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Eduard MiG-15 and MiG-15 bis in 72nd


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Good day to everyone,

Just back from the E-Day in Prague and it was a fantastic affair. I was lucky to get a copy of the new Eduard MiG-15 in the limited edition Dual Combo version minutes after the show opened on Friday morning. According to my information (facebook) there were just 116 pieces of it made before the accident happened with the press form. Had a lot of discussion with Mr. Vladimir Sulc the chief of Eduard and they are working at the moment to make a new form for the fuselage to replace the one damaged.

The biggest surprise for me was in the box. This was not clear from previous communications from the company but now it was there in the box. Yes :) they did make two versions of the kit, both the early MiG-15 and the late or second generation MiG-15 bis. There are two separate and distinctly different sprues for the fuselage halves for the two versions! This is great! As you will see from the photos below they did make those fine differences in fuselage shape, panel lines and tail cone difference which identify the two versions. It is a “marginal†difference in tail cone shape but it is there and I am glad they did make it as a separate fuselage! (Now why was it not possible for the 48th MiG-21 bis nose . . . don’t ask me)

The box has lots of goodies, you get two sets of sprues for the two versions, there are resin parts for the Czech missiles to go under the wings, there is a photoetched set with the small details, a mask (two of them one for the 15 and one for 15 bis) for the painting. Now this is a special Czech MiG-15 box set and it is not a surprise that there are ten schemes for Czechoslovak AF planes included on two sheets of decals. Some are very colourful while others are the plain metal type. It will be difficult to make a choice! And this is only some of the Czech versions, I envisage an almost endless line of MiG-15 kits, there are so many variations world wide!

A 16 page instruction gives you all the help needed and it is good to see that at last the name “bis†is correctly written with small letters not as it was on the MiG-21 bis kit.

So here is the box.

eduMiG-151.jpg

And this is what you find inside it. Or to be more precise almost everything as I have taken out already the DVD of a 1973 Czech motion picture about the pilots and lots of fascinating MiG-15 footage.

eduMiG-152.jpg

Here are the parts laid out.

eduMiG-153.jpg

More in detail. The most important part of the story are these two frames with the one on the left for the MiG-15 and the other one for the MiG-15bis. I dont remember any company in the past producing the early version! So this is great!

eduMiG-154.jpg

Here are some of the other sprues which are the same for the two versions. Of course there are other detail differences that you will have to make yourself but some of them are very simple.

eduMiG-155.jpg

eduMiG-156.jpg

Here are the small secin missiles for the Czech versions. One thing which was not available for sale at the Eday was a resin set of the ejection seat but I am sure there will be a lot of aftermarket sets rushing towards us like a Chunami in the near future.

eduMiG-157.jpg

Even closer detail view.

eduMiG-158.jpg

And here are some of the main differences between the MiG-15 and the MiG-15 bis fuselage as illustrated on the tail section.

eduMiG-159.jpg

eduMiG-1510.jpg

I hope you like what you see and as the Mr. Sulc said the kit will soon be available after the new form is put into operation.

Best regards

Gabor

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Interesting, thank you. I wasn't terribly interested in this kit, but i might pick it up eventually, depending on boxings/markings etc in the future. Did you ask about missiles (R-27 etc) and 3D printing technology?

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Interesting, thank you. I wasn't terribly interested in this kit, but i might pick it up eventually, depending on boxings/markings etc in the future. Did you ask about missiles (R-27 etc) and 3D printing technology?

This Czech Special is just the first kit. They have already promissed Weekend edition, ProfiPACK and I am sure both the MiG-15 and the MiG-15 bis in solo boxes. As I said I think the variations are endless on the subject!

The Brassin had a separate stand but in the end there were more interesting questions to ask and get answers for. More soon on this.

Best regards

Gabor

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Thanks for the pictures! I count total of four canopies, are there spares or different variants?

Yes, there are four. I have no idea why. They look exactly identical but I am sure there is a reason for this. Will have a closer look at them.

