTB-350 wing tip drop tanks (fitted as standard)
- 2× K-13/R-3S (AA-2/"Atoll") AAMs on underwing pylons
- Alternatively, the two underwing pylons could carry pods with unguided missiles or iron bombs of up to 1.100 lb calibre.
das Modell:Wie gesagt, ein klassisches Whif-Modell, auf der Basis eines Tischmodells, das in den 50ern irgendwo in der Sovietunion auf einem Schreibtisch stand: quasi eine MiG-21 mit Tragflächen und Leitwerk eines Starfighters!
A future project inspiration: MiG-21 with T-tail (based on this desktop model) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Das Ding wollte ich zum Leben erwecken - zumal die Chose elegant aussieht. Die Ye-3-Bezwichnung ist fiktiv, wie auch der NATO-Code "Filbert". Prinzipiell ist dies ein Kit-Bashing aus einer antiken MiG-21F von Hasegawa (aus den frühen 70ern unglaublich primitiv, sogar die Sterne sind als erhabene Panelllinien "aufgespritzt"!) und Tragfflächen + Fahrwek einer F-16 von Italeri. Zuerst wollte ich eine F-104 verhackstücken, die Teile sahen aber komisch an der MiG aus, und ich glaube, letztlich hätte es einfach wie eine MiG-21 mit Starfighter-Flügeln ausgesehen.
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Verändert wurde auch das Cockpit, und für das neue Fahrwerk mussten neue Schächte geschaffen werden.
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Das Lustige an den Tragflächen ist, dass die Flügel von F-104 und F-16 fast deckungsgleich sind - beide habe fast identische Pfeilungen der Vorder- und Hinterkante, der F-16-Flügel muss nur schräg abgetrennt werden, und schon hat man quasi dieselben Flügel, nur etwas länger.
Auch die Höhenruder der F-16 wurden verwendet, mit etwas Schnitzerei landeten sie auf dem Leitwerk der MiG-21.
Die Stabi-Finnen unter dem Rumpf sind selbst gemacht - auch die anderen frühen MiG-21 portotypen hatten zwei Finnen, die später auf eine (größere) reduziert wurden.
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Die K-13-Flugkörper wurden als Dummies hellrot lackiert und unter den Rumpf meiner Ye-3 kam dann noch ein kleiner Kamera-Pod.
Bemalung:Passend zur Story und Historie sollte es ein Sovietischer Prototyp werden, was bedeutet: blankes Metall, keine echte Farbe. Ich hasse so was ja, weil Alu etc. schwer nachzubilden ist. Na ja, trotzdem versucht ...und ganz gut gelungen.
Damit die Kiste etwas interessanter aussieht habe ich fast alles an Metallic-Farben draufgepackt, was ich daheim finden konnte: Testors/Model Master Metallizer (Polished Aluminum, Polished Steel, Titanium, Exhaust) Humbrol Emaillefarbe (Aluminum) bis zu Revell AquaColor (Aluminum). Außerdem sind ein paar Abdeckungen hellgrau geworden, wie auch der Schock-Konus.
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Dann kam noch ein Washing mit schwarzer Tusche drüber, um die Panel-Linien zu betonen. Außerdem habe ich dem Modell noch eine "Abreibung" mit fein gemahlenem Graphit (Zwichenkohle) verpasst, was den Oberflächen mehr Tiefe und einen weiteren metallischen Schimmer verleiht.
Aufkleber sind zusammengepuzzelt - um die Kiste noch weiter "aufzupimpen" hat sie außerdem noch zeitgenössische Foto-Kalibierungs-Markierungen am Rumpf erhalten - einfache schwarze Streifen. Am Cockpit kamen auch noch vier Sterne als Markierungen für erfolgreiche "heiße" Flugkröperstarts hinzu.
Zum Schluß noch alles unter seidenmattem Acrylllack versiegelt (Tamiya TS-79) - et voilà!
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert'], around 1956 (Whif) - WiP by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
1:72 Mikoyan Gurevich Ye-3/1 MiG-21 prototype [NATO Code 'Filbert']; "31 Blue", Soviet Air Force/IA PVO, early 1957 (Whif/Kit-bashing) by
dizzyfugu, on Flickr
Thema: What if? 1:72 Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-3 (NATO 'Filbert'): der dritte MiG-21-Entwurf (Gelesen 4344 mal)