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Kovozávody Prostějov is to release 1/72nd MiG-21 "Fishbed-J" variants. - ref. KPM0097 - MiG-21MA "Fishbed-J" Source: http://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/mig-21-ma/ - ref. KPM0098 - MiG-21M/SM "Fishbed-J" Source: http://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/mig-21m-sm/ V.P.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SPS / Fishbed-F. Pics mine at Midland Aviation Museum. To avoid confusion with the local "MiG-21PFM" designation given to the modified MiG-21PF, the East German air force re-designated the "real" MiG-21PFM of izdeliye 94A as "MiG-21SPS."(From wikipedia) Mikoyan

MiG-21SMT 1:48 Eduard - ProfiPACK Edition From its inception in the 1950s the MiG-21 with the NATO reporting name of Fishbed has become the most produced jet fighter in history. With 10645 being produced in the USSR, 194 in Czechoslovakia, and 657 in India. The simple construction and low maintenance costs made the aircraft a favourite of many countries who purchase Eastern Bloc hardware. The SMT was a development of the SM (which brought a uprated engine, built in 20mm canon, and upgraded avionics). The SMT had an increased fuel capacity and is easily distinguished by the larger spine where the fuel tank was. Initially the tank caused stability issues as it disrupted airflow to the tail, however this was resolved by the designers with a slightly smaller tank. The Kit Eduard's MiG-21 range is now pretty much established as a great range of kits. The initial MF version came out in 2011 followed soon after by the SMT. In this boxing there are eight sprues of grey plastic, a clear sprue, two sheets of PE (one coloured), masks, and two sets or resin rocket pods. Construction begins shockingly with the cockpit area. The front wheel well parts are attached to the underside of the cockpit floor. The instrument panel is then made up from five parts plus the PE. The next step is to complete the engine exhaust. The exhaust is made up from 11 parts and looks to be fairly detailed for plastic parts, this is enhanced by a few PE parts as well. Once complete this is set aside for later. The main wheel bay is then constructed from 9 parts, and again this looks fairly comprehensive for plastic parts. Construction then moves back to the cockpit. The side consoles are constructed and placed in the appropriate fuselage halves. Again there are PE parts supplied for this. Once the side consoles are in, the cockpit floor, exhaust assembly, cockpit bulkhead; and nose cone (it is recommended to add weight in here, though the instructions dont mention how much) are all placed indie the fuselage halves and they can be joined together. The nose ring is then added. The large fuselage spine complete with fin can then be added to the fuselage, and the rudder added. This then complete the main fuselage and construction moves onto the wings. The wings are a one part bottom wing with split left/right uppers. If the side airbrakes are to be positioned open then they will have to be cut out from the wing. A variety of small parts are added to the wheel bays, along with the walls of the bays. The main wheels wells can then be added to the fuselage and the lower wing glued into place. The tail planes are added at this stage along with various linkages and intakes in the engine bay area. The upper wings are added next, along with their separate control surfaces. PE wing fences are added. Work then switches to the underside. The main airbrake can be added in either the open or closed position. Flap actuators are added as is the under tail fairing. Work then switches to the undercarriage. The main wheels are built up along with tyres. The front landing leg is also assembled. These are attached along with the main gear doors. Last touches are to complete the ejector seat. This is 19 part affair in plastic! as good as some resin seats I have seen, and with the addition of the PE seat belts should really look the part. A resin seat with the ProfiPACK kit would have been a nice addition though, The canopies and pitot tubes are added and the underwing/belly pods/ordnance can be added. Drop tanks, large rockets, bombs, and air-2-air missiles are provided for the modeller to use as they want on the plastic sprues. In resin there are two sets of rocket pods. Clear Parts The clear parts are up to Eduard's usual standard. Clear and free from distortion. Decals The kit provides one sheet of decals for the main aircraft markings and a larger sheet for the myriad of stencils which adorn the aircraft & weapons. Both are printed in house by Eduard and should pose no problems. As this is a ProfiPACK boxing 5 decal options are provided. MiG-21MT, Serial Number 96.40.14, Dolgoye Ledovo, Russia MiG-21MT, Serial Number 96.40.15, Dolgoye Ledovo, Russia MiG-21SMT, 582 IAP, Chojna Airfield, Poland, Late Eighties MiG-21SMT, Krasnodar Higher Aviation Training Facility, Soviet Union, ca 1980 MiG-21SMT, 296 IAP, Soviet Union Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Modelsvit is to release in December 2016 a limited edition 1/72nd MiG-21F Izdeliye 72 "Fishbed-B" kit - ref.72021 Source: http://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95825&start=1920 Box art V.P.

