Shenyang J-6
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1/72 scale kit by BILEK of the Mikoyan MiG-19
First a brief overview of 1/72 MiG-19 kits.
The Bilek MiG-19 kit was made as seen on page 1...
Side Note: A MiG-19 kit was also announced over 6 years ago by Trumpeter in 1/72, it never came.
The old 1/72 KP kit #4 was the only choice for many decades for the 1/72 scale modeller of a MiG-19 kit. It was also found in many other boxes like from Kopro-Mastercraft, SMER and Aeroteam.
The basic kit has as main fault a wing that has a leading edge wing sweep about 1 degree too small and a much undersized wing tips area. This is really visible.
A smaller error relates to the pair of inner bulges with fence at the upper wing roots, they are oversized.
Also the old KP kit main wheels are 0,5 mm too big in diameter and the nose wheel with its integrated strut is much too large, about 2 mm in diameter.
In April 2020 the brand "new Kovozavody Prostejov" released a few new tooled MiG-19S kits. The brand name was bought for marketing purposes, but most kits are new tooled ones from I think the AZ Model mother company (Look also at the new MiG-21 kits seen here....)
Quite some "new Kovozavody Prostejov" kits were released: MiG-19S Warsaw Pact / F-6A / F-6C / MiG-19S aerobatic team.
The plastic is rather soft and easy to work with with 2 sprues and a transparant canopy.
The canopy is one piece. If you want the camopy slided open to the rear, a razor saw cut is needed.
The instructions are a bit small but after careful study indeed show the details. Paints are suggested in Humbrol and AGAMA ( a brand I do not know).
Checking the kit with the 4+ book with both photos and scale plans, it was concluded that this kit looks accurate in outline with correct main shapes and what looks a fine wing planform.
On the new kit the various scoops and fairings are separate parts, so need care to install and to set in the correct location. The inner bulge with fence on the upper inboard wing area looks good.
The panel lines are engraved but the moving surface gaps are a bit "too neat" and would benefit from inscribing them a bit deeper.
A few "new KP" kits were made....
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First kit made #0160 is for 1/72 Shenyang F-6C / J-6. The parts are the same as in their MiG-19S kit. But nice is that extra parts are provided for the Shenyang F-6C /J-6 such as parachute fairing, thinner canon barrels, a few different scoops and different pylons and missiles.
Decals are for 3 Pakistani aircraft and a Bangladesh aircraft.
Nice are the cockpit decals but no stencilling is provided.
Paints in the instructions are suggested in Humbrol and AGAMA (a brand I do not know).
For the model a scheme was picked for the Shenyang F-6C of the Bangladesh Air Force as per kit.
Although the smaller kit parts have some detail such as the insides' of the gear doors, I opted to buy a Brengun etched metal set #BRL72195 with some refined parts to use on this model.
The model was assembled as described above with the exception of the gear doors and wing fences which came in the Brengun set. I had troubles with the etched jet pipes and used the kit parts instead which are OK too.
This is a short run kit and the parts need to be carefully separated with razor saw with sanding the edges and areas. There are no alignment pins so align carefully.
Start with the cockpit area. Nice is that a sort of air flow tunnel parts are in the kit and these have raised detail. Interior colour suggested in blue grey and this seems to be correct. The main fuselage needs sanding and putty before setting any wing halves. Do not yet fit the transparant part #C1.
The Brengun KK-2 seat was made but will be installed later. You also get nice cockpit detail in the set.
The kit wing halves have a lower and upper part and although the main gear bay are a bit shallow, I did not bother further but did engrave a bit deeper the ailerons. At the junctions, some putty is needed.
The installment of the horizontal tailplanes also needed a bit putty and sanding. For the Shenyang F-6C nicely the parachute fairing is provided so parts #12 + 13 were installed. Also, the different panels parts # 63 were set.
The various smaller scoops and bits are indicated in a few separate drawings and these were all installed.
The large wing fences were set.
When main assembly was done, the external wing fuel tanks were assembled.
Next followed a base grey Revell Aqua 75 steingrau that was airbrushed. When all looked OK, the main camouflage colours were airbrushed for the Bangladesh F-6C jet.
The airbrushed paints used Gunze Sangyo Mr.Hobby H308 acrylic FS36375 for the lower surfaces, Gunze H307 FS36320 for the upper grey and Gunze H305 FS36118 for the dark grey camouflage pattern.
Mask loosely between these colours.
Also airbrush smaller parts while still in their sprues.
