Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F

1/72 scale
Kit No. A03091
Cost: $19.99
Decals: Two versions – Soviet and Vietnamese People’s Air Force
Comments: Engraved panel lines, two-part canopy, optional position canopy and dive brakes

History

Soviet experience with the MiG-15, even prior to the USSR’s unofficial intervention in the Korean War via Chinese surrogates, revealed that its top speed was restricted to Mach 0.92 due to high speed handling and stability problems at transonic speeds (speeds approaching the speed of sound). Development work on what would ultimately become the MiG-17 began in 1949 under the military designation I-330 (Project SI by MiG).

The initial aim was simply to increase the airplane’s speed by installing a thinner wing of increased sweep and area. The fuselage was lengthened, the tail surfaces were modified, and in the initial version, the MiG-15’s non-afterburning powerplant, the Klimov VK-1A turbojet of 5,950 lbs. of thrust was retained. This prototype, converted from a MiG-15, flew for the first time on February 1, 1950 and went supersonic in a dive with a speed of Mach 1.03 a few weeks later. The basic day fighter version of the MiG-17 (NATO Codename “Fresco-A”) was ordered into production in September 1951 and reached operational squadrons by October 1952. Production of this first version continued only until early 1953, by which time the assembly line for the next version of day fighter, the MiG-17 F, had opened up.

The MiG-17F (“Fresco-C” in NATO parlance) flew for the first time on September 29, 1951 with a more powerful engine, the afterburning VK-1F, but was otherwise similar to the original version with some minor modifications. It was quickly ordered into production, which did not cease until 1958, and became the major variant of the series. It would be license-built by Poland (as the Lim-5) and China (as the J-5), with estimates on their combined production ranging from 1200 machines to 3000. China also developed the only two-seater version (the JJ-5) with 1,061 machines built from 1966-1986.

MiG-17’s and their license-built derivatives served with 38 nations and have been involved in several conflicts, including the Vietnam War, both Indo-Pakistani Wars, various Arab-Israeli wars, Afghanistan, Mozambique, the Congo, the Nigerian Civil War, the conflict between Uganda and Tanzania, and many other small “brush-fire” wars. The type quickly developed a reputation for ruggedness and ease of maintenance, which combined with its agility and hard-hitting firepower (two 23mm and one 37mm cannon), even against more advanced supersonic fighters, kept the MiG-17 in demand as an export for several years.

MiG-17’s are best known for their service with North Vietnam, where they frequently saw action against American aircraft from 1965-1973. In Vietnam, the lighter and more agile gun-equipped MiG-17 shattered the idea that supersonic aircraft armed with missiles alone could easily achieve air superiority. It could out-turn nearly any aircraft in the American inventory and its guns proved more reliable than missiles in air-to-air combat, particularly at close range. F-4 Phantom and F-105 Thud pilots often used speed and guile to their advantage to defeat the MiG-17, but with its cannon armament the MiG could unleash a nasty surprise if unwary American pilots allowed themselves to be lured into a traditional turning dogfight.

The MiG-17’s influence resulted in the next generation of American fighters (F-14, F-15, F-16 on up to the F-18) all being gun-equipped and considerably more maneuverable, and led to an overhaul of U.S. fighter design and tactics, led by an insubordinate but brilliant aviator, Major John Boyd, among others. Although eclipsed by earlier and later MiG designs, the MiG-17 had a major ripple effect in the world of combat aviation and proved to be one of the outstanding fighters of the 20th Century.

The Kit

Released in 2019, Airfix’ MiG-17F features completely new tooling and forms part of the wave of new kits from this manufacturer that has been revitalizing its brand for the past couple of years. Injection molded and presented on three sprues of grey plastic and one that’s clear, the kit features engraved panel lines and recessed rivet detail. It has a highly detailed cockpit, engine and landing gear, with options for open or closed dive brakes, and a two-part canopy which by default provides an additional option for an open cockpit.

The cockpit is interesting in that it is a modular assembly that also forms the splitter intake at the very front of the nose. Decals are provided for sidewall and main panel instrumentation, and a separate, detailed two-part ejection seat and control yoke are provided. There is also a rather well-detailed pilot figure, which for some reason is illustrated in the instructions with an oversized head that calls to mind a bobble-head toy.

The dive brake and landing gear doors feature excellent internal detail and the cockpit tub features raised detail also. The tires of the main landing gear are interesting in that they are molded with both radial tread (on the sides) and circumferential tread along their faces. The detail of the landing gear themselves is a bit soft but with this kit’s many other virtues this flaw is barely noticeable. The two-piece wings are integrally molded with wing fences along the upper surfaces. These upper wing parts also feature excellent detail in their wheel wells.

Drop tanks are provided, but so are rocket pods that look as though they are more suited to an aircraft of more recent vintage. Curiously the instructions make no reference to them at all, or to what appear to be eight unguided rockets on four pairs of rails, to be fitted beneath the wings for those so inclined. If not, they will be a welcome addition to your spares box.

The clear sprue contains a reflector gunsight, a single windscreen, but two canopies — always nice to have a little insurance in case of mishaps. Both canopy and windscreens bear clearly defined framing which will help at the painting stage. Holes may be cut into the MiG-17’s belly to accommodate an aircraft display stand if you want to depict the kit in flight. Two clear apertures are provided in a single part to be cemented into the belly, presumably for reconnaissance capability. Finally, since this kit may be a tail-sitter and its nose intake design may make it difficult to insert sufficient weight into the nose during construction, Airfix have thoughtfully provided a 55-gallon drum on which to rest the rear fuselage.

Markings

In general, since at least 2013 the Airfix markings released with their newly tooled kits have been of excellent quality, and the same can be said of new, replacement markings that they provide upon request for their older kits. The MiG-17 markings are no exception. Decals are provided for two versions of the MiG-17. The first version is taken from the box art and depicts Red 3020, an aircraft of the 932nd Fighter Regiment of the Vietnamese People’s Air Force (VPAF), based at Tho Xuan in August 1969.

This aircraft was flown by Vietnamese ace Le Hai and appears in a mottled camouflage scheme of overall Marine Green with splotches of Dark Green (U.S. Dark Green, according to the instructions). The under surfaces of the wings, elevators and the drop tanks are left in natural metal. This is perhaps the most well-known of the MiG-17’s paint schemes in the U.S., for this is one of the more notable camouflage schemes in which it fought against Americans in Vietnam.

The second version is for a Soviet aircraft in overall natural metal with Matt Black walkways extending the width of both wings immediately adjacent the fuselage. This aircraft dates from the 1970’s and was attached to the State Scientific and Testing Institute of the Red Air Force, if Google Translate is to be believed, since the jaw-breaking, intimidatingly-long Russian name is all that appears in the instructions to identify this aircraft’s home.  As is common with Airfix kits, paint colors are identified by Humbrol numbers only.

The MiG-17F in perhaps its most famous paint scheme, the distinctive camouflage of the Vietnamese Peoples Air Force. Photo by vietnam.warbirdsresourcegroup.org.

Conclusion

This is an excellent, updated kit of the MiG-17, in most respects an improvement over the AZ Model version released in 2010, and a quantum leap above the old Hasegawa kits. Highly recommended.

References

• Combat Aircraft Since 1945 by Stewart Wilson; Copyright 2000 by Aerospace Publications; Fyshwick, Australia.
• A Handbook of Fighter Aircraft by Francis Crosby of the Imperial War Museum Duxford; Copyright 2002 Anness Publishing Limited, London.