Finnish MiG-21Bis Fishbed-N Pics thanks to Bootneck Mike.

Source: http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/EDK8238 After the MiG-21MF/SMT/BIS/PFM etc. Eduard is to release a ProfiPACK edition from the recce MiG-21R "Fishbed-H" - ref. EDK8238. Release is expected in December 2013. V.P.

Zvezda released a 1/72 MiG-21PFM about a decade ago, and it seems more or less impossible to find in this country, whereas the -21bis is still somewhat available. I recall there being some unused parts when I built my MiG-21bis a few years back, and I was wondering: OOB, can a MiG-21PFM (or any other MiG variant) be built from the Zvezda MiG-21bis? I know the RV one is out, and I have one, but it looks a tiny bit weird to me and I want a fallback option.

At Nürnberg Toy fair 2013. 1/48th MiG-21MF "Fishbed-J" by Trumpeter - ref.02863 Source: http://www.primeportal.net/models/thomas_voigt7/trumpeter/ The test shot For my part I don't see the interest of this future kit as the Eduard MiG-21MF is not only top but readily available and at good price. V.P.

MiG-21MF Fishbed 1:48 Trumpeter The MiG-21 has probably been produced in greater numbers than any other jet fighter. Over the years they have been many variants. The M in MF stands Modernizirovannyy or Modernised. The F standing for Forsirovannyy or Uprated Engine. In effect the MF was the export version of the MiG-21SM where the S referred to the Sapfir-21/RP-22 radar. As well as an uprated engine an internal 23mm Cannon was provided alongside a considerably updated avionics package. The SM & MF were called the Fishbed-J by NATO. The MF had a greater arsenal of weapons available including the R-60, and later R-60M IR seeking AAM (NATO Name AA-8 Aphid) The Kit It is quite surprising how much plastic Trumpeter manage to get in the smallish box this kit arrives in. There are 10 sprues of grey plastic, a clear sprue, a small sheet of PE and a set of rubber tyres. Construction starts without any surprise in the cockpit area. The ejection seat is built up. This comes as nine parts and builds into a very fair representation of the real thing. The front instrument coaming is built up and the instrument panel added. The ejection seat is added to the cockpit tub, then the sidewalls and rear bulkhead are fitted. The control column is added and the front coaming completes things. Next up the wheel wells are built up. The front well is three parts and you have you add the front wheel/leg at this stage. The main wells are four part affairs and are built now as well. Following this the rear jet pipe is assembled. This has seven parts and again will build up to a good looking representation of the real thing. Once all of these subassemblies are complete they can be added into the main fuselage along with the nose radar bullet and the area in front of the cockpit. Once the main fuselage is closed up various intakes are added to both sides of the rear fuselage. The engine exhaust nozzle can then be made up and added to the main fuselage. The separate one piece vertical fin is then added, along with it's separate rudder. The brake parachute housing can then be added. This is able to be modelled in the pen or closed position. Moving on to the underside of the main fuselage the underside fin is added, along with the internal cannon. The main centre line air brake and two side front airbrakes are added. All the airbrakes can be modelled open. The main gear door on the fuselage are then added along with their retraction struts. The front gear bay doors are also added. A centre line pylon is provided if the modeller intends to use it. This can take either a large or small fuel tanks as supplied in the kit. Construction then moves onto the wings. These are conventional upper/lower parts for each side. The wings are supplied with separate flaps. Two pylons and a landing light are added to each wing. Once the wings are built up they can be attached to the main fuselage. Two PE wing fences are supplied in the kit. The tailplanes are also added at this time. The main landing gear is the next area for the modeller to concentrate on. Two hub parts sandwich the rubber tyres as supplied in the kit (no plastic alternatives are supplied). The prominent brake lines for main gear legs are also supplied. The main gear door which attached to the leg then needs to be fitted, this has to be bent to shape by the modeller. The main gear legs and their retraction struts can then be fitted. The last items to be made up and fitted are the underwing armament. Twin fuel tanks are supplied for each type though I think the large one was only ever fitted on the centre line so the modeller has a spare. References would seem to indicate that if fuel tanks were carried on the wings they were carried on the outer pylons only. UB032 rocket pods are supplied if the modellers wants some air-to-ground weapons. If air-to air is needed then a pair of R-3R and R-3S missiles are included. Markings Here Trumpter have provided markings for six aircraft but provided absolutely NO information about the markings what so ever. The six are; German Democratic Republic Bort #Red 511 USSR Bort #Blue 30 Poland Bort #Grey 6804 Czechoslovakia Bort #Black 8207 Iraqi Air Force - Unknown Aircraft Green/Sand Camo Iraqi Air Force - Unknown Aircraft Brown/Sand Camo Conclusion Whether it's another one to add to your brace of Cold War Soviet metal, or just an impulse buy, there's a lot of plastic in the box, and some nice detail. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

