Zvezda's lumpy Fulcrum - Mig-29SMT (OOB)

[Faust]

An old adage is “If it looks right, it flies right”. This implies that a well-designed, well-flying plane is one that is aerodynamically sound, and that this translates, on some subconscious level, to a perception of beauty. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but by and large it is pretty true. (I think the A-10 is hot, so don’t bring that as a counterexample!)

Of course, beautiful planes are one thing, but just like how I like loser cars, I have a thing for making pretty airplanes ugly. I absolutely love it when a plane gets all kinds of lumps and bulges, be it for EW purposes, or some other reason. One thing above all that I love is a big spine! Taking an otherwise lithe and athletic aircraft and putting a MASSIVE SPINE on it just works. OA-4Ms, Thunderstick II Thuds, Sufas… you name it, if it has a big spine or a hunchback, I’m on it like… well, a fat spine on a lithe plane!

Thus, I was pretty pumped to get my hands on the Zveszda Mig-29SMT. Nothing takes the “Russian-chic” of the Fulcrum and junks it up like a massive hunchback of a fuel tank! Add a centreline tank to add a belly, and the poor SMT’s just got “fat and slow” written all over it! Check out Zvezda’s take on this last of the original Fulcrum family at the link below. You can’t like to yourself anymore; you know you want it!

https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/zvezda-1-72-mig-29-smt-oob/

[stavanzer]

Ohhh Nice!

[Rider]

Looking forward to the progress of this Adam.

[Mike999]

Looking forward to the build.  Your write-up was great.

A MiG-29 story for you: back in the 1990s, as part of my job, I worked a lot of aerospace/defense trade shows. At one show in Washington, DC, a guy came into my company's Hospitality Suite and headed for the open bar.  He was in civilian clothes, but his nametag identified him as a Defense Attache with the Russian Embassy.

While standing around socializing, he suddenly went off on a rant about the greatness of the New Russia, and how we should fear their military. Especially their cutting-edge hardware like the MiG-29.

One of our guys pointed out that NATO air forces had recently, and pretty easily, decimated the Serbian Air Force.  And its MiG-29s.

The attache got red in the face, and said: "Those were downgraded aircraft. With VERY BAD PILOTS!"  Then he left. Fortunately before he could drink all our booze. 

[Jim N]

19 hours ago, Mike999 said:

Looking forward to the build.  Your write-up was great.

A MiG-29 story for you: back in the 1990s, as part of my job, I worked a lot of aerospace/defense trade shows. At one show in Washington, DC, a guy came into my company's Hospitality Suite and headed for the open bar.  He was in civilian clothes, but his nametag identified him as a Defense Attache with the Russian Embassy.

While standing around socializing, he suddenly went off on a rant about the greatness of the New Russia, and how we should fear their military. Especially their cutting-edge hardware like the MiG-29.

One of our guys pointed out that NATO air forces had recently, and pretty easily, decimated the Serbian Air Force.  And its MiG-29s.

The attache got red in the face, and said: "Those were downgraded aircraft. With VERY BAD PILOTS!"  Then he left. Fortunately before he could drink all our booze. 

Back in the 1990's, I was at an airshow and both the MiG-29 and F-15 had flight demonstrations.  On the day I went the F-15 flew first.  The Russians working on the MiG stopped what they were doing to watch the F-15.  They just shook their heads in amazement.  The MiG flew later and it was really cool seeing it fly, but the Russians knew which plane was better and it wasn't theirs.

[Mike999]

4 hours ago, Jim N said:

Back in the 1990's, I was at an airshow and both the MiG-29 and F-15 had flight demonstrations...

Once I worked the annual F-16 user conference at Hill AFB.  I think every F-16 operator in the world came, which was a little...strange.  Israel was there, along with  Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain etc.  I worked in Egypt for nearly 4 yrs. Along with their F-16s, they still had MiG-21's as reserve aircraft. We saw those oldsters flying around pretty often. Also older French Mirages.