Merlin Plays a Blinder; The Mikr Mir Tu-22UD (2018)

[MerlinJones]

I think wheels doors and interior should be white? ..
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/ind ... 2-blinder/
maybe FS36495 a very light gray used in undersides of early f-18 ?

Comparing the radome and underside white patches with the undercarriage, I'm still going for a very pale grey. (There's a marked difference between the two).

Thanks for the interest, guys and now it's time to stop procrastinating and time to start some actual modelling...

[MerlinJones]

For starters, I know full well that it is a 'short-run' kit, using basic tech and that some modelling input is likely to be required.
I note that the sprue gates intrude on all mating surfaces;





Basically, this means that extra care and attention will be needed with those aforementioned 'mating surfaces'.



...Especially when some of the flash does a good impression of being part of the actual kit piece;



The first instruction was to chop off the housing for the radar and rear gun, in preparation for a simpler affair;

[MerlinJones]

The instructions would have me join all of the port-side fuselage pieces together and then all of the starboard side pieces, thus giving me two complete fuselage halves to put together, as with a more 'normal' kit.
However, looking at how the different fuselage pieces might not fit nicely...



...I've decided to build each section of the fuselage seperately, starting with the mid-/rear portion.

It doesn't help when I can see that the tools actually slipped during the moulding process. Someone wasn't paying attention back in the factory;



Seam lines, flash and a slipped tool!
Nice.

So I have to build the bomb bay, before I can close up the two mid-fuselage sections. The instructions are not very clear re the positioning of the wing spar against that piece I just showed you previusly;



However, I did recognise it as a wing spar and I also noticed some slots in the fuselage that it's supposed to slide through;



Obviously, with all that flash, they needed opening up a tad, but I was then able to fix the wing spar in place, temporarily ignoring the bomb bay;

[MerlinJones]

Here's the assembled bomb bay and note that I had to scratch a clamp, 'cos one was badly short-shot;




And here's the bay now in place in the fuselage half, snugged up tight against that wing spar;



I've added some tabs of scrap plastic, to facitate a nice, strong join when I finally get around to joining fuselage sections together;



Another sub-assembly was the rear 'bumper', although the parts didn't really match the instructions;



I worked it out, though...

[MerlinJones]

Often, with short-run kits, you expect the interior fittings to be too big for the model, with the insides preventing a proper closure of the outsides.
Whilst a quick dry-fitting pleasantly surprised me underneath;



The view from above didn't disappoint;



There's a bulkhead in there that needs some 'surgery'!
I now have a relatively complete fuselage section, (the tap is holding things together until my glue sets);



There are now two sets of closed doors that need inserting



Because of my chosen method, I had an open fuselage section to work with, so it was easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy...

[MerlinJones]

Here's that simplified tail cone that I made earlier;



In place;



With that section of the fuselage relatively complete, it's now time to move onto the forward section.
There's a nose-gear sub-assembly to build and this is almost a kit in itself...
On the instructions, I noted the need for holes.
Whilst these were not evident on the inside of the bay walls, they were shown on the outside...so, have been totally flashed over, I needed to drill 'em out;



These are the pieces for the nose-gear...



That's a standard tinlet lid, just so you can see how silly...er...'challenging' things can get. Still...this is a 1/144 Forum after all...

[MerlinJones]

For a bit of respite, methinks I'll now play with something huge, like the engines!

Obviously, it is beyond the capabilities of Mikr-Mir to produce half tubes, so I have to do so...

[ajmm]

Looking good. That nose gear is bonkers! I remember on the Mikromir Valiant it’s similarly complicated - added to which the instructions aren’t the easiest to interpret. I definitely ended up with a handful of etch which I was none the wiser what to do with.

Still this is coming on leaps and bounds. I’m building the C-133 from Roden and they have the same arrangement of four fuselage halves (if you follow). I’m also ignoring the instructions and doing as you have done here.

[Catherder]

“That nose gear is bonkers!” - I second that statement! I’ve recently built two kits (Roden B307 Stratoliner & MikroMir Yak-23) with undercarriage components very true to scale. Makes for a lovely model if you can actually assemble them but not too confident that they can support the weight long term.

[Silenoz]

What I do is checking scalemates for instruction manuals of other (larger)models for the painting instructions...

On my Tu-160. It was a neutral grey or the like.