**** DONE: 1/48 MiG-3 "Black 12" - Allied Manufactured Aircraft

[JKim]

Username: JKim
First name: John
Category: Advanced
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Trumpeter
Model Type: MiG-3 (Late)
Aftermarket addons: Quickboost Landing Gear Covers,

My subject will be Black 12 of the 120th IAP of the Moscow Air Defense, possibly flown by ace, Sergey Rubtzov.

Information courtesy of Massimo Tessitori
at index

 

[JKim]

It's about time I joined this GB! Took me awhile to decide on a subject but chose this one based on favorable reviews on the kit and the desire to try the natural metal/white finish that Black 12 seems to exhibit.

Photo courtesy mig3.sovietwarplanes.com

Here is the kit I will be building...

I will be laying off the aftermarket stuff for the most part but one thing that grabbed my attention looking at different online builds of this kit was the thick landing gear door covers. Due to the complex shape and fine detail on both sides of the doors, I figured it would be too difficult to make the kit parts thinner and so I've opted to use the Quickboost landing gear covers right off the bat.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice one John. Always liked the look of the MiG 3

 

[tigerdriver]

Very cool. The Mig 3 is a personal favourite looks wise, it has something of the hot rod about it

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

In a way, it reminds me of the GeeBee, but with a inline engine instead of a radial.

 

[Wurger]

Here is the entire image of quite good quality of the line of the MiG-3s.

 

[Crimea_River]

Seems to me there is a darker colour in front of the windscreen and all the way to the prop? The same is not see on the aircraft in the foreground.

 

[le_steph40]

great choice 8)

 

[Wurger]

Seems to me there is a darker colour in front of the windscreen and all the way to the prop? The same is not see on the aircraft in the foreground.

It is the light layer methinks. Below there is a pic with a MiG-3 white overall during assembling in a factory. The white is almost matt but the darker top of the fuselage in front of the widscreen can be seen too even with the electric light.
However the fuselage of the Black 12 looks like being painted either with quite "fresh" white semi-gloss/gloss paint or silver one. It is possible the white colour could have been of another kind of a dope used by the maintence crew. The difference can be noticed comparing it not only to the Red02 but also to the other white MiGs standing in the line.

 

[Wayne Little]

Cool choice.

 

[JKim]

Seems to me there is a darker colour in front of the windscreen and all the way to the prop? The same is not see on the aircraft in the foreground.

Interesting... do you think it could be the reflection of the blue sky, vs the sides reflecting white snow? My eyes also discern what looks to be darker outer wing panels similar to the foreground Red 02.

I don't have the Black 12 in decal format but I was thinking about doing this manually somehow.

Thanks for the additional pictures! I don't have much in the way of references so I'll be relying on the kit instructions and what I can glean off the internet (especially Massimo Tessitori's wonderful site).

 

[Wurger]

I think there wasn't any anti-glare strip in front of the windscreen. It just looks like but it is a light trick. Russians didn't use a such strip for planes with a camouflage. A such looking top of the fuselage could have been caused by the carelessly applied white paint over the dark colours used for the summer camo scheme. But judging by the fuselage sides the white paint was applied quite well. Also a such reflection can be the effect of using of gloss paints what is more likely. Because the Black 12 looks more shiny that the Red02 I would say that's the reason.

Here you are a coloured variant of the pic above.

 

[JKim]

Much thanks Wojtek... you are always such a wealth of info! What do you think of dark outer wing panels on Black 12?

 

[Wurger]

It is quite difficult to state. Judging by the pictures with the line of the 12th GIAP MiGs taken in March 1942 all is possible. As memo serves the Red02 was a "mix" of parts. While the fusealage was of one MiG-3 these outer wing panels could have been taken from another, early MiG and replaced by a maintenace crew. The lack of slats at leading edge of the wing might indicate that. Also there is at least one more MiG-3 of the line that is wearing traces of repairing with using parts of another plane. The Black12 seems to be a kite assembled in factory without any replacing at field. Her wings are with slats. Therefore I would say these outer wing panels were white coated what is more likely than the green or green/black camo there. However one of Russian modellers made the model with green wings. But, looking at his model I would say it hasn't been painted properly and even isn't too close to that we can see in the B&W image.

 

[JKim]

Thanks for the insight Wojtek!

 

[Wurger]

My pleasure.

 

[JKim]

I was hoping to have a box review of the kit a few days ago but it looks like weather delays have pushed delivery back til later this week. I won't be able to start on this project for a few weeks as I am going to Central Asia (Krygyzstan) on Sunday.

 

[Catch22]

That's quite the trip!

 

[chris brown]

Sweet! Hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip. Is this work or pleasure?