Trumpeter kits 
Mikoyan MiG-17 / J-5 &
MiG-15 UTI (Conversion)
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MiG-17 & MiG-15 UTI Conversion model in 1/32 scale Trumpeter / Hobbycraft	Modelling  report
... continued from page 1...   Cross Kitting As Trumpeter issued several variants and kits of the MiG-15 and MiG-17, interesting cross kitting is possible; I decided to do the following cross kitting: - convert the MiG-15bis fighter kit into a MiG-15 UTI two seater trainer using parts of the Chinese FT-5 double seater "MiG-17" kit (mostly the canopies and upper cockpit fuselage section). - convert the remainder parts of the FT-5 kit into a normal single seater MiG-17 single seater fighter.... Cross kitting construction notes: > The fuselage + tail lengths are the same for the MiG-15 bis and MiG-15 UTI. Only a double seat cockpit, two canopies and the special windscreen of the "FT-5" need to be crafted onto the MiG-15 fuselage. The windscreen position basically remains the same. The rear canopy slides aft, and the upper cockpit-fuselage fairing needs some reshaping.  > The MiG-17 "FT-5"" cockpit canopy and cockpit is to be removed to get a regular MiG-17 single seat fighter.  This is really cross kitting !  The fitting of the MiG-15 single cockpit to the MiG-17 fuselage (white plastic), top and twoseat cockpit to the MiG-15 (low) cockpit section Merged two seater "UTI" cockpit on MiG-15 fuselage The MiG-17 is obviously longer as the plane is bigger than a MiG-15 and with a wing with more sweep. The longer fuselage is mainly in the rear section (afterburner engine).    "bulkhead" of the MiG-17 set in place. Note small plastic separators to get the correct positioning of the forward plastic parts to get a good fit to the rear fuselage. MiG-17  Trumpeter forgot the MiG-17 tail bumper/ tail dorsal fin; make a new one from plastic card sanded to shape. It is in fact a simple metal sheet on the real jet riveted on.        Cockpit section of the MiG-17 the main gear bay of the MiG-17 putty, putty , putty... tail section MiG-17  MiG-17 MiG-15 UTI conversion upper right the MiG-15 UTI and lower the MiG-17, note the larger wing sweep of the latter.	combining the Trumpeter kits MiG-17 & MiG-15
The kits were are now in the stage that the surface finishing should be made in order. Smaller details are corrected as they appeared after the first grey paint. Smaller corrections were the obvious sanding marks and forgotten smaller gaps, but also the trimtabs of the MiG-17 tail elevator and the vertical tail details.   smaller trimtabs  MiG-17 tail dorsal  fin  The MiG-15 UTI cockpit was checked for a good finish and the tub is ready get the detailling. On to next [ page 3.... ]
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