Mig Png Polly Dream-time
CAC Sabre.. nice model, surely inspired by some politicians dreamtime.
Is that nice betelnut coloured lining on the air intake an identifying feature to assist in differentiating friend from foe?
When modelling this, the kits decals disintegrated and following several disasters that marred what was a nice paint finish I had a gutful and used some left over decals from my PNG Dakota project. For a modelling forum I wrote this little covering "story"
Meet the PNGDF Mig 15 "Tinpis" Following skirmishes between Indonesian West Irian forces and the West Papua Liberation Army and border incursions into its territory, the PNG government sought to demonstrate its ability to defend its borders. As no assistance was expected to be fothcoming from Australia, the then Minister for Aviation Mr Pious (WingtiP) Wingti acquired some slightly used Migs from North Korea. (Evidence of this former ownership can be found with the barely visible remnants of nationality marking under the wings). The acquistion was carried out in secrecy under the code name "Operation Tinpis" because the airframes were to be shipped in crates marked "Tinned Mackeral" as deck cargo on Lutheran Shipping lines tramp steamers.
Anyway after a series of mishaps, just the one example was assembled, prepared and test flown at Nadzab.
The aircraft was woefully unsuited to the task being short ranged and also due to the lack of suitable airfields so it spent most of its time unoperational on the operational readiness platforms alongside the runway.
The type was to be named the "Muruk" after the native name for a Cassowary, an aggressive but unfortunately flightless bird. This was considered inappropriate for obvious reasons and the name "Kumul" after the bird of paradise was floated but after the PNG governments Beech Super Kingair "Kumul 2" dead sticked in Moresby following fuel exhaustion (true story) there-by founding the Moresby "Gliding Club" this too was rejected. Finally the moniker "Tinpis" was used quite appropriately because the whole fiasco stunk to high heaven.
Anyway a pretty little jet completely and utterly stuffed up..it joins the "awaiting resurrection" pile if I can ever be bothered.
Note that one of the brighter airframe fitters / surface finishers had read about coke bottle area rule transonic drag reduction. This technician being also aware of the speed enhancing properties of GT stripes modified a straight Dakota cheat line into a curved stripe in an effort to improve the tinpis's performance. Its effectiveness was not recorded