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Well it took a bit longer than anticipated but this cold-war Mig is finally done! It's ICMs 1/48 version of the Mig-25 PD with the challenge of a mostly monotone grey colour scheme. The main colour is MRP traffic Grey but I used a fair bit of artistic license when pre-shading with various other colours such as brown. Note no missiles or fuel tank in this shot. Eduard photo-etch was used to enhance the various aerials and intakes, along with a Master nose probe. Decals are by Begemot and went on fine. The base is made from mdf sprayed gloss black with a Soviet star added. The acrylic rods were bent into shape using a heat gun and 'gentle' persuasion. Although panels were mainly different shades of aluminium, I added random shades of metallic colours such as titanium to provide an interesting (in my eyes!) patina to the rear fuselage. The large fuel tank is detachable as it's held on by magnets. I used the kit missiles which were ok with a bit of work and added magnets so they can be added and removed easily. The pilot is an Aerobonus one which also came with a very nice seat though you can't see that much with the canopy closed! I used Alclad metals on the rear and weathered with brown washes. I went for blue lights from the exhaust just to add a bit of colour but best viewed in the dark! I lit the cockpit with a couple of red LEDs as I had no idea what they actually used and red seemed appropriate. I liked the ICM kit, it's well detailed and goes together nicely. It's certainly a big and imposing fighter! Thank you for looking!

I recently got a hold of the Condor 1/72 MIG-25P and it's a very nice kit, one of the best MIG-25 kits in 1/72 I've read in various reviews, however Condor only gives the colour (In Russian) to be used on the aircraft with no paint makers referenced at all, As the main paints I use are Humbrol Enamels I thought I would show the colours that I intend to use on the model and if I'm making a mistake them someone can help me with using the right colours, this was after translating them from Russian All colours are Humbrol Enamel unless stated otherwise 1 Grey 166 2 Dark Grey 164 3 Black 33 4 Steel 27001 5 Ore-Brown 186 6 White 34 7 Light Blue 23 or Mr.Color 392 if the colour is for Cockpit Interior 8 Red 153 I'm thinking of using Mr.Color 391, which is a light green, which from the photo's of the cockpit interior of the MIG-25, seems better suited than the Light Blue. Any help gratefully received.

This is the ICM MiG-25PD dating from 2008, so an earlier generation of kit than this manufacturer’s current excellent range of Foxbats. This is still a good kit and was (I think) the best fighter variant MiG-25 on the market … until ICM announced a new tool MiG-25PD for 2021 just as this build was headed for the spray booth! This older boxing needs an awful lot of fill-sand-repeat to get a good result. I’ve augmented my interceptor Foxbat with a Neomega cockpit (intended for the Condor MiG-25P but a nice set of resin that fits fine), Begemot stencils, Armory exhaust, intake injectors and wheels, a Master pitot probe, and a Pavla canopy. The MLG required a lot of work to get a good fit and there is some extra metal rod in there to give it some strength. I added a couple of Quickboost air scoops to replace those lost in the sanding (the Quickboost set has enough for two models). The main scheme is Ammo MiG FS36375 over a black base, and the metal parts are Vallejo. This was my first time using Ammo MiG paints and I wasn’t wild about the coverage; however, some research indicated that was my fault for using a gloss black base, rather than a matt primer – I've had no problems since, so live and learn! The markings are from the kit for Red 65 of the Ukrainian Air Force in 1995. I did make up some R-40 missiles using those from the Condor kit but, although the results were ok, they were just ok and I quite like the purposeful lines of the Foxbat unencumbered. The weathering is a little harsher than I intended but these birds were fairly grubby by the end of the service careers. All in all, I’m quite pleased with this and am sure that the new mould ICM PD is worth the wait.

Hello friends, Here is my latest finished project, a beautiful Foxbat in 48th scale from ICM. For me, the PD version is by far the best looking variant. The kit was built oob, no extra added. I hope you like it. Cheers! Alex