Best regards

Gabor

P.s. we should ask Libor from Eduard about this! I know he is reading ARC pages.

Edited by ya-gabor
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This Czech Special is just the first kit. They have already promissed Weekend edition, ProfiPACK and I am sure both the MiG-15 and the MiG-15 bis in solo boxes. As I said I think the variations are endless on the subject!

I am aware of that. :)

The Brassin had a separate stand but in the end there were more interesting questions to ask and get answers for. More soon on this.

Best regards

Gabor

Ok, thanks.

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Now why was it not possible for the 48th MiG-21 bis nose . . . don't ask me

Perhaps it would have been unforgivable to Czech modellers if Eduard didn't accurately represent the differences between the MiG-15 and MiG-15bis since Czechoslovakia used both versions. If the kit would have been in 1/48, given the larger size and more expensive tooling, perhaps the situation would have been different. Who cares about the MiG-21bis anyway... Czechoslovakia didn't use the version so Eduard could afford to cut corners tongue.gif

Well thank you Gabor for this kit review. The kit looks indeed very nice and I'm glad for "Fagot" fans (I'm not one of them).

Edited by Laurent
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Where's the "Like" button? :D Love the MiG-15, and two different versions in one box is just GREAT. Too bad I already have a 1/72 MiG-15, so I'll wait until they release a MiG-17, I only need the MiG-17 for my MiG collection, already have all the others from the MiG-15... Not sure If I must include the MiG-33 and 35 though.. And I even have the Italeri MiG-37 lol. Best regards.

José.

P.S: Didn't know that Czech MiG-15bis used missiles... Any pic about that? :3

Edited by Zero Enna
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I wasn't terribly interested in this kit, but i might pick it up eventually, depending on boxings/markings etc in the future.

The kit looks indeed very nice and I'm glad for "Fagot" fans (I'm not one of them).

Too bad I already have a 1/72 MiG-15, so I'll wait until they release a MiG-17,

Now that's what I call a lukewarm reception! After all the criticism I've seen about the existing 1/72 MiG-15's, I expected a lot more excitement about what appears from the images (thanks, Gabor!) to be an excellent, well-detailed kit. I know I'll eagerly grab this one as soon as it becomes available in Russian markings!

John

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It's really a pity they are just offering a one piece-canopy (like the Hobbyboss kit). How could Eduard do such a thing in 2012 ?

Well, since you apparently get two canopies per kit (MiG-15 and MiG-15bis), you could always cut them in two and make your own open canopy... ;)

But seriously, I suspect the aftermarket people will be all over this kit as soon as they have samples to work with - that's assuming there isn't already a shipload of suitable accessories available that was intended for the recent Airfix and HobbyBoss kits.

John

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P.S: Didn't know that Czech MiG-15bis used missiles... Any pic about that? :3

That was the MiG-15 bis SB variant, "SB" being the Czech abreviation for fighter-bomber:

15bis.jpg

web photo

According to information I found on the web site of the Czech air base at Namest nad Oslavou, where the type operated from for a period of time, the MiG-15 bis SB could carry the following armaments:

LR-130 rockets

SR-55 rockets

RBK-250 cluster bombs

OFAB-100M bombs

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Where's the "Like" button? :D Love the MiG-15, and two different versions in one box is just GREAT. Too bad I already have a 1/72 MiG-15, so I'll wait until they release a MiG-17, I only need the MiG-17 for my MiG collection, already have all the others from the MiG-15... Not sure If I must include the MiG-33 and 35 though.. And I even have the Italeri MiG-37 lol. Best regards.

José.

P.S: Didn't know that Czech MiG-15bis used missiles... Any pic about that? :3

The new tool MiG-17A (Fresco A), JJ-5 and probably again the F and PF versions will be produced by the AZ Model company.

They anounced "new technology" and their new Spitfires IX are much better quality then theirs old kits including older MiG-17F/PF.

Czechoslovakia converted obsolete MiG-15 fighters to the light bomber role. Later converted MiG-15bis too.

