MiG-21MF Eduard 8231
MiG-21MF Eduard 8231
[dropcap]E[/dropcap]xcellent is the only word which can precisely describe brand new kit of MiG-21 released from Eduard. So what is the good kit in the mentality of the plastic kit modeler? This is kit when you open the kit box, put inside cement and paint, close box, shake well and when open it you see completed kit. Off course this is just funny way to describe joy of modeling but exactly describe the quality and easy of the assembly and finish of the Eduard kit of MiG-21. Kit is result of the long time development and research of the Eduard team and like never before, they used all means of the Internet promotion to introduce this kit to wide auditorium and this resulted in the very dynamic sale and pre sale of the kit.
What I am talking about is the kit with stock item number 8231 and this kit is released in March 2011. Kit scale is 1/48 and it present MF version of the kit. Box cover include excellent art of the two Egypt machines flew over the pyramids and featuring very attractive camouflage patterns. I feel a little bit uncomfortable when I open box as well inside was great number of parts and as well I was faced in that moment with a lot of orders, my impression was that it would take too long to complete this. But… very first steps in work has trow away my bad feelings and it show that kit can be build very fast and easy.
Like never before, Eduard has deliver kit parts in top engineering level and no matter that assembly sections are complex, fitting of the parts are perfect and build is so smooth. As in other builds, you can manage to build different assembly section so in the very start you can assembly cockpit and engine. For the painting are recommended Gunze Sangyo paints but you are free to use any other paint you more prefer. In total kit contain eight plastic parts frets (one transparent as you guess) and two sheet of etched parts (one painted and other not). As well this is ProfiPack edition, inside are also quick protective mask and special addition is the rocket launcher.
No special note or focus regarding to this build. The same options depend in most cases from you so you can choose from teh finishing camouflage options, open or closed cockpit, open air brakes and with some little effort you can even put flaps parts in lower position. Interesting that one panel need to be engraved on the wing top surfaces and Eduard have give small template, made of etched foil, and as well it have shape of the whole metal cover above, it is very easy to position it and put line with needle.
External ordnance is very good and you have option to choose from few rockets, fuel tanks, bombs and there is also start rocket busters. Use of all of this material is given in the diagram. For the final painting there is given even six samples and from six countries. I have take to finish my kit as the Polish version and it have very interesting grey camouflage pattern. As well there is given options for interior to be interior green or silver grey, my Polish version, regarding to images, have silver grey landing gear bay color.
Decals are excellent printed and you have two large sheet of the decals. One is for the all stencils and markings and the another one is for the national insignia and individual unit and aircraft markings and numbers. But maybe there is miss something? If you see images of completed kit you will note that it have no sealant rubber around the cockpit glass. This is not problem to be made for experienced modeler but many less experienced modelers would have problem to make it. So it would be nice add if the Eduard in future release add this sealant band as decal and this will make even less skilled modelers to make this kit. And believe or not, this great kit can be made by even less skilled people, only problem could be this band.
So… kit is definitely big bang in this year modeling production and hard to estimate that any other manufacture would be able to deliver such a product on market. This kit is also very important as well in that scale is somehow gap in available kit so this Eduard has give excellent hit with this release.
Recommend to buy? No need for that, if you don’t buy it somebody would already bring it to you as gift for Birthday, Christmas or New Year so soon or later you will have one and would be impressed with its quality. If you like to see more, please follow this link and see build of this kit on our forum. And yes- kit could be direct buy here.
Srecko Bradic
Sample kit is provided by Jan Zdiarsky from Eduard.