MiG-25PU Soviet Training Aircraft (72178) 1:72 ICM In the early part of the Cold War, the strategic bomber was seen as the obvious means by which to deliver a nuclear payload. The interceptor - large, heavy and fast - was seen as the equally obvious countermeasure. The MiG-25 Foxbat was, in many ways, the ultimate embodiment of this technology. It wasn't particularly groundbreaking and nor was it particularly sophisticated, but it was capable of incredible speed and could carry four large missiles to high altitudes very quickly indeed. The MiG-25's shortcomings as a combat aircraft were largely addressed through the MiG-31 Foxhound, but the type continued as an effective mission platform in a variety of guises. The PU version being the twin seat trainer for the interceptor version of the Foxbat, though with no radar or armament it was purely a flight trainer. The Kit This kit is now the sixth iteration of ICM's new 1/72 MiG-25 family, following on from the other variants. Inside the robust top-opening box are eight frames of light grey plastic and two of clear plastic. The kit is almost identical to the previous iterations, but includes revised parts for the nose (The interceptor nose is also included but only for the pylons which are also on the sprue). The airframe is covered in crisp, recessed panel lines which look very good indeed, and the mouldings are crisp and clean. The instructions are an A4 stapled booklet which has been printed in colour and the decal sheet is clear and well printed. The overall impression is of a well-executed, modern kit which looks like it should be thoroughly enjoyable to build. Construction begins with the rear cockpit and nose gear bay. Some detail is moulded in place on the sidewalls of the cockpit, with extra parts provided to represent additional details. Before the main structure of the cockpit can be completed, however, you have to add the bulkhead that forms the front wall of the cockpit and the rear wall of the nose gear bay. The instructions have you installing the nose gear leg at this stage, but I can't see any logical reason as to why this can't be done at the end. This would, of course, save you from breaking the leg part way through the build. The cockpit itself is nicely detailed, with the ejector seat alone made up of no fewer than five parts. An instrument panel and control column completes this section. Once the forward fuselage halves have been joined together, the whole sub-assembly fits onto a spar that also holds the huge engine air intakes. I've noticed that kit manufacturers are moving increasingly toward this style of construction, where certain parts are provided for purely structural purposes instead of the older slot and tab style of construction. I guess the main advantage, other than strength, is that everything can be positioned at exactly the right angle - a helpful feature for kits that feature quit a complex breakdown of parts such as this one. Each engine intake is full-length, with engine compressor faces provided. What results is a complete forward section of the aircraft up to the wing roots, with the internal structure of the air intakes protruding from the rear. The lower face of the main fuselage can be joined to this structure once the main landing gear bays have been added. ICM suggest that you add the main landing gear legs at this stage. Again, I can't see any reason why they couldn't be fettled into place after the main construction has been completed. Once the lower face of the main fuselage is in place, another structural bulkhead can be added, after which the slab-sides of the fuselage, including the outer faces of the air intakes, can be added. The dustbin-like jet exhausts are added at this stage, and very nicely detailed they are too. Once in place, the upper face of the fuselage can be added. Some modellers have noticed that the central spine has a flattened profile instead of a rounded shape. This is true, but I imagine most modellers will choose to live with this flaw. All that remains now is to add the nosecone, flying surfaces and finishing details. Each vertical tail is split vertically, with a seperate rudder. The outer face is moulded with part of the rear fuselage in place, so presumably it will be impossible to fit these parts at the wrong angle. Somewhat surprisingly, the upper wings are not moulded in one part with the upper fuselage. Instead, they are split into separate port and starboard halves, with two separate flaperons and upper wing fences and fittings. The nosecone is simply split vertically and houses the front cockpit. This is made up and added in along with its rear bulkhead, Once closed up the completed nose section can be joined with the rest of the fuselage. The canopies are nice and clear and can be finished in either open or closed position. Even though the wing tip missile rails are present no armament was used, and plugs are provided for the underwing pylon spaces as well. Other than that, and a few aerials, lumps and bumps, the huge aircraft is now finished. Decals Four options are provided for on the decal sheet: MiG-25PU Russian Air Force, Ramenskovsky (Zhukovsky) (UUBW) Russia August 2005 MiG-25PU Russian Air Force, MSN N22036241 Russia August 2012 MiG-25PU Belarus Air Force, MSN 22037313 1983 MIG-25PU Libyan Air Force, Mitiga, Libya Dec 2006 The decals look nicely printed and a full set of stencils is included. Conclusion We've waited a while for a new, more more modern kit of the Foxbat in this scale, but the wait has been worth it. ICM's effort is excellent, with high quality mouldings and plenty of detail. Overall this is a well executed and carefully designed kit, while the trainer configuration is very appealing indeed. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

