Mig-21Bis 'Fishbed L', Zvezda 1/72

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Old_Tonto
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Mig-21Bis 'Fishbed L', Zvezda 1/72

Post by Old_Tonto »

Having just completed the 1/72 Fujimi Mig-21PF, I was quite surprised to find several reviews that were scathing about the kit, one saying that "it is wrong from the nose to the tail". I am not familiar with all the nuances of each variant of MiG-21 but the Fujimi kit looks like a Fishbed to me. I read that the Zvezda Mig-21PFM & Bis versions are the benchmark these days so I ordered the Bis. It will have to go some to match the Fujimi for fit though.

So let’s see what you get. First off you get a very sturdy box, this thing could survive many years in the stash & several house moves in this box.

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Now to the contents:
There are four sprues molded in grey plastic with very nice engraved panel lines and one clear sprue with the two piece canopy.
The clear parts are very nice & include the all important rear view mirror (very important to MiG-21 aficionados).

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I am not suggesting this is a copy but the layout is almost that of the Fujimi kit. There are about 90 parts provided with the spine & tail being on a separate sprue.
I think these parts are where the main differences between versions lie so Zvezda are being quite canny here. There is more flash than I would have expected but nothing too taxing.

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As you can see the panel lines are nicely done, very subtle and recessed.

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The instructions are well printed & give clear indication of parts placement. I noticed that no mention of nose weight is made but you will definitely need some if you intend to show your MiG parked up.

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Alternatively you could use the magnificent stand that is provided. It is grey plastic and not clear which is a shame but at least it is there so bravo Zvezda.

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A decent looking cockpit tub is provided but it’s not on a par with Fujimi kit, whilst it still far exceeds the old KP kit. The seat looks a little basic so maybe a resin replacement would improve the look of the office. In fact the whole tub could do with some enhancement as there are no decals provided for the IP or side consoles although these parts do have raised details that could be dry brushed.
Or you could just do like I probably will and stick the pilot in place to make it look busy.

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This variety of MiG-21 has four wing pylons and both Atoll & Aphid missiles are provided plus rocket pods. RATO units are also supplied.
A rather nice centerline fuel tank is provided which looks much better than the Fujimi one. It is a shame the slim line under-wing drop tanks
are not included in the kit as they are a common feature on the Bis.

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Nose cone, undercarriage wells and exhaust are all installed before closing up the fuselage. The details on the main gear well are very nice & crisp. The wings come as a single piece - one for each side I mean so no gluing wing halves together. These then slot into the fuselage sides. The spine & tail sit on top thus hiding the fuselage join. An area I always have trouble with! This is exactly how Fujimi did it and I was so pleased about covering over the join that I forgot to sand down the seam line at the nose. Doh!

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Decals for three nations are provided. A natural metal Polish example, a rather nice looking black & green Finnish Air Force 'Puma' squadron plane & finally the three-tone camouflaged soviet machine as displayed on the box top. The decal sheet also includes stencils if that is your thing. In my example the Finnish roundels are slightly out of register so would need to be replaced.

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In conclusion this is a pretty impressive kit & retails for less than the Fujimi. I got this one for £12.49 which I think is a bargain. If you were to add a resin cockpit set & vac canopy you would have a real winner. I guess that would take the price up to the £20 mark so you might as well buy the RV models MiG-21 & be done with it. Eduard are supposed to be releasing their rather nice Fishbeds in 1/72 scale next year so you could hold out for that. Until then I will go with the Zvezda kit, although the acid test will be the build.

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I hope you find this review useful.

EDIT
Having built the kit I have a few things to add. First of all it turns out to look like a MiG-21Bis:

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That's the good news. The fit of the main parts is spot on, accurate and fits well. However, all the small or delicate parts are far too thick. Aerials that are supposed to be very fine are represented by very thick plastic akin to scafolding poles in scale thickness. :cry:
Very dissapointing Zvezda!

You could replace them with after market resin or brass but the extra cost would be more than an RV kit that comes with those items anyway. Would I build another yes but with scratch building and spares AND only if I got it at a bargain price.

Things to watch out for:
  • Nose cone fit
    Engine exhaust fit
    Rear canopy fit
Overall rating - Dissapointing. :sad:
2023 - A:0 B:0 C:0
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East German Air Force (1956-90)
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Re: Mig-21Bis 'Fishbed L', Zvezda 1/72

Post by Dazzled »

I can't believe I haven't noticed this review earlier. It certainly looks like a very acceptable kit and a competitor for the Fujimi -21. I just wish Zvezda could have gone for a first generation aircraft rather than go over ground already well covered.

As for the parts breakdown, I think it's the most logical way to do it. As you point out OT, the main differences between variants is in the spine (and the fin and shock cone) so it makes sense to have this as a separate item. Eduard also have this parts breakdown in their 1/48th kits.
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