Eduard 1/48 MiG-21MF Kit First Look

by Michael Benolkin

First Look

For a description of the MiG-21MF's history, check our previous Eduard 1/48 MiG-21MF review here.

Eduard has released another special edition MiG-21MF, this time looking at the aircraft in Czechoslovakian Air Force service. As with some of the previous special editions, this kit comes with a large monograph that examines the MiG-21MF with excellent photo coverage and color profiles including examples in Czechoslovakian, Czech, and Slovakian Air Force service. The narrative is all in Czech, but the 126 page reference book is nonetheless outstanding.

The kit is the standard Eduard 1/48 MiG-21MF that is still the best kit of this subject in this scale. Molded in gray styrene, the kit is presented on eight parts trees (duplicate tree not shown) plue one tree of clear parts, one set of color-printed photo-etched parts, one set of yellow-tape paint masks, and one pair of Brassin 1/48 UB-16-57 rocket pods.

Among the features of this kit:

• Detailed cockpit w/color photo-etched parts
• Choice of MiG-21M, MiG-21MF, and MiG-21MFN cockpit details
• Detailed KM-1 ejection seat w/photo-etched pilot restraints
• Choice of canopy (streamlined, blown, blown w/pericope)
• Positionable canopy
• Detailed afterburner chamber and nozzle
• Detailed main wheel wells (nose gear well nice too)
• Positionable rudder
• Positionable flaps, ailerons and stabilators (with some minor tweaks)
• Positionable speed brakes
• Choice of plastic or PE FOD shields under auxiliary blow-in doors
• NATO antennas
• Paint masks

External stores include:

• 2 x RS-2US (AA-1 Alkali)
• 2 x R-3S (AA-2 Atoll)
• 2 x R-3R (AA-2 Atoll)
• 2 x R-13 (AA-2 Atoll)
• 2 x R-60 (AA-8 Aphid)
• 2 x S-24 240mm rockets
• 8 x FAB-100 bombs
• 2 x FAB-250 bombs
• 2 x UB-16-57 rocket pods
• 2 x MERs
• 2 x external underwing tanks
• 1 x centerline external tank
• 2 x SPRD RATO bottles

Markings are provided for 39 aircraft:

1. MiG-21M, Bort 1113, 1 Sqn/4 FR, Pardubice AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1989
2. MiG-21M, Bort 1114, 1 Sqn/4 FR, Pardubice AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1989
3. MiG-21MF, Bort 2140, 1 Sqn/9 FBR, Bechnyne AB, Czech AF, 1993
4. MiG-21MF, Bort 2500, 1 Sqn/9 FBR, Bechnyne AB, Czech AF, 1993
5. MiG-21M, Bort 2614, 43 Sqn/4 TAFB, Ceske Budejovice AB, 1996
6. MiG-21M, Bort 2701, 2 Sqn/11 FR, Brno Slatina AB, Czech AF, 1993
7. MiG-21M, Bort 2706, 2 Sqn/4 FR, Pardubice AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1975
8. MiG-21M, Bort 2707, 2 Sqn/9 FBR, Bechyne AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1992
9. MiG-21MF, Bort 4003, 1 Sqn/9 FBR, Bechyne AB, Czech AF, 1993
10. MiG-21MF, Bort 4127, 82 IFS, Mosnov AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1991
11. MiG-21MF, Bort 5209, 43 Sqn/4 TAFB, Caslav AB, Czech AF, 1996
12. MiG-21MF, Bort 5212, 43 Sqn/4 TAFB, Caslav AB, Czech AF, 1996
13. MiG-21MF, Bort 5213, 1 Sqn/5 FR, Line AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1981
14. MiG-21MF, Bort 5214, 43 Sqn/4 TAFB, Caslav AB, Czech AF, 1999
15. MiG-21MF, Bort 5302, 1 Sqn/5 FR, Line AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1990
16. MiG-21MF, Bort 5303, 2 Sqn/11 FR, Zatec AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1991
17. MiG-21MF, Bort 7611, 1 Sqn/5 FR, Line AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1982
18. MiG-21MF, Bort 7701, Air Test Branch, Line AB, Czech AF, 1995-96
19. MiG-21MF, Bort 7702, 1 Sqn/6 FBR, Prerov Bochor AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1984
20. MiG-21MF, Bort 7708, 1 Sqn/9 FBR, Bechyne AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1992
21. MiG-21MF, Bort 8206, 2 Sqn/11 FR, Zatec AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1992
22. MiG-21MF, Bort 8207, 81 IFS, Sliac AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1992
23. MiG-21MF, Bort 8208, 2 FS/6 FBR, Pribram Diouha Ihota AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1986
24. MiG-21MF, Bort 9413, 1 TAR, Prerov Bochor AB, Czech AF, 1993
25. MiG-21MF, Bort 9501, 2 Sqn/6 FBR, Prerov Bochor AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1991
26. MiG-21MF, Bort 9707, 42 Sqn/4 FAFB, Caslav AB, Czech AF, 1996
27. MiG-21MF, Bort 9711, 2 Sqn/8 FR, Namest nad Oslavou AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1990
28. MiG-21MF, Bort 9801, 211 Sqn/4 TAFB, Caslav AB, Czech AF, 2004
29. MiG-21MF, Bort 9812, 1 Sqn/5 FR, Line AB, Czechoslovakian AF, 1983
30. MiG-21MFN, Bort 2500, 4 Sqn/4 TAFB, Caslav AB, Czech AF, 1999
31. MiG-21MFN, Bort 2500, 41 Sqn/4 TAFB, Caslav AB, Czech AF, 2002 (Tiger Meet)
32. MiG-21MFN, Bort 4405, 211 Sqn/4 TAFB, Caslav AB, Czech AF, 2005
33. MiG-21M, Bort 1209, 2 Sqn/3 FBR, Malacky AB, Slovakian AF, 1993
34. MiG-21MF, Bort 7702, 2 Sqn/3 FBR, Malacky AB, Slovakian AF, 1995
35. MiG-21MF, Bort 7708, 2/3 Sqn/1 FR, RAF Fairford, Slovakian AF, 1994
36. MiG-21MF, Bort 7713, 4 Sqn/3 FW, Sliac AB, Slovakian AF, 1997
37. MiG-21MF, Bort 7801, 4 Sqn/1 FR, Sliac AB, Slovakian AF, 1993
38. MiG-21MF, Bort 7603, 2/3 Sqn/1 FR, Sliac AB, Slovakian AF, 1995
39. MiG-21MF, Bort 9713, 2 Sqn/1 FW, Sliac AB, Slovakian AF, 2002

As you can see in the images, there are two huge decal sheets that cover the 39 subjects in this release plus a third sheet with airframe and weapons stencils. The monograph is 126 pages, the color profile book is 44 pages, and the instruction book is another 16 pages, the box weighs quite a bit without the kit!

These Eduard kits are easily the nicest MiG-21s produced to date in any scale (less than 1:1). It would be awesome of Eduard considers producing these MiG-21s in 1/32 scale!

My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!