MiG-25 PD Soviet Interceptor Fighter 1:72 ICM (72177) In the early part of the Cold War, the strategic bomber was seen as the obvious means by which to deliver a nuclear payload. The interceptor - large, heavy and fast - was seen as the equally obvious countermeasure. The MiG-25 Foxbat was, in many ways, the ultimate embodiment of the latter. It wasn't particularly groundbreaking and nor was it particularly sophisticated, but it was capable of incredible speed and could carry four large missiles to high altitudes very quickly indeed. The MiG-25's shortcomings as a combat aircraft were largely addressed through the MiG-31 Foxhound, but the type achieved considerable longevity as a reconnaissance platform. The Kit This kit is the sixth iteration of ICM's new 1/72 MiG-25 family as they work their way through all the variants. Inside the very sturdy top-opening box are seven frames of light grey plastic and one of clear plastic. The kit is almost identical to the previous version, but includes a different sprue for the revised parts for the nose, and additional weapons sprues. The airframe is covered in crisp, recessed panel lines which look very good indeed, and the mouldings are crisp and clean. The instructions are an A4 stapled booklet which has been printed in colour and the decal sheet is clear and well printed. The overall impression is of a well-executed, modern kit which looks like it should be thoroughly enjoyable to build. Construction begins with the cockpit and nose gear bay. Some detail is moulded in place on the sidewalls of the cockpit, with extra parts provided to represent additional details. Before the main structure of the cockpit can be completed, however, you have to add the bulkhead that forms the front wall of the cockpit and the rear wall of the nose gear bay. The instructions have you installing the nose gear leg at this stage, but I can't see any logical reason as to why this can't be done at the end. This would, of course, save you from breaking the leg part way through the build. The cockpit itself is nicely detailed, with the ejector seat alone made up of no fewer than five parts. An instrument panel and control column completes this section of the build. Once the forward fuselage halves have been joined together, the whole sub-assembly fits onto a bridge that holds the huge engine air intakes. Each engine intake is full-length, with engine compressor faces provided. What results is a complete forward section of the aircraft up to the wing roots, with the internal structure of the air intakes protruding from the rear. The lower face of the main fuselage can be joined to this structure once the main landing gear bays have been added. ICM suggest that you add the main landing gear legs at this stage. Again, I can't see any reason why they couldn't be added after the main construction has been completed. Once the lower side of the main fuselage is in place, another structural bulkhead can be added, after which the slab-sides of the fuselage, including the outer faces of the air intakes, can be added. The dustbin-like jet exhausts are added at this stage, and very nicely detailed they are too. Once in place, the upper part of the fuselage can be added. The tail with seperate rudder can now be added. All that remains now is to add the nosecone, flying surfaces and finishing details. Each vertical tail is split vertically, with a seperate rudder. The outer face is moulded with part of the rear fuselage in place, so presumably it will be impossible to fit these parts at the wrong angle. Somewhat surprisingly, the upper wings are not moulded in one part with the upper fuselage. Instead, they are split into separate port and starboard halves, with two seperate flaperons and upper wing fences and pylons going on underneath. The nosecone is simply split vertically. The gear doors and wheels can now go one. Four R-40 missiles are provided for the four pylons as well as the large centre line tank. The canopy is nice and clear and can be finished in either open or closed position. Other than that, and a few aerials, lumps and bumps, the huge aircraft is now finished. Three options are provided for on the decal sheet: MiG-25PDS Soviet 1986 MiG-25PD, Iraqi Air Force late 1980s MiG-25OPD, Libyan Air Force 1990s The decals look nicely printed and a full set of stencils is included. Conclusion We've waited a while for a new, more more modern kit of the Foxbat in this scale. ICM's new effort is excellent, with high quality mouldings and plenty of the detail. The surface structures are fine and crisp. Overall this is a well executed and carefully designed kit which is very appealing indeed. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

