1:48 AMK Mig-31BM 34 Red "Ivan Pilipenko"

[Viper_Khan]

On September 4th 2014, a Mig-31BM belonging to the 712th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment crashed during approach near Armavir Air base. The pilot and navigator successfully ejected. The aircraft (RF-90896) had a Bort number of 34 Red, and an inscription reading “Ivan Pilipenko” on its Intake.

The History

Ivan Markovich Pilipenko was an Ace Pilot and squadron commander in the 40th Fighter Aviation Regiment. With his I-16, he is credited with 12 victories plus 29 more in group engagements. In September 1942 his plane was set on fire during an engagement, and Pilipenko rammed his aircraft into a German fighter; he did not survive. He was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union award posthumously.

Ivan Markovich Pilipenko

Later during the war, The 40th Fighter Aviation Regiment was renamed the 41st Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment. Postwar the regiment was again renamed the 712th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment. Today the 712th operates out of Kansk Airfield as a part of The 14th Air and Air Defense Forces Army and flies the Mig-31BM.

The Aircraft

During my research about 34 Red, here is what I learned about it: The aircraft was among the 12 modernised BM versions first delivered to Kansk during December 2012. A year later in May 2013, several aircraft of the 712th were given the names of Hero of the Soviet Union recipients who flew in this regiment, and this naming was dedicated to the 68th anniversary of the Great Victory Day. This Aircraft , first to be named, was named Ivan Pilipenko in honor of the Soviet Ace.

During my research on this aircraft I have come across several images and a video.

34 Red in 2012, before the naming

34 Red in 2013, this time with Ivan Pilipenko writing on intake

34 Red taking off From Tolmachevo Airport, 18th of March 2014. Note the
absence of RF number on the tail.

34 Red on the tarmac of Tolmachevo Airport, this time with ВВС РОССИИ
markings and RF number applied.

34 Red crashed on the morning of September 4th 2014 on approach to Armavir Airbase due to problems with the right landing gear. The pilot and navigator successfully ejected and were rescued. This was interesting to me because Armavir is a training base that only flies Mig-29, L-39 and Yak-130 aircraft. However satellite imagery from that time shows a large deployment of at least 13 Mig-31 aircraft to the base. This stationing is most likely a result of the tensions after the 2014 annexation of Crimea earlier that year.

Satellite imagery of Armavir Airbase dated September 2nd 2014, just 2 days before
the crash.

The Build

I’m planning to build the plane as it was captured taking off from Tolmachevo Airport in 2014. I also have a plan of making a vignette for it with a few figures.

My first impression of the AMK kit is amazing. I especially liked the single piece armament, the options for clear or tinted glass and the fairly large fret of PE for the highly detailed seatbelts and Zaslon radar.

I will post my build updates along with any new information I find here, please stay tuned.

[Nito74]

I’ll follow this, I got this one in my stash

[Wig41]

I am very interested and will be following along!

[drabslab]

i have this one in my stash as well. I always wondered why it contained detailed engines but no way to make these visible inside the plane

[Viper_Khan]

Glad to have you along!

[Viper_Khan]

Thanks!

[Viper_Khan]

I have wondered that too. Most likely due to the visible length of the combustion chamber from the outside. Probably the designers didn’t want to give a tube with a compressor fan at the end, and give something enjoyable to build.
And its good marketing too.

[Viper_Khan]

Ok, I have started the contruction of several sub assemblies.

Kit provides excellently detailed full engines. I wont be painting it though.

The intakes comes in 8 total parts, and are highly detailed.

The gear bays are nicely detailed too. The rear bays slot onto a part of each intake, which is an interesting engineering choice.

[Viper_Khan]

Update #2

I painted and assembled the intakes and the gear bays. No major probelems here.

Intakes, gear bays and engines fitted on. Im actually impressed by the fit here.

Closed the fuselage and did some basic gap filling. There is a small problem with the vertical stabilizers fitting on, and there can be gaps if not careful, but all fixable.

The forward fuselage and intake ramps are seperate and slot onto holes, with little gaps. You can leave them off while painting if you want. Another advantage is because the cockpit slides in from the rear you can leave it until later during the build.

[Wig41]

Appears to be coming along nicely. Glad you aren’t finding a lot of fit issues.

[Viper_Khan]

Thanks. Only significant fit issue I have come across currently is the fit of the front fuselage to the body. There are 4 locating pins and i had to cut one of them off. Even with that I will have to hold the part in place when gluing.