1:32 STEPLADDER FOR MIG-31

Access ladder for the MiG-31 1:32 from Temp Models

The set contains a 3D printed resin model of a wheeled ladder by which the crew of the MiG-31 board the cockpit and the technicians carry out maintenance. It is not a model of an aircraft, nor a part of one, but a piece of airfield ground equipment. The print holds the thin rungs and the handrail at a scale thickness that a mold would have to thicken.

The real subject

The MiG-31 is a heavy interceptor with a crew of two sitting in tandem under a separate canopy. The cockpit is set high above the ground, so the crew can reach both seats only by a wheeled ladder. At the air defense bases it belonged to the standard equipment and in photographs of parked machines it stands by the fuselage practically always. In a diorama it gives the whole scene its sense of scale.

Building and painting tips

First wash the 3D printed parts in warm water with a little dish soap, so that they are rid of the residue of printing resin. Cut the supports off with a sharp blade or a fine saw as close to the part as possible and sand the marks down with your airways protected. Resin does not bond with cement for polystyrene, so use cyanoacrylate glue. Lay a thin coat of primer on before painting, otherwise the paint holds poorly on a smooth print. Equipment beside an aircraft comes out best with weathering: a dark wash into the gaps, dust with dry pigment and scuffed spots suggested with a metallic shade.

Who the set is for

• A model of a wheeled access ladder for the MiG-31 in 1:32 scale
• A resin 3D print with fine resolution
• An accessory for an airfield diorama, not a model of an aircraft
• Thin rungs and handrail at a scale thickness
• Calls for cyanoacrylate glue and a primer under the paint

The set is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.