I always liked the blue/green camo of the Cuban MiG's, so i think it's the time to build one of them! I choose the famous "black 665", a Bis Fishbed. just for discussion, source http//makettinfo.hu I have a Eduard box in my stash, by the way i choose to build this Academy, also present in mi "to build pile". It's a godd kit, easy and fun to assemble, this it's my fourth Academy Fishbed! A bit of aftermarket Neomega's pit (i'had originally bought the FM Detail set but it was useless due to a big damage to the tube; i will use the interior canopy detail), Brassin wheels and decals from Aztec Models I'm a lazy modeler, so i will use this for the nose cone and the engine cover! I will post soon some progress! ciao Ale

The first of several Eduard 1/48 MiG-21s I have been working on has now reached the painting stage. It will become a Czech MiG-21MF. I didn't have the right colours in the Xtracolor range, so I had to use Model Master. Paints used were RLM78 for the lower surfaces and FS30117 Military Brown and RLM80 for the upper surfaces. All three colours were painted on top of a black undercoat. Jens

In January, February & March 2014 R.V. Aircraft (http://www.rvresin.com/plastic_kits.html) is to expand its 1/72nd "Fishbed" plastic kits family with four new boxings. Sources: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RVAircraft/412179818902422 http://modelweb.modelforum.cz/2014/01/23/novinky-firmy-r-v-aircraft-na-leden-2014/?lang=CS 1/72 Chengdu J-7 III News coming in late January 2014 ! Limited edition - 500psc. only ! Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.489056307881439.1073741854.412179818902422&type=1 1/72 MiG-21 LanceR A + MiG-21 LanceR C New plastic kits in February 2014. Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.500380473415689.1073741855.412179818902422&type=1 MiG-21RF Egyptian Air Force new plastic kit ! + dedicated RF resin parts Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.502800393173697.1073741856.412179818902422&type=1 MiG-21M is in preparation ...decals and camouflage....on sale during March. Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.503822436404826.1073741857.412179818902422&type=1 V.P.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PF / Fishbed-D, pics by Darwin from the Combat Air Museum Kansas

Hi everyone! In addition to the Zvezda vs.RV topic that I posted I wonder what advice you can offer me on this subject too. I intend to build a set of Indian MIG-21s, with two twin-seaters underway already, and I want to build the variant that was most thought of in Indian service, the 'FL. There are very few options so I am planning to use the RV MIG-21PFM with a 'PF canopy and installing the wings without the blown flaps. Is this my best option? I know the Fujimi is next to useless in terms of accuracy. I have a two-aircraft Azzura box in the stash for the MIG-21PFV and wonder if there would be anything of use in that kit to help my project. Any thoughts??? Anything appreciated! Thanks. Martin