New ICM Foxbat variant in 1/72nd announced - ref. 72177 - MiG-25PD "Foxbat-E" Sources: https://icm.com.ua/en/aviation/mig-25-pd-3/ https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1534837893375810&id=421205504739060 Box art V.P.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RBS Foxbat-D pics thanks to Tiger331 taken at the Estonian Aviation Museum.

MiG-25RU Soviet Training Aircraft (72176) 1:72 ICM In the early part of the Cold War, the strategic bomber was seen as the obvious means by which to deliver a nuclear payload. The interceptor - large, heavy and fast - was seen as the equally obvious countermeasure. The MiG-25 Foxbat was, in many ways, the ultimate embodiment of this technology. It wasn't particularly groundbreaking and nor was it particularly sophisticated, but it was capable of incredible speed and could carry four large missiles to high altitudes very quickly indeed. The MiG-25's shortcomings as a combat aircraft were largely addressed through the MiG-31 Foxhound, but the type continued as an effective mission platform in a variety of guises. The RU version being the twin seat trainer for the reconnaissance version of the Foxbat. The Kit This kit is now the fifth iteration of ICM's new 1/72 MiG-25 family, following on from the other variants. The model is pretty much a scaled down version of their 1:48 kit, which is a jolly good thing indeed. Inside the robust top-opening box are seven frames of light grey plastic and one of clear plastic. The kit is almost identical to the previous iterations, but includes revised parts for the nose. The airframe is covered in crisp, recessed panel lines which look very good indeed, and the mouldings are crisp and clean. The instructions are an A4 stapled booklet which has been printed in colour and the decal sheet is clear and well printed. The overall impression is of a well-executed, modern kit which looks like it should be thoroughly enjoyable to build. Construction begins with the rear cockpit and nose gear bay. Some detail is moulded in place on the sidewalls of the cockpit, with extra parts provided to represent additional details. Before the main structure of the cockpit can be completed, however, you have to add the bulkhead that forms the front wall of the cockpit and the rear wall of the nose gear bay. The instructions have you installing the nose gear leg at this stage, but I can't see any logical reason as to why this can't be done at the end. This would, of course, save you from breaking the leg part way through the build. The cockpit itself is nicely detailed, with the ejector seat alone made up of no fewer than five parts. An instrument panel and control column completes this section. Once the forward fuselage halves have been joined together, the whole sub-assembly fits onto a spar that also holds the huge engine air intakes. I've noticed that kit manufacturers are moving increasingly toward this style of construction, where certain parts are provided for purely structural purposes instead of the older slot and tab style of construction. I guess the main advantage, other than strength, is that everything can be positioned at exactly the right angle - a helpful feature for kits that feature quit a complex breakdown of parts such as this one. Each engine intake is full-length, with engine compressor faces provided. What results is a complete forward section of the aircraft up to the wing roots, with the internal structure of the air intakes protruding from the rear. The lower face of the main fuselage can be joined to this structure once the main landing gear bays have been added. ICM suggest that you add the main landing gear legs at this stage. Again, I can't see any reason why they couldn't be fettled into place after the main construction has been completed. Once the lower face of the main fuselage is in place, another structural bulkhead can be added, after which the slab-sides of the fuselage, including the outer faces of the air intakes, can be added. The dustbin-like jet exhausts are added at this stage, and very nicely detailed they are too. Once in place, the upper face of the fuselage can be added. Some modellers have noticed that the central spine has a flattened profile instead of a rounded shape. This is true, but I imagine most modellers will choose to live with this flaw. All that remains now is to add the nosecone, flying surfaces and finishing details. Each vertical tail is split vertically, with a seperate rudder. The outer face is moulded with part of the rear fuselage in place, so presumably it will be impossible to fit these parts at the wrong angle. Somewhat surprisingly, the upper wings are not moulded in one part with the upper fuselage. Instead, they are split into separate port and starboard halves, with two separate flaperons and upper wing fences and fittings. The nosecone is simply split vertically and houses the front cockpit. This is made up and added in along with its rear bulkhead, Once closed up the completed nose section can be joined with the rest of the fuselage. The canopies are nice and clear and can be finished in either open or closed position. Even though the wing tip missile rails are present no armament was used, and plugs are provided for the underwing pylon spaces as well. Other than that, and a few aerials, lumps and bumps, the huge aircraft is now finished. Decals Two options are provided for on the decal sheet: MiG-25RU, 47th HRAP, Russian Air Force 2001 MiG-25RU, No. 102 Sqn Indian Air Force, 1990 The decals look nicely printed and a full set of stencils is included. Conclusion We've waited a while for a new, more more modern kit of the Foxbat in this scale, but the wait has been worth it. ICM's effort is excellent, with high quality mouldings and plenty of detail. Overall this is a well executed and carefully designed kit, while the trainer configuration is very appealing indeed. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