The surfaces were glossy so decalling followed. I found that the kit decals are very thin and vulnerable, be careful here. Just a few decals are needed and I could not see any stencils.
After decalling the details followed. The landing gears were set. I used the Brengun etched gear doors but the kit parts are fine too. (the etched metal exhaust pipe was not used as bending it is quite difficult...).
I found a good photo of the Bangladesh F-6C that showed that the rocket pods with pylons were installed. The kit has the parts and these were set. The small gap between pylon and wing was closed up with white glue and brush painted when dried.
The canopy and windscreen are one part and the frames were hand painted with a fine brush. The part was fixed with Humbrol Clear Fix (or use white glue).
A little wash was set in the recesses of controls like ailerons and flaps.
Finally, a semi-gloss varnish was airbrushed with the usual technique. A coat of Johnson Future/ Pledge mixed with 5% Tamiya X-21 "flat base" with the usual technique. (mask a bit the metallic exhaust areas and obviously any clear areas). It is a good idea to add some 5% Gunze Mr.Color Leveling Thinner in the varnish mix. (it seems the leveling thinner is lacquer! but a few drops really help levelling).
That completed an nice F-6C.
BANGLADESH
[ 147,500 sq.km | capital: Dhaka | 162 million inhabitants | GDP $ 1,800 per capita ]
Bangladesh is a highly populated country in a delta and was first known as "East Pakistan". It became completely independent in 1971 after an independence war. The Bangladesh air force "Bangladesh Biman Bahini" was soon established and flew with a few Western aircraft. The Soviet Union USSR donated some 10 MiG-21MFfighters and 2 MiG-21UM trainers as well as Antonov transports and Mil-8 helicopters. End 1980s the MiGs were replaced by the first Chinese "copy", the F-7. In the mid 1980s some 13 second hand Magisters were acquired and the USA a dozen T-37 "tweeties". Pakistan supplied Shenyang F-6 aircraft as well.... The newest jets are YAK-130 trainers but the main fighter jet is still the F-7.
For more information about the Bangladesh Air Force look at the Magister page here...
Shenyang F-6C, coced 7104 was ex Pakistan PAK7104. Flown from Chittagong-Zahurul Haque, Bangladesh Air Force ("Bangladesh Biman Bahini").
Another "New KP" 1/72 kit #0158 is for a MiG-19S with NATO code name "FARMER C". It was licensed built by Aero as S-105.
Decals in this release are for 4 Czechoslovak Air Force MiG-19S jets flown during the Cold War.
The parts are the same as in the first kit described above.
The model was made in another scheme representating an Albania Shenyang F-6C. The kit has the same parts so can be made.
Assembly was done similarly as for the F-6C above.
The overall colour was airbrushed acrylic Vallejo Metal Color 77.724 "Silver" with some panel painted with the brush other Vallejo Metal paints. Sensure a gloss undercoat to get a nice shine. I simple airbrushed a gloss varnish before airbrushing the silver. Also airbrush smaller parts while still in their sprues. The external fuel tanks were also airbrushed.
The 6 Albania roundels were found in the spares box as well as the red nose codes. On the vague real photos I could not really see stencils.
Landing gear and external fuel tanks were installed. The rocket pods were also installed and again the canopy set closed.
The model got a gloss varnish coat with Johnson Future (so do not add the flat base). That completed the model.
ALBANIA
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[area: 28,748 sq.km | population: 2,4 million | capital: Tirana | GDP nominal: 10,000 Euro per capita ]
Albania was ruled from 1945 to 1991 by the Communist Marxist dictator Hoxha. At that time the Albanian Aviation Regiment 4020 first operated one Il-28 acquired in 1957 attached to 2 Skuadrilja (Squadron). After a political break, Albania was supported by China in the 1950s as opposed to the West and Soviet Union. Chinese aircraft like the Shenyang J-6 fighters (Chinese copy of the MiG-19) and a single Chinese Harbin H-5 aircraft was supplied in 1971 as well as other aircraft types like Chengdu J-7A fighters (Chinese copy of the Soviet-built MiG-21) later on. The single Harbin H-5 was operated until probably 1992. From 1991 Albania got a new more democratic system and now is even a NATO member. The air force is the "Forca Ajrore Shqipėtare".
The poor country is not able to buy new fixed wing aircraft let alone fighters and nowadays all fixed wing aircraft are descarded and the small air force flies some Western helicopters.
Code 3-44 was an Albania "Forca Ajrore Shqipėtare" F-6C with serial 3404.
... set in a scenery...
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