1/72 Italeri MiG-37 Ferret

by David Chong

--------------------

Silly Week 2008

 

"What if" Inspired by a news article...
 
The year is 2015, Pablo Escobar III rose to power and united the South American drug families.  By 2018 the cartels are tired of their delivery planes being shot down and processing plants being bombed out by government agencies.  To safeguard their "assets" the cartels went shopping for the best weapons drug money can buy and the result.... the MiG 37.
 
For many years the purchase of MiG 37 evaded intelligence services.  The MiG was stripped down to parts and imported as 1:1 scale aircraft model and reassembled in the tropical jungle of South America.  It is not until all 36 of MiG 37 are fully operational when it was finally spotted in ARC Earth's satellite photo by a rivet counting (and tree counting) modeler.
 
Despite the satellite photo the intelligence community was reluctant to confirm the new threat until several controversial shoot down of government anti-drug aircraft.  By 2025, details surfaced about the cartel's new stealth fighter.  Apart from the stealthy airframe, the aircraft is coated in colored Radar Absorbing Material developed by "Hambro Paint" (Note: Hambro Paint Inc was acquired by the cartels through nominees as part of their 'legitimate' business).
 
The cartel MiG-37 adopted Colombian jungle camo developed by former IPMS/Antioquia Master Class modeler which blends perfectly into the tropical jungle.  Apart from the Bu No there are no other distinguishing markings to link the aircraft to the cartel.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

Armed with stealthy AA-22 Archangel Advance high off boresight missile the MiG 37 achieved 13 kills in the first 8 months of operation without any losses. Plans are underway to upgrade the avionics to enable use of 500lb laser guided stealth bombs.

 

This is the Italeri kit built out of box.  I built it last minute in order to make silly week.  The fit is good and no putty was used.  This was airbrushed free hand with whatever Gunze colors I have off hand.

David

Photos and text © by David Chong