History

The MiG-21 was one of a long list of Mikoyan-Gurevich products to be integrated into the armed forces of the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact, and allied client states. Its predecessors included such notable types as the MiG-15, MiG-17 and the supersonic MiG-19.
The roots of this project reach back to the first half of the fifties. In 1954, the Ye-1 project came to an end, and was quickly picked up by the Ye-2. Both had a swept wing. The first machine to feature the delta wing was the Ye-4, which first took to the air on June 16th, 1955. It was also demonstrated a year later at the Moscow airfield Tushino.
The first of the new line to enter production was the MiG-21F, which together with the MiG-21P and F-13 represented the first generation of the MiG-21, and was in production through the end of the fifties and the beginning of the sixties. Subsequent versions included the PF, FL, PFM, R the production of which peaked at the end of the sixties. The third generation started production in 1968, which included such versions as M, SM, MF, SMT, bis among others.
Simultaneously, two-seat training versions were also produced designated MiG-21U, UM and US.
Production of the MiG-21 ended in 1985, and was put into service with some fifty nations.
Over the course of the cold war, the opponents of the MiG-21 included the likes of the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter and the Dassault Mirage III. NATO assigned it the reporting name ‘Fishbed’. It became the most produced supersonic fighter in terms of quantity. The new machines came off Soviet production lines in Moscow, Gorky and Tbilisi. The MiG-21F-13 was also built under license in Czechoslovakia and the MiG-21FL, M and bis in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The Soviet Union produced 10,645 examples of all versions, 194 were built in Czechoslovakia and 657 in India. Outside of the Soviet Union, the type flew with a long list of nations on all continents with the exception of Australia.
The MiG-21 participated in combat in Vietnam, the Indo-Pakistan wars, the Cuban participation in Angola and in the Arab world’s attempt to eliminate Israel. Thanks to the high volume of use, the highest number of aces produced on the type was in Vietnam. The top of the ladder is occupied by Nguyen Van Coc with nine kills. The type serving as a interceptor served with the Soviet Union and other nations of the Warsaw Pact into the eighties, when it began to be displaced by the MiG-29 Fulcrum.
From this kit you can build MiG-21PFM. In the factory documentation this version is identified as Izdelye 94A for the export aircraft and Izdelye 94 for the aircraft destined to the Soviet Air Force. It originated from the significant modernization of the MiG-21PF type and since 1963 was simultaneously manufactured for the Soviet Air Defense units in the Gorky plant. Since 1966 it was manufactured for export in the Moscow plant. In the beginning of 1968, it was replaced by slightly improved version capable of carrying GP-9 cannon container under the fuselage containing 23mm twin barrel cannon GSh-23 with 200 rounds or a nuclear bomb. Some users distinguish both versions as MiG-21SPS and MiG-21SPS-K respectively but mostly both versions are marked as MiG-21PFM only. MiG-21PFM production was terminated in 1968. The aircraft powerplant was Tumanskyi R-11F2-300. The outer ordnance consisted of RS-2US rockets or UB-16-57 rocket launchers, anti-ground unguided rockets S-24 and bombs up to 500 kilos. The aircraft NATO code name was Fishbed F.
Info from Eduard

In the box

Packed in Eduard's now familiar top opening box, the lid features a East German MiG-21PFM in a striking anniversary scheme, which is one of the marking options available in the kit.

Eduard's MiG 21PFM ProfiPACK kit contains -
4 x grey plastic sprues
1 x clear plastic sprue
1 x set of paint masks
1 x pre coloured photo etched fret
2 x decal sheets
Set of instructions

Eduard's MiG 21PFM kit, is based on thier earlier MiG-21MF kit which was released in 2018. The main difference is a thinner spine, lack of an internal cannon, only two underwing pylons and the forward probe is more central.
As you would expect from a recently new tooled kit, flash isn't a problem, moulding is excellent and ejector pin marks are few and in places that wont need any attention.

Exterior detail for the kit is exceptional, with very fine recessed panel lines, rivets and fasteners adorning the fuselage and wings.

