Orval Fairbairn <orfairbairn@earthlink.net> wrote in
news:orfairbairn-514D31.12413426092014@70-3-168-216.pools.spcsdns.net:
> In article <fira2ap64vrkp2md81bqee9feti0oqshp9@4ax.com>,
> Charles Lindbergh <spirit@stlouis.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 24 Sep 2014 23:02:16 -0400, Orval Fairbairn
>> <orfairbairn@earthlink.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >In article <ll762apkc5e7udmqngmm4ugab0j19q2p1g@4ax.com>,
>> > Charles Lindbergh <spirit@stlouis.invalid> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Wed, 24 Sep 2014 14:18:26 +0200, "Claus Gustafsen"
>> >> <claus@gustafsen.nu> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >Notice the hinges on the acces panels, they look more like they
>> >> >belong on a
>> >> >cubbord door in my opinion, and not present on many models.
>> >> >Claus Gustafsen
>> >> >Strandby
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> Great example of Russian "Boiler Plate" construction. Looks like it
>> >> was made
>> >> from steel! Imagine the performance if it had been made with
>> >> aluminum!
>> >
>> >About 20 years ago I had the privilege of touring the MASM Garber
>> >Restoration Facility at Silver Hill. Among the projects was an IL-2
>> >undergoing restoration.
>> >
>> >The workmanship was truly peasant! Rivet lines were not straight nor
>> >evenly-spaced -- nut even deburred! Fit was cursory, at best.
>> >
>> >Of course, the Russians turned out 30,000 of those beasts, which had,
>> >at best, an expected combat life of 300 hours, so they really didn't
>> >have to use much finesse in manufacture. Someone else commented on the
>> >furniture-quality hinges, which is in keeping with the LASQAD
>> >(Loose-And Simple, Rough-And Dirty) design/manufacturing philosophy
>> >under wartime conditions.
>> >
>> >Those planes were nothing but aeronautical cannon fodder, but they got
>> >the job done with overwhelming numbers.
>>
>> It is interesting to note the Soviets continued this boilerplate
>> construction philosophy well past the end of WWII. Even the MiG-25 was
>> built of nickel alloy
>> and utilized vacuum-tube technology for avionics.
>
> The MiG-25 was designed as a point interceptor and really didn't need
> sophisticated structure. The radar, according to reports from that era,
> could cook anything on the ground wherever it was pointed. It needed
> vacuum tube technology to accommodate such high power.
>
This is confirmed in Victor Belenko's book "MiG Pilot." For those who
never read it, a fascinating book. The aforementioned Radar provided
the half-starving airmen with wild rabbits. I loved how the MiG was
returned to the USSR. In boxes. Small boxes.
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