Finnish Air Force Fouga CM 170 Magister FM-71 1/72 Valom 72089

OOB build (except different reg. number) of a short run Czech injection kit with resin, vacuformed and photoetch parts. Not a bad kit for a cottage industry example, it's just that the 1/72 is too fiddly a scale for such a small plane as Fouga CM 170. The old Heller kit with aftermarket decals looks almost the same but is easier to build, too bad that both kits suffer canopy fit problems. The Valom decal sheet is okay, Finnish AF roundel blue is a tad too light in my opinion but nevermind. I'm not a fan of either resin or photoetch but used some of the available parts and saved leftovers for future projects.

Still I'm glad that I have another historic FiAF 1/72 jet ready in my collection, the original unrestored FM-71 is on display at Päijänne-Tavastia Aviation Museum, Vesivehmaa. Airbrushed Vallejo Metal Color 77.707 Chrome, smaller details with various Revell and Humbrol enamels. The book Fouga CM 170 Magister in Finnish Air Force by Jyrki Laukkanen (ISBN 978-952-5026-48-1, Apali 2005) was a good reference in addition to the real FM-71.

Finnish Air Force trainer FM-71: built by Valmet, first flight Dec 3rd 1964 (Captain M. Tiiro / S. Valkeiskangas), entered service Jan 27th 1965, major overhaul Jan 4th - Dec 5th 1972, last flight June 30th 1983. Total flight time 3806 hours. Moved to Mini-Suomi at Ähtäri March 24th 1987, on display at Päijänne-Tavastia Aviation museum from 1994 onwards.

Valom FiAF Fouga CM 170 FM-71 w. page 76 of Fouga CM 170 Magister in Finnish Air Force book by Jyrki Laukkanen (Apali, 2005)

FiAF Fouga CM 170 FM-71 from the 70's

FiAF natural metal jet traners: MiG-15 UTI MU-2 (top) and Fouga CM 170 Magister FM-71 (bottom). Both original planes can be seen at Vesivehmaa museum hangar

Finnish Air Force MiG-21UM MK-106 Condor 1/72

Clockwise from top left: MiG-21UM, de Havilland Vampire Mk. 55, MiG-15UTI, Folland Gnat F.1

Condor MICOJAN MIG-21UM MONGOL 1/72

Well, here's a scale model that isn't too easy to have even nowadays: a Finnish Air Force MiG-21UM 'Mongol' 2-seat trainer in 1/72 scale. Bought my kit from ModelsUA online and fortunately it was very cheap.

The Condor kit is simple and crude, but in 1/72 scale there aren't many, if any options for an OOB builder. In some ways it looks like the original 'Mongols' I've seen in Finnish aviation museums and it's not totally off, but there are definitely issues with some dimensions and shapes overall. Maybe kitbashing a Zvezda MiG-21 BIS kit with some scratchbuilding would produce best results, but this Condor will have to do at least for awhile.

Painted with an airbrush, camouflage brown and green colours mixed from Vallejo Model Air 71.002, 71.022, 71.105, 71.057 and 71.034 water acrylic paints, bottom light blue Revell Enamel 52 mixed with 04. Final clearcoat Revell Matt Enamel. Aftermarket decals from Harraste Shop (Tampere, Finland).

This model represents the MK-106 in its original 1982 Soviet Union delivery scheme before any later Finnish modifications or repaints. The real MiG-21UM MK-106 is stored at the Karelia Aviation Museum, Lappeenranta Finland. 

Finnish Air Force MiG-15UTI MU-2 Eduard 1/72

Size comparison. clocwise from top left MiG-21UM, de Havilland Vampire Mk.55, MiG-15UTI, Folland Gnat F.1

Eduard Weekend Edition MiG-15 UTI 1/72 7433

Another example of a scale model that's easy to acquire and build nowadays, the Finnish Air Force MiG-15 UTI jet trainer in 1/72 scale from an Eduard Weekend Edition #7433 kit. Very nice kit that really looks like the original plane, although it's hard to replicate the somewhat crude tool-like heavy duty utility feel in a scale model. Actually the Finnish MiG-15 trainers were Czech-built CS-102s but they were and are always referred as MiG-15s here.

Aftermarket FAF decals from Harraste Shop (Tampere, Finland), otherwise OOB. Painted with Revell Enamels, final clearcoat semi-gloss Johnson/Future floor wax.

This model represents the Finnish Air Force MiG-15 UTI jet trainer MU-2 (on display at the Päijänne-Tavastia Aviation Museum, Finland) in the early 1970's just before they became obsolete as the MiG-21U trainers arrived.

Finnish Air Force de Havilland Vampire Mk.55 VT-6 Airfix 1/72

Size comparison of the old Finnish Air Force jets: clockwise from top left: MiG-21UM, de Havilland Vampire Mk.55, MiG-15UTI, Folland Gnat F.1

Airfix de Havilland Vampire T.11 1/72 A02058

Bought this new-tool Airfix kit from the Finnish Aviation Museum while taking reference photos of the original Finnish Air Force de Havilland Vampire Trainer Mk.55 (VT-9) on display there. Another nice modern Airfix kit that builds well and looks the part. 

Painted with Revell enamels, final clearcoat semi-gloss Johnson/Future floor wax. Aftermarket FAF decals from Harraste Shop (Tampere, Finland).

This model represents the Finnish Air Force Vampire Trainer VT-6 of the Hämeen Lennosto at summer in 1958. There is the original (badly damaged) cockpit fuselage part of the VT-6 on display at the Päijänne-Tavastia Aviation Museum, Finland.