The fuselage is made up of two halves, in which the cockpit/ nose bay, main undercarriage bays, and the exhaust tube is all fitted before closing up.
The wings feature a one piece lower half which incorporates part of the fuselage belly, with the two wing uppers completing the main wing assembly.
The wing fences are moulded onto the wings in plastic, but Eduard have supplied photo etch alternatives if you wish to use them.
The flaps and ailerons are separate parts but there is no indication in the instructions if they can be positioned in anything other then the neutral position.
The tail and fuselage spine are one piece, as different variants had smaller or bigger spines and tails, so more variants of this classic fighter can be produced by Eduard in the future (I hope).

The cockpit is a mix of P.E and plastic, and once complete is a very detailed pit. Alternatively you can use the plastic parts and decals, or just plastic and paint yourself.
Different parts are needed for different marking options, so deciding which one you want to build has to be done quite early in the construction.
The ejection seat is nice and detailed and has a photo etch harness.

The undercarriage bays are nicely detailed with spars, pipes, cylinders and several spherical pressure chambers for the hydraulic and pneumatic systems which go into the wing bays.
The gear legs are also nicely detailed, with some photo etch hydraulic lines for the main legs to be added.
The hubs are nicely detailed and the tyres have a little tread pattern engraved on them.

The two air brakes can be modelled open or closed. The main airbrake will need to be closed if you attach the GP-9 Cannon Pod.

The exhaust is made up of seven parts and is quite well detailed. Eduard have released a Brassin replacement if you wish too detail this area further.

The canopy is crystal clear and can be modelled open or closed. If modelled open there is a bit of P.E that goes into detailing this area up, such as the canopy rails.

A set of Kabuki masks are supplied which covers canopy and windscreen, the various lights and the dielectric panels.

There is a wealth of external stores supplied which include -

• 1 x 800L external fuel tank
  
• 2 x 490L external fuel tank
  
• 2 x RS-2US missiles
  
• 2 x R-3S missiles
  
• 2 x R-13 missiles
  
• 2 x R-60 missiles
  
• 2 x RATO units
  
• 4 x FAB 100 bombs
  
• 2 x FAB 250 bombs
  
• 2 x S-24 rockets
  
• 2 x UB-16 rocket pods
  
• 1 x GP-9 Cannon Pod
  

Most of these however are not used in this boxing.

Instructions, decals and markings

The instruction book is printed in the standard black and white line drawing style on a folded A4 size glossy paper, which the build taking place over 12 pages.
The 15th page covers the external weapons used and the hardpoints they are carried on.
The first main page covers the parts trees, and highlights any parts that are not used. The rest of the pages cover the build sequence which is quite easy to follow (once you have figured out which scheme you will be doing) with the different parts made clear during the build.
Any P.E to be attached is highlighted, and mating surfaces to be glued are highlighted in blue. Blue boxes highlight the marking option parts, so care and re-reading these to make sure you attach the right part for the scheme you are depicting is a must.
The last 4 pages covers the stencil placement on the weapon pylons, weapons and aircraft.
Gunze Sangyo Aqueous Hobby colour, MR Color and Mission Models range of paints for external and internal colours are given along the build sequence.

Two sheets of decals, one of which holds the many stencils, are supplied. Both are produced by Eduard, so quality and use will not be a problem.

Five marking options with a variety of camo schemes and insignia are supplied, and are as follows -
A - Jagdfliegergeschwader 1, základna Holzdorf / Drewitz, Germany, 1990 – 1991.
B - 11th Fighter Regiment, Czechoslovak Air Force, Žatec air base, Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, March 1991.
C - 921st Fighter Regiment, Vietnamese People´s Army Air Force, Noi Bai AB, Democratic Republic of Vietnam, 1968.
D - Egyptian Air Force, Inshas airbase, Arab Republic of Egypt, early 80´s.
E - 11th Fighter Regiment, Czechoslovak Air Force, Žatec air base, Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, Spring 1990.


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