ICM is to release in Q3 2020 a 1/72nd Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RU "Foxbat-C" kit - ref. 72176 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM72176 V.P.

MiG-25 RB Soviet Reconnaissance Plane (72173) 1:72 ICM In the early part of the Cold War, the strategic bomber was seen as the obvious means by which to deliver a nuclear payload. The interceptor - large, heavy and fast - was seen as the equally obvious countermeasure. The MiG-25 Foxbat was, in many ways, the ultimate embodiment of this technology. It wasn't particularly groundbreaking and nor was it particularly sophisticated, but it was capable of incredible speed and could carry four large missiles to high altitudes very quickly indeed. The MiG-25's shortcomings as a combat aircraft were largely addressed through the MiG-31 Foxhound, but the type continued as an effective reconnaissance platform in a variety of guises. The RB was an updated version of the original R reconnaissance variant, fitted with updated reconnaissance equipment as well as a bomb computer and the ability to carry up to eight 500kg bombs. This kit is the second iteration of ICM's new 1/72 MiG-25 family, following on from the later RBT variant. The model is pretty much a scaled down version of their 1:48 kit, which is a jolly good thing indeed. Inside the very sturdy top-opening box are seven frames of light grey plastic and one of clear plastic. The kit is almost identical to the previous iteration, but includes two extra sprues for the bombs and revised parts for the nose. The airframe is covered in crisp, recessed panel lines which look very good indeed, and the mouldings are crisp and clean. The instructions are an A4 stapled booklet which has been printed in colour and the decal sheet is clear and well printed. The overall impression is of a well-executed, modern kit which looks like it should be thoroughly enjoyable to build. Construction begins with the cockpit and nose gear bay. Some detail is moulded in place on the sidewalls of the cockpit, with extra parts provided to represent additional details. Before the main structure of the cockpit can be completed, however, you have to add the bulkhead that forms the front wall of the cockpit and the rear wall of the nose gear bay. The instructions have you installing the nose gear leg at this stage, but I can't see any logical reason as to why this can't be done at the end. This would, of course, save you from breaking the leg part way through the build. The cockpit itself is nicely detailed, with the ejector seat alone made up of no fewer than five parts. An instrument panel and control column completes this section of the build. Once the forward fuselage halves have been joined together, the whole sub-assembly fits onto a spart that holds the huge engine air intakes. I've noticed that kit manufacturers are moving increasingly toward this style of construction, where certain parts are provided for purely structural purposes instead of the older slot and tab style of construction. I guess the main advantage, other than strength, is that everything can be positioned at exactly the right angle - a helpful feature for kits that feature quit a complex breakdown of parts, such as this one. Each engine intake is full-length, with engine compressor faces provided. What results is a complete forward section of the aircraft up to the wing roots, with the internal structure of the air intakes protruding from the rear. The lower face of the main fuselage can be joined to this structure once the main landing gear bays have been added. ICM suggest that you add the main landing gear legs at this stage. Again, I can't see any reason why they couldn't be fettled into place after the main construction has been completed. Once the lower face of the main fuselage is in place, another structural bulkhead can be added, after which the slab-sides of the fuselage, including the outer faces of the air intakes, can be added. The dustbin-like jet exhausts are added at this stage, and very nicely detailed they are too. Once in place, the upper face of the fuselage can be added. Some modellers have noticed that the central spine has a flattened profile instead of a rounded shape. This is true, but I imagine most modellers will choose to live with this flaw. All that remains now is to add the nosecone, flying surfaces and finishing details. Each vertical tail is split vertically, with a seperate rudder. The outer face is moulded with part of the rear fuselage in place, so presumably it will be impossible to fit these parts at the wrong angle. Somewhat surprisingly, the upper wings are not moulded in one part with the upper fuselage. Instead, they are split into separate port and starboard halves, with two seperate flaperons and upper wing fences and fittings for bomb shackles below. The nosecone is simply split vertically, with a separate part for the camera pack and clear parts for the camera lenses. The canopy is nice and clear and can be finished in either open or closed position. Eight 500kg bombs are provided, along with the low profile pylons. Two are carried under each wing, while four are carried in pairs along the fuselage centerline. Other than that, and a few aerials, lumps and bumps, the huge aircraft is now finished. Four options are provided for on the decal sheet: MiG-25RB, 154th Independent Air Detachment, Cairo-West, May 1974; MiG-25RB, Soviet Air Force, late 1970s; MiG-25RB, 63rd Independent Air Detachment, UAR, 1971-1972; and MiG-25RB (Late Production), Iraqi Air Force, 1980. The decals look nicely printed and a full set of stencils are included. Conclusion We've waited a while for a new, more more modern kit of the Foxbat in this scale. ICM's new effort is excellent, with high quality mouldings and plenty of the detail. The surface structures are fine and crisp. Overall this is a well executed and carefully designed kit which is very appealing indeed. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Here is my 1:144 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RU "Foxbat C" which I built back in 2006. It's a home-made conversion of the Academy/Minicraft kit of the "Foxbat A" into a two-seater "Foxbat C". The second canopy (the front one) came from a scrapped Revell MiG-25. Apart from obviously making the second cockpit, and actually making little cockpits (there is none in the kit), I had to reshape the nose and I was very pleased I got it right. Unfortunately, the Acad./Mini. canopy has the wrong shape being too tall and short. I tried to get it closer to shape by sanding it and polished it afterwards. The Revell canopy was more accurate just being a bit too low. Otherwise, I corrected the wing fences, the inner ones being completely replaced and the outer ones sanded lower. The wingtip pods were also reworked. Other details were also thinned, reworked or added. The kit was fully painted by brush with only varnish being applied by airbrush. The bort number came from my decal spares box with the stars were those of the kit itself. Thank you for looking. All comments are welcome. Miguel

