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Trumpeter 1/32 Mig-29A


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Ok I have figured out which 1/48 Flanker I am purchasing (1/48 Kinetic SU-33), but I also am looking at the Trumpeter 1/32 Mig-29A.  Even on here I am finding a lack of reviews for this kit.  Has anyone built one, what are your opinions?  Thank you in advance!

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Cold War studios are working on a super detailed cockpit and there resin is very nice.

Resin burners woukd be a nice addition like most kits and other than that having looked at it from end to end its very nice.

 

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20 hours ago, gtsosniper said:

Mostly buildability.   Problem areas, and secondly will it require aftermarket or does it build into an accurate kit out of the box 

 

As for buildablilty I'd guess it is great. From my initial test fitting it seems that the major parts fit well with some modest adjustments. Trumpeter has been improving with every kit on buildability. Unfortunately their track-record on accuracy continues to falter.

 

As for builds, I am not aware of any out-of-box types but Martin's "extreme" build will give you an idea of the shortcomings of the kit.

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=34338&page=3

 

It's a bit early for aftermarket, though I doubt here will be much other than the CWS cockpit previously mentioned and my Zactomodels goodies. Most of the big problems with the kit will have to be dealt with by the modeler.

 

Canopy - Top view is too wide at windscreen arch, too tear-drop shaped. Widest part of frame and glass should be about 1/3 back from windscreen.  Windscreen arch is too shallow/flat. Rear arch is way too shallow. Side profile too flat towards rear. Side-view curve of rear canopy and frame should end where frame ends then spine starts at a slightly different angle.

 

As Martin pointed out with this pic http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=34338&p=937072 , the cut in canopy frame should extend behind canopy on fuselage side. Also note that bumps on sides of fuselage behind cockpit are a little too high.

 

Spine is not round enough. Should be more circular profile from behind cockpit all the way to the rear, rather than cone shaped.

 

LERX - As Martin has pointed out it should end further forward and be more defined (sharper) towards the front. Though the LERX transition to fuselage is an improvement over the Revell kit it is still not vertical enough beside the cockpit as Martin has corrected with his cuts.

 

Intakes have some small angular problems, lack exterior detail and have fictitious panel lines.

 

Rear engine tunnels on bottom flare outward too much. They should flare inwards some and a little less on the outer sides. Area between intakes is almost a straight line where it should go from narrow to wide to narrow.

 

Exhausts are a step down from their MiG-29M kit which was to date the most accurate 1/32 exhaust.

 

Transition between tunnels and exhausts is awful (see Martin's build). I will be addressing this with my exhaust correction.

 

Upper fuselage engine area - Engine humps are anemic. They should get wider just before the exhausts then narrow at the exhausts. Instead they modeled them too narrow and a constant curve to the exhausts. In making the engine humps too narrow they made the air-brake too wide.

 

This is just my initial analysis after looking at the kit. There are likely more problems.

Overall I'd say that it is an improvement over the Revell kit but a disappointment for Mig-29 fans.

 

The biggest issues for me are the canopy shape, the spine shape and the exhaust transition and detail.
I will be addressing the exhaust and its' transition issues.
My wheels, pylons and missiles will add detail not included in the kit.

Since you are already building 1/48 kits of the Su-33, I'd recommend buying one of the Great Wall Hobby kits of the MiG-29 in 1/48. They are (pretty much) much more accurate than the Trump 1/32 kit and from what I've read are a pleasure to build.

 

(I'd have included red-line pics but am lacking the time prepare them. If there are any specific details that aren't apparent after comparing the kit to real aircraft photos, let me know and I'll try to illustrate them for you)

 

:cheers:

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18 hours ago, Zactoman said:

Since you are already building 1/48 kits of the Su-33, I'd recommend buying one of the Great Wall Hobby kits of the MiG-29 in 1/48. They are (pretty much) much more accurate than the Trump 1/32 kit and from what I've read are a pleasure to build.

 

TBH, I was pretty disappointed with some aspects of my GWH 9-13 - it took a lot of fiddling to mount the intakes and engine nacelles (including removing of pretty much all of the locator tabs) and it was still not a good fit. It also lacks intake trunking which the Trumpeter does seem to provide (plus the towing bar and the ladder, so at least there's some compensation for its problems :) ). It really felt like this part was done in a hurry or something and for the price, I wish it was done better and at least include the full trunking like the Trumpeter does (the ladder would be a nice touch as well).

 

Given the high price of the GWH, perhaps I could try one of the Trumpeter's new kits (e.g. A or SMT) if I get a good deal on them and if the finished galleries don't show some overly noticeable shape issues.

Edited by ijozic
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