LiftHere! (http://lifthereserbia.wordpress.com/) has released a 1/72nd MiG-21BIS "Fishbed-L/-N" kit - ref. LHM026 Sources: http://lifthereserbia.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/lhm-026-mig-21bis-fishbed/#more-4427 https://www.facebook.com/LiftHere/photos/a.512478582099115.136605.208994925780817/926063824073920/?type=1&theater V.P.

Mig-21 Undercarriage Legs in Bronze (648080 For Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin This set is for the superb new Mig-21 range of kits from Eduard, and is a departure from the norm, using new materials and processes to them, namely bronze. Casting in bronze gives a stronger resulting part than white metal, and finer detail is possible. However, at this juncture it also comes with a hefty price premium, which Eduard assure us should reduce if the initial sets are successful and they begin using it more widely in their range. Arriving in the usual Brassin slim clamshell package, and backed with a shock-absorbing foam insert, the box contains three cast bronze gear legs, ten resin cast parts, and a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) parts. It is evident immediately that the detail on these finished legs will be far superior to the kit parts, and that strength will be similarly increased if you've loaded up your kit with resin and PE sets from Eduard's range. The three legs are nicely cast, and have a shiny surface as if they have been coated in varnish to prevent surface oxidisation before they are used. The resin parts are up to Eduard's usual standards, including six main gear bay doors with two optional main covers, and a pair of retraction jacks, again for the main gear legs. The nose-gear leg is cast with its yoke and retraction jack integral, and there is a hollow between the strut and yoke due to some fancy moulding. The axle for the nose wheel is straight-through however, so some length will need to be cut to admit the wheel. The main gears differ because of their separate resin oleo-scissors and retraction jacks, which must be added along with a number of tiny PE actuators and hose guides. The doors attach to the leg, and here there is a choice of a part with a concave curved leading edge, or a straight one. Check your kit instructions to see which is appropriate to your model. Now a quick word on the use of bronze as a casting compound. I can see why the strength of bronze would be advantageous, as resin could bow over time, and white metal often gives unsatisfactory surface texture, and can also bow due to the relative malleability of the metal. That inherent strength however gives rise to a slight problem or issue to solve, depending on your point of view. The casting has a mould seam that runs down opposing sides of the parts, and these will need removal before they can be painted and installed. A sanding stick is perhaps too wide an implement to carry out the task well, and I found that it also took more effort to remove material than would be the case with white metal. Using a metal rat-tailed file with a hard abrasive surface was much more successful, and more capable of avoiding obliterating the detail, but don't expect a few swipes to be enough. Take your time, work carefully, and you will be rewarded by a good finish. Gunze painting call-outs are given throughout the build, which is useful, although the old technique of burnishing white-metal oleo-struts and sealing with varnish won't work on the bronze, so you'll need a good quality chrome equivalent paint. Conclusion At the current price point (€33.75), it's an eye-watering prospect, but I have to admit that they're a good product, and with care will improve on the detail of the finished landing gear area. I'd be 100% positive about the new process if it resulted in no seams, but as yet that doesn't seem possible, and mould slip could result in a sizeable clean-up job, which would be time-consuming given the hardness of bronze. Where they really come into their own (apart from the extra detail) is their strength. If you've put all the resin and PE that's available from Eduard and others, you'll have quite a weighty bird that will need some sturdy legs to prevent the inevitable collapse. They're clearly not for everyone, but if you think they have a future, bite the bullet and get a set. Better yet, send Eduard some feedback via either their website or their Facebook page, as they intend to gauge the modelling public's reaction to decide whether bronze has a future in the manufacture of aftermarket gear legs. Recommended after a good read of the review above, with the caveats mentioned. Review sample courtesy of

MiG-21F-13 Pics from Nick Cronin from the Belgrade museum