These versions were named MiG-15SB and MiG-15bisSB (SB means Stíhací Bombardovací = Fighter Bomber) and added weapon pylons, RATO boosters and more updates. SB boxtype rocket launchers were included in the old KP kit.

MiG-15SB:

image1077729112.jpg

MiG-15bisSB:

image1077729260.jpg

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Regardless of what other MiG-15 kit you have in 1/72, it's not remotely in the same league as this kit. There simply hasn't ever been a really decent 1/72 MiG-15 kit done.

Man, I think you nailed it! Exactly how I feel. Although the -15 may be my least favorite in the MiG line (and believe me, I am a dedicated MiG fan!), I think this one may just have to be built, especially after the huge disappointment of the Dragon kit. Possibly a "Must-Build-MiG." :)

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Tiny little kit, but the detailing treatment looks absolutely lovable ! I was more into 48th scale but I will definitely buy this little MiG-15 from Eduard. If the pricing is somewhere in the 1:72 Bf 110 / Hellcat range, it could very well sell like hot cakes.

Thank you Eduard, you ROCK !!!

Cheers, Steven

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The new tool MiG-17A (Fresco A), JJ-5 and probably again the F and PF versions will be produced by the AZ Model company.

They anounced "new technology" and their new Spitfires IX are much better quality then theirs old kits including older MiG-17F/PF.<....>

Wait, wait, wait. AZ Model will do a new MiG-17 family? :woot.gif: New as in "all new, not based on their recent Frescoes"? Cool! I have two of their MiG-17s, but can't quite wrap my head around why they constructed the intake the way they did.

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OK I'll bite!! But less say I wanted to build a Korean War version or even a North Vietnamese version. Would either one of these airframes work? Also did Poland ever use the MIG15?

gary

Most aircraft in combat in Korea were the 'bis' version, although the early ones did fight early in the conflict. Please note if you build one in North Korean markings, despite what most references (profiles and decal instruction sheets) will tell you, the DPRKAF did not then, and does not now use upper wing roundels. For that matter, neither did Poland on the MiGs.

North Vietnam never flew single seat MiG-15s. Their first jets were MiG-17Fs and MiG-15UTI trainers.

Poland flew gazoodles of MiG-15s, as did every other WARPAC air force, and a good number of other non-WARPAC third world nations.

J

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Wait, wait, wait. AZ Model will do a new MiG-17 family? :woot.gif: New as in "all new, not based on their recent Frescoes"? Cool! I have two of their MiG-17s, but can't quite wrap my head around why they constructed the intake the way they did.

I was far from impressed with the AZ MiG. :( Would not invest in it a penny. A friend has asked to get one for him and had a look inside the box and closed it fast so the bad spirits inthere would not come out! :D

Best regards

Gabor

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The Eduard team is working on the new forms for the MiG-15, this was clear even before E-Day. Now it was interesting in discussion with the CO Mr.Sulc that there is always a chance that a similar technological problem could happen with the other pressforms of the "old technology" galvan forms made for the MiG-15. According to some fresh news on Czech sites it seems that they are going to redo not only the damaged part of the form but there is a chance that others too! So basically the Mk.2. version will be a brand new one taking advantage of the precision of the CAD technology that we have seen on some of the recent kits by Eduard. I say WOW! The sad part of the news is that it could delay the kits original re-release date from the planed November.

It could mean that the 116 kits, "old-technology" kits sold at the E-Day are going to be real collectors items in the future. But we will get an even better new kit of both the MiG-15 and the MiG-15 bis.

Best regards

Gabor

Edited by ya-gabor
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I was far from impressed with the AZ MiG. :( Would not invest in it a penny. A friend has asked to get one for him and had a look inside the box and closed it fast so the bad spirits inthere would not come out! :D

Best regards

Gabor

Continuing off-topic, I can't understand why AZ produced multiple boxings of the same kit; only the decals vary. The Lim-5 version is notional, because they didn't bother to provide any MARS-2 pods :doh:

Edited by Ensafrirpo
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