After the recce-bomber MiG-25RB/RBT & RBF (link) ICM is to release in Q4 2019 a 1/72nd SEAD Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25BM "Foxbat-F" kit - ref. 72175 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM72175 V.P.

After the recce-bomber MiG-25R/RB family (link & link) and interceptor MiG-25PD (link), ICM is to release in Q4 2019 a 1/48th SEAD Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25BM "Foxbat-F" kit - ref. 48905 Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48905 V.P.

MiG-25 RBT Soviet Reconnaissance Plane 1:72 ICM In the early part of the Cold War, the strategic bomber was seen as the obvious means by which to deliver a nuclear payload. The interceptor - large, heavy and fast - was seen as the equally obvious countermeasure. The MiG-25 Foxbat was, in many ways, the ultimate embodiment of this technology. It wasn't particularly groundbreaking and nor was it particularly sophisticated, but it was capable of incredible speed and could carry four large missiles to high altitudes very quickly indeed. The MiG-25's shortcomings as a combat aircraft were largely addressed through the MiG-31 Foxhound, but the type continued as an effective reconnaissance platform in a variety of guises. The RBT was an updated version of the RB reconnaissance bomber, fitted with Tangaz ELINT equipment and manufactured during the early part of the 1980s. This kit is the first iteration of ICM's new 1/72 MiG-25 family. The model is pretty much a scaled down version of their 1:48 kit, which is a jolly good thing indeed. Inside the very sturdy top-opening box are five frames of light grey plastic and one of clear plastic. The airframe is covered in crisp, recessed panel lines which look very good indeed, and the mouldings are crisp and clean. The instructions are an A4 stapled booklet which has been printed in colour and the decal sheet is clear and well printed. The overall impression is of a well-executed, modern kit which looks like it should be thoroughly enjoyable to build. Construction begins with the cockpit and nose gear bay. Some detail is moulded in place on the sidewalls of the cockpit, while there are extra parts provided to represent additional details. Before the main structure of the cockpit can be completed, however, you have to add the bulkhead that forms the front wall of the cockpit and the rear wall of the nose gear bay. The instructions have you installing the nose gear leg at this stage, but I can't see any logical reason as to why this can't be done at the end. This would, of course, save you from breaking the leg part way through the build. The cockpit itself is nicely detailed, with the ejector seat alone made up of no fewer than five parts. An instrument panel and control column completes this section of the build. Once the forward fuselage halves have been joined together, the whole sub-assembly fits onto a spart that holds the huge engine air intakes. I've noticed that kit manufacturers are moving increasingly toward this style of construction, where certain parts are provided for purely structural purposes instead of the older slot and tab style of construction. I guess the main advantage, other than strength, is that everything can be positioned at exactly the right angle - a helpful feature for kits that feature quit a complex breakdown of parts, such as this one. Each engine intake is full-length, with engine compressor faces provided. What results is a complete forward section of the aircraft up to the wing roots, with the internal structure of the air intakes protruding from the rear. The lower face of the main fuselage can be joined to this structure once the main landing gear bays have been added. ICM suggest that you add the main landing gear legs at this stage. Again, I can't see any reason why they couldn't be fettled into place after the main construction has been completed. Once the lower face of the main fuselage is in place, another structural bulkhead can be added, after which the slab-sides of the fuselage, including the outer faces of the air intakes, can be added. The dustbin-like jet exhausts are added at this stage, and very nicely detailed they are too. Once in place, the upper face of the fuselage can be added. Some modellers have noticed that the central spine has a flattened profile instead of a rounded shape. This is true, but I imagine most modellers will choose to live with this flaw. All that remains now is to add the nosecone, flying surfaces and finishing details. Each vertical tail is split vertically, with a seperate rudder. The outer face is moulded with part of the rear fuselage in place, so presumably it will be impossible to fit these parts at the wrong angle. Somewhat surprisingly, the upper wings are not moulded in one part with the upper fuselage. Instead, they are split into separate port and starboard halves, with two seperate flaperons and upper wing fences and fittings for bomb shackles below. The nosecone is simply split vertically, with a separate part for the camera pack and clear parts for the camera lenses. The canopy is nice and clear and can be finished in either open or closed position. A huge auxiliary fuel tank is provided. Other than that, and a few aerials, lumps and bumps, the huge aircraft is now finished. Four options are provided for on the decal sheet: MiG-25RBT of the Soviet Air Force from the late 1980s; MiG-25RBT of the 47th GRAP, Russian Air Force, May 2001; MiG-25RBT, Iraqi Air Force, late 1980s; and MiG-25RBT, Libyan Air Force, 2000s. The decals look nicely printed and a number of stencils are included. Conclusion We've waited a while for a new, more more modern kit of the Foxbat in this scale. ICM's new effort looks to be slightly ahead of, er... the older ICM kit (which admittedly represents the interceptor version) and of course it is light years ahead of ye olde Hasegawa effort. The the mouldings are high quality, there is plenty of the detail and surface structures are fine and crisp. Overall this is a well executed and carefully designed kit which is very appealing indeed. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mig-25PD Updates (for ICM) 1:48 Eduard ICM's new Foxbat range of Foxbat kits go together really well, but as always with injection moulding you can do some aspects better with Photo-Etch. Along comes Eduard with a small collection of PE sets and a set of kabuki tape masks to make your life easier, and the detail better. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (49928) Consisting of two frets of PE, one of which is nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other bare brass, this set adds extra detail to the cockpit that would be difficult, if not impossible to add via scratch-building. After scraping the detail from the sidewall, consoles and instrument panel, new panels are installed with detail picked out in relief and colour, plus a set of new sidewall skins with panelling details added. The main panel is split into several parts, laminated together to create a more realistic whole, replete with instrument dials behind the bezels. The seat is upgraded with a seat cover, more accurate pull handle, leg straps, and a new detail insert for the top of the headbox, whilst behind it the rear bulkhead is given a skin of riveted metal instead of the raised detail that was provided in the kit. After replacing the rudder pedals with more detailed parts, the rest of the set is used to improve the detail on the canopy, including sill details, internal structure, canopy and windscreen hoops with rear-view mirrors, and the seals around the moving section. Zoom! Set (FE928) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (FE929) Eduard's new STEEL seatbelt range combines the simplicity of pre-painted Photo-Etch (PE) belts with the thin, flexible steel that they now use, resulting in seatbelts that look more in-scale, and are easier to bend to drape more naturally over the ejection seat or crew seat as the case may be. The paint used also seems more flexible, and better able to cope with the rigors of fitting the belts into position without cracking and peeling off, which was sometimes a danger with the previous nickel-plated brass types. As well as coming pre-painted, they are also shaded to imply further depth to the buckles and overlaps, with the clasps, slides and attachment points showing bright in conjunction with the painted portions. Exterior (48968) This set is supplied on two larger brass frets, and contains plenty of parts to improve the detail further. The nose gear bay is skinned almost completely with a number of highly detailed parts, layered to give a better indication of depth, while the bay doors are given hinges and interior skins to complement. The main bays are skinned along the less detailed edges at the bottom of the bay, which is also the area most seen, with the bay doors also receiving some attention in the shape of panels, hinge-lines and brackets. The main legs are improved by the replacement of one of the arms by a detailed assembly that better represents the original, plus a set of hoses, and a hub detail part for the wheels. The intakes have new skin sections to better replicate the detail of the perforated area in the roof, and a skin for the dropped intake "scoops" at the bottom of the intake that sucks in more air at low speeds. Detail panels are added to the guide vanes that hold the intakes away from the fuselage, although little will be seen of these at the end of construction. Careful test-fitting will be needed here also, just in case it affects fit of the parts. At the front of the engine a fan enhancement is added, with the afterburner ring being more delicately depicted by fine PE parts, which are fitted with a centre section so that they are drop-in replacements for the kit parts. A side profile shows the correct shape for the rings after installation, which is conical. Between the exhausts, small parts are added to the wedge-shaped fairing, and the separator between the closely spaced exhausts. There are a virtual forest of aerials, raised panel, AoA probes and other parts around the nose, static wicks on the wings and tail, skins for the pylon contact points if you are posing them empty, and a few replacement bay doors to the nose gear. Masks (EX617) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Masks Tface (EX618) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism. Review sample courtesy of

Strong rumour: after the MiG-25RB recce and P interceptor variants, ICM is to release in 2019 a 1/48th trainer MiG-25PU "Foxbat-C" kit - ref. V.P.

