1:144 Mikoyen MiG-29A (Fulcrum) - Pitot Tube

The real subject

The MiG-29 from the Mikoyan design bureau is a Soviet twin-engine fourth-generation fighter aircraft, in service since the middle of the 1980s. In the NATO reporting name system it carries the name Fulcrum. The MiG-29A version is the single-seat variant for air combat, which spread in the largest numbers and serves to this day in many countries.

What a pitot tube is

A pitot tube senses the pressure of the oncoming air and serves to measure flight speed. It is a thin, conspicuously long probe, placed on the tip of the nose on a number of combat aircraft. In a kit it is usually of plastic, and in a small scale it therefore comes out disproportionately thick and moreover bends or snaps off easily. A metal substitute has a thinner wall, crisper transitions and withstands considerably more in ordinary handling of the model. On a model in 1:144 scale it is one of the few changes that can be seen at first glance.

Fitting tips

Cut the plastic probe off at the root with a sharp blade and level the area. Drill a hole of the diameter of the pin of the metal part into the nose tip, best with a hand drill and in several steps from a smaller bit to a larger one, so that the plastic does not tear. Glue the part in with a small amount of cyanoacrylate glue and make sure it sits on the axis of the aircraft. Degrease the metal before painting and use a base color intended for metal. Fit the tube only at the end of the build, otherwise you will knock into it while working.

What is not in the box

This is an accessory for a kit. The model of the aircraft, the paints and the glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.