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History
The
MiG-17 was the first version of the Fresco family. The production started in
1951.
The
principal differences between the Fresco A and the later models were the engine
exhaust ( the MiG-17 Fresco A having an engine without afterburner) and the form
of the airbrakes on the rear fuselage. The aircraft was used in the USSR and was
also exported in small numbers.
The
MiG-17 flew a.o. in East Germany, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mongolia, Nigeria (ex East
German aircraft), Cuba, Mocambique, Sri Lanka, the last examples being used
during the 1980s.
The
Model
The
Dragon kit is the first injected model of the MiG-17 Fresco A, the old KP kit
representing the all weather fighter MiG-17PF version. The Hasegawa MiG-17PF/PFM
was a very old and inaccurate kit and should be interesting only for kit
collectors.
The
DML kit has a good wing shape (the KP kit having some problems in this area),
the fuselage assembly being somewhat
complicated Dragon having released the MiG-17F version too with different rear
fuselage parts (like Academy with the MiG-21 kits in 1/48th scale in
recent years).
The
intake tunnel should be done from scratch. The cockpit needs of course some
detailing. Now there are resin seats for the MiG-15 and 17 from NeOmega that can
be used.
The
transparent parts for the canopy are thick and too small- I vacuformed a new
canopy using the kit parts for the mould.
The
form of the underwing tanks should be corrected , these being too thin.
The
main undercarriage legs were shortened (1,5 mm) to give the MiG-17 the correct
look when on the ground.
The
kit has two marking possibilities, blue 88 with red bands, used during the Warsaw
pact intervention in Czechoslovakia in 1968 and an Afghan aircraft, both in NMF.
The kit decals being not very accurate, and as I planned to build an East German
MiG-17, I used the Hi-Decal
Line
sheet 72030
with markings for 2 Soviet, 1 Mongolian, 1East German, 1 Iraqi and 1 Afghan
Fresco A.
The
aircraft having a natural metal finish, I sprayed first the aluminium color, and
afterwards on some panels the same color, but with some drops of black added.
It
was not an easy to build kit, but with some work you can add a nice model to
your Soviet aircraft collection.
I
Hope you have enjoyed the photos
Bernhard
(click on
the image below to load the full size photo)
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