Mig-25RBF (48904) 1:48 ICM In an attempt to fulfil the perceived need for a supersonic interceptor that could take off, climb to height and attack an incoming bomber stream, which at the time was the most efficient method for delivering the newly invented nuclear warheads, The Mig-25 Foxbat was created. It managed the job to a certain extent, but as it never truly achieved its goals, it was left to its successor the Mig-31 Foxhound before the task was handled competently, by which time the role of ICBMs was about to make the primary role redundant. The prototype flew in 1964, and was constructed primarily of stainless steel, and reached service at the turn of the decade, although it had been seen before that, both in reconnaissance photos of the West, as well as at some parades. The Mig-25's inadequacies were hidden from the West however, until the famous defection of a Soviet pilot to an airfield in Japan revealed that the Foxbat wasn't as high-tech and all-conquering as we had been led to believe, having many steel parts instead of the high-tech alloys that the investigators were expecting. The West assumed that the large wing was to aid manoeuvrability, when in fact it was a necessity due to the aircraft's enormous weight, which made it a fast aircraft, which was not very manoeuvrable. It was also lacking in the avionics department, especially in one crucial aspect. It had no capability for targeting aircraft that were lower than itself, which coincided with the change in tactics to low level attack by the Western Allies, so a lack of look-down/shoot-down capability was a serious deficiency. Nevertheless, several hundred were made, with the last one rolling off the production line in 1984 with a number of export orders into the bargain. The MiG-25RBF was a Conversion of the MiG-25RBK (Single-seat dedicated ELINT platform, with the Kub-3K Elint system) but fitted with a new Shar-25 Elint system. NATO would call both the RBK & RBF the Foxbat-D. Attempts to improve the Foxbat design were unsuccessful, and the Foxhound was its eventual replacement, which delivered everything that was expected of its forebear, staying in service until it is replaced by the Pak-Fa at some point in the near future. The Kit This is the latest Foxbat from ICM. Inside are seven sprues of grey styrene, plus a clear sprue, two sheets of decals and a colour printed instruction booklet with painting guide to the rear. The clear parts are bagged separately from the rest of the sprues, and both are secured with resealable tape in case you prefer to keep your kits in the bags. The decals are inserted between the pages of the instructions, and have a waxy cover sheet lightly adhering to each sheet. If you think that construction is going to start with the cockpit, you'd be kind-of right. Cockpit parts in the shape of one of the side consoles are added to the inside of the cockpit section first, followed by the rear bulkhead and then the nose gear bay, with gear leg included but easily left off 'til later. Rudder pedals are then added to a short cockpit floor; the base of the seat with its stirrups and ejection actuator handle; control column and the instrument panel are joined before being added to the side console in the short fuselage section. The back and headbox of the seat are then installed, the opposite side console made up, and then fitted to the fuselage, which is then joined together. A large M-shaped former is added at the rear to hold the intakes, which are built from three sections and are then fitted to the former. At the rear of the intakes a pair of conical intake trunks are glued in place with the front engine face, leaving you with a rather odd looking assembly. This is set to one side for a while as you add the main gear bays to the lower fuselage. The nose (minus radome at this stage) is then joined with the lower fuselage, the main gear legs added, and a capital B shaped bulkhead fitted to the rear to hold the exhausts in place. Fuselage sides are then fitted to the bulkheads, with the rear missing, as it is attached to the two big fins that are made up next with separate rudders and lower strakes. The exhausts are next, with the afterburner flame-holders attached to the rear fan section, which is shaped like a figure-8 and linked to obtain the correct exhaust spacing. The trunking is then added in four parts, with detail within, and with careful alignment, you should be able to get away with a hidden seam. Another figure-8 part, the base of the exhaust rings links the rear of the tubes together, and two further layers give it depth and detail, with the inner petals added in sections to complete the assembly. The fronts are slid into the rear bulkhead on the fuselage, and the top fuselage panel is added along with the twin fins and the tops of the intake nacelles. It finally looks like an aircraft, but a wingless one at this stage. The pen-nib fairing between the fins is added from two parts, and it's then time to give her wings. The are separate from the top fuselage, and their tabs fit in traditional slots once they have their control surfaces and strakes added. The elevators fit into holes in the sides of the fuselage too, in much the same way as the full-size parts. There is no mention of it but I would add nose weight to avoid a tail sitter. The gear bay covers are fitted along with the wheels, which are well detailed and the mains are split vertically around their circumference, while the dual nose wheels are single parts. Due to its prodigious thirst, the Foxbat was often seen carrying a huge belly tank, which is supplied in the kit as a two-part assembly, split horizontally. The final act sees the windscreen added along with the coaming, and a choice of either open or closed canopy parts. Stick the pitot in the nose and you're done. Markings There From the box you can build one of the following: Mig-25RBF, 47th GRAP, Shatalov AB, August 2001(Brown / Light Green / Ochre / Olive Green camo) Mig-25RBF, 931st OGRAP, Werneuchen AB, Germany 1991(Brown / Green / Tan camo) Mig-25RBF, 47th GRAP, Shatalov AB, August 2001 (all over grey) The decals are printed with ICM's logo and have good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The stencils are printed on a separate sheet, are legible and their locations are called out via a page in the instructions so as not to clutter the profiles with too many arrows. Conclusion Detail is excellent, the panel lines are restrained, and construction follows a logical process. Just take care with the location of the internal assemblies to make sure that they are correctly placed, and the outer skin should fit well. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Built for a Facebook GB Gulf War GB-8892 by Simon, on Flickr Gulf War GB-8882 by Simon, on Flickr Gulf War GB-8880 by Simon, on Flickr

In the framework of the recent toy tradefair Mir Detstva 2017, held at Moscow, ICM is reported having announced a new tool 1/72nd Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RB/RBT "Foxbat-B" kit for 2018. To be followed. Source AlexGRD: http://master194.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=100171&sid=b7252e4ad3d849de8e26c4c009281a81 V.P.

Hi, Just starting up on this kit - and I want to get it right. I understand from various links on this Forum and others that there is a fix to be applied to make this into an RBT. Or vice versa - back date the kit to an RB. So let me verify my findings after spending a(n other) day on Google with you: RBT: Shape a bulge under the nose cone (or use an aftermarket part) Omit parts C21 & C22 and fill the recesses. RB: Shorten the upper parts of the air-intakes and cut them flush to the upper end of the intake fairing. Modify the parashut housing. Is this a correct summary? If someone could help with the correct color of the cockpit interior color that would be great as well. I have seen some postings here that are done in a greenish blue / bluish green color that look very close to references found on the web. But the instructions call for Tamiya XF-71. This is cockpit green. My Eduard MiG-21 printed IP has the same color as seen in your threads. My Eduard SU-27 printed IP is pale grey. Your advice would be very much appreciated. Best regards Johan

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25RBT Foxbat-B, Pics taken at The Ukraine State Aviation Museum Zhulyany, Kiev. Pics thanks to Dave Haskell.

