MiG-21

The cockpit may be tiny, but it still needs to look at its best 😉 Some lead will be added in the nose, above the wheel well. 

This one-piece cockpit has been painted, a joy stock of wire added, plus some tape for seat harnesses. 

So, who's idea was that? The undercarriage door would fill the gap, if the wheels were up. However....I will have to fit something that will fill the gaps and yet not be clumsy in the wheel wells. the fit of the tangs is poor, so some fettling is required. The wings are dry fitted but the tail is glued. Gap filling and alignment adjustments required.... 

Gaps at the tail filled and rubbed smooth. 

The fit of the wings need to be improved before gluing. I'll rub down the primer too, where an edge formed along masking tape. 

Wings on, and filler to tidy up the uneven gaps. 

 

All rubbed down and ready for primer again. 

Primed, and looking acceptable. 

Sone variations on the wings first, so now to the fuselage. Starting to tape off various zones and panels. 

Silver overall, then silver with different grey, to creat some variations. 

 

 

 

Wing undersides. 

Wing topsides. Some more work on the fuselage is needed, and the rest of the tail to be installed very, very carefully... After giving it a few hours to dry, I gave it all a bit of a polish with cotton wool.  

Dry-fit of the undercarriage, and the lead in the nose has done the trick. 

Some more masking and panel painting done, and I think I'm happy with the results. 

So, I think that an overall polish with cotton wool will be fine, and only local gloss coat at decal locations. Perhaps a thinned gloss coat later... 

Decals applied, undercarriage and hatch covers installed. Fuel tank and armaments still to be installed. 

Canopy added too, plus aerial and nose probe. Definitely not happy about the fit of the canopy, so I'll re-wet the white glue, remove, clean up, and re-install... 

Not perfect, but not too shabby either. I'll try out some weathering next....