Mig-25RBT Updates (for ICM) 1:48 Eduard ICM's new Foxbat kit is gorgeous, and goes together really well, but as always with injection moulding you can do some aspects better with Photo-Etch. Along comes Eduard with a small collection of PE sets and a set of kabuki tape masks to make your life easier, and the detail better. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (49815) Consisting of two frets of PE, one of which is nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other bare brass, this set adds extra detail to the cockpit that would be difficult, if not impossible to add via scratch-building. After scraping the detail from the sidewall, consoles and instrument panel, new panels are installed with detail picked out in relief and colour, plus a set of new sidewall skins with panelling details added. The main panel is split into several parts, laminated together to create a more realistic whole, replete with instrument dials behind the bezels. The seat is upgraded with a seat cover, more accurate pull handle, leg straps, and a new detail insert for the top of the headbox, whilst behind it the rear bulkhead is given a skin of riveted metal instead of the raised detail that was provided in the kit. After replacing the rudder pedals with more detailed parts, the rest of the set is used to improve the detail on the canopy, including sill details, internal structure, canopy and windscreen hoops with rear-view mirrors, and the seals around the moving section. Speaking personally, detailing the canopy give a big boost to cockpit detail, and the addition of the parts can make a great deal of difference. Zoom! Set (FE815) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (49816) Eduard's new STEEL seatbelt range combines the simplicity of pre-painted Photo-Etch (PE) belts with the thin, flexible steel that they now use, resulting in seatbelts that look more in-scale, and are easier to bend to drape more naturally over the ejection seat or crew seat as the case may be. The paint used also seems more flexible, and better able to cope with the rigors of fitting the belts into position without cracking and peeling off, which was sometimes a danger with the previous nickel-plated brass types. As well as coming pre-painted, they are also shaded to imply further depth to the buckles and overlaps, with the clasps, slides and attachment points showing bright in conjunction with the painted portions. Exterior (48918) This set is supplied on one larger brass fret, and contains plenty of parts to improve the detail further. The nose gear bay is skinned almost completely with a number of highly detailed parts, layered to give a better indication of depth, while the bay doors are given hinges and interior skins to complement. The main bays are skinned along the less detailed edges at the bottom of the bay, which is also the area most seen, with the bay doors also receiving some attention in the shape of panels, hinge-lines and brackets. The main legs are improved by the replacement of one of the arms by a detailed assembly that better represents the original, plus a set of hoses, and a hub detail part for the wheels. The intakes have new skin sections to better replicate the detail of the perforated area in the roof, and a skin for the dropped intake "scoops" at the bottom of the intake that sucks in more air at low speeds. Detail panels are added to the guide vanes that hold the intakes away from the fuselage, although little will be seen of these at the end of construction. Careful test-fitting will be needed here also, just in case it affects fit of the parts. At the front of the engine a fan enhancement is added, with the afterburner ring being more delicately depicted by fine PE parts, which are fitted with a centre section so that they are drop-in replacements for the kit parts. A side profile shows the correct shape for the rings after installation, which is conical. Between the exhausts, small parts are added to the wedge-shaped fairing, the separator between the closely spaced exhausts, as well as a small ring under the para-brake pen-nib fairing between the tails. Masks (EX545) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Conclusion As I'm half-way through building this kit, which was initially going to be out of the box, I'm hoping to restart operations shortly using as much of these sets as is practicable. The extra detail it adds will be worth the effort, although sadly it's too late for most of the cockpit set due to the fact that it is all glued in place now. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

It had to happen, didn't it? I get a brand new Mig-25 in for review from those delightful folks at ICM, and next thing you know, the box just falls onto my desk, and all the cockpit parts jump out of the open box. How did that happen? Dunno, don't care, but I'm building it. I've not got very far with it so far, as it's been a tad busy here recently, so here are a few pics of the cockpit now that it's together. The parts are glued into the fuselage halves where appropriate, and not glued yet where it makes the painting easier. The seat is also constructed, and I'll be raiding the Eduard PE for the old (AHEM!) one for some seatbelts, and maybe a few other odds & sods that might fit this kit. Not too much though, as I don't want to spoil the "out of box" nature of the build. My friends are sick of hearing this, but so far the parts are just falling together with very little effort. Things just fit... with one exception, which is a teeny little knob on the port sidewall, which needed its socket expanding a little with a drill in a pin-vice... once I'd swept it up off the floor that is. Old butter-fingers strikes again Anyway - primer next, and then some of that nice AKAN Russian interior green that got a bit scarce when the AMK Mig-31 came out. If you're going to need some, get onto Martin @ Atlantic Models, and get your oar in early. I hope whoever it was that I nabbed the last bottle from last time has forgiven me by now A couple of pics. Remember - loosely taped together for the lulz: I have a feeling I'm going to be enjoying this build somewhat

After the RBT (thread here: link), ICM is to release in Q3 2017 a 1/48th MiG-25RB "Foxbat-B" (new variant - photo reconnaissance and bomber) kit - ref.48902 Sources: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48902 http://scalemodels.ru/news/11036-katalog-ICM-2017-god.html And, for the moment no trace, of future interceptor MiG-25P/PD/PDS variants kit... V.P.