Johnopfor Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 This is for all of you 1/72 scale Russian aircraft modelers out there..... There are a few MiG-21 kits out there, Revell-Germany plans to re-release their Fishbed-C and Eduard may release an 1/72 scale Fishbed based on their 1/48 kit. I would like to see what the general consensus is on these kits. I have decided to start a general information/grading thread on what's out there for myself and anyone else interested in building one... I'll make this simple, it's a 1-10 grading scale, 1 for "absolutely sucks" up to 10 for "it's like the real thing". The criteria are the following..... 1) Ease of build 2) Cockpit detail 3) Panel line accuracy 4) Weapons selection & accuracy 5) Decals and markings options and accuracy 6) Overall detail 7) Overall accuracy 8) Is the kit worth the price For areas that need work, I ask that you leave "constructive criticism"....in other words, what problems that you found and any correction sets/advice on how to fix it. THIS IS NOT A MANUFACTURER/KIT BASHING THREAD. I'm not interested in *PLACE KIT MAKER HERE* sucks or *PLACE KIT MAKER* can't get anything right posts. I want this thread to focus on the kit itself. If a kit has a flaw that can't be fixed, just state that it's in-correctable. Here are some of the current manufactures/kits that are out there..... KP MiG-21 Fujimi MiG-21PF/PFM/MF/bis/SMT/R Zvezda MiG-21PF/MF/bis Revell-Germany MiG-21 Fishbed C Academy MiG-21 Fishbed C RV Models MiG-21MF Kondor (Condor) MiG-21U/MiG-21MF As you can see, I am including the family versions as well, but I don't think that anyone has released a J-7 as of yet. Please add on any new release kits to this thread when it gets released. I am starting several other threads exactly like this one for other aircraft, so if you have anything for those threads, please add on. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niki4703 Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 (edited) John, As much as I would like it otherwise, Zvezda has unfortunately only a PFM and a bis in its range. No PF, no MF. Also, Kondor has no U but only a UM in its boxes as far as twin-seaters goes. Just thought I'd mention it because even without going into technical details (at which I suck anyway :) ) there are glaring visual differences between PF/PFM, U/UM and even MF/bis [admittedly the last one is less obvious for us casual observers :) ). Cheers, Niki P.S.: a MiG-21U one can only find kitted by Bilek, I think. . Edited November 30, 2014 by niki4703 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mizar Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 RV is making a good line of Mig-21,they are going to do even Bison and 21-93 or at last they told me so when I asked them on FB page,sadly they don't have any nasty things under their wings but you have to purchase missiles and probably fuel tanks,plus cockpit and whatever but this is as you please.Weapons are kinda hard to find,hannants removed them so I sent a mail and asked again on their FB page twice but I got no answers Oh right there is something wrong in terms of intake/nose shape,but that's it For my Ace Combat needs I have chosen Zvezda Bis with aftermarket stuff and the interior set from a finnish company Kovalsomething Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Laurent Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Oh right there is something wrong in terms of intake/nose shape,but that's it The framing of the windscreen is too wide IMHO. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Constructively...okay, well...the Fujimi line is wonderfully BUILDABLE...and if you graft the cockpit and intake section of, say, a Zvezda it would actually make it look okay. That work? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Laurent Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 (edited) Fujimi MiG-21s These are great kits. Details are crisp, fit is great. However they are poor models: - the nose is too deep in side view - the windscreen is too wide, the framing is inaccurate - in side view, the windscreen "goes in the nose" as in a MiG-29 when it shouldn't - the canopy is cylindrical when it should be bubble-shaped in top view; this messes the front of the spine too - the spine part is the same for the MF and bis versions while they should be different - the rear airbrake can be represented lowered but not the front ones - the top fuselage wheel well bulges aren't above the wheel wells - external stores are inaccurate in dimensions (fuel tanks, GP-9 cannon pod) and shape (recce pods) Edited November 30, 2014 by Laurent Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mizar Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 The framing of the windscreen is too wide IMHO. Still have to order any of their Foxes,was waiting for the 21-93 but I guess it will take some more time,there it was a thread probably here regarding the nose issue,but it didn't say nothing about windscreen,hope they will correct for the '93 As for Fujimi kits even the fuel tanks are wrong?I was not aware of that,I spared a PFM for parts :-\ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
digit Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I recall Condor never released MF variant, just 21-93, bis and R (which all actually had bis fuselage) and SMT single seaters. No reason to bother with these now that RV kits are released. As for PF, I'd like to mention the Innex kit. It is another KP derivative and just as crude as the original, but the only alternatives are Bilek and Fujimi. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 (edited) Academy MiG-21 Fishbed C I have an Academy MiG-21 in my stash, kit #1618. The box says 1/72 but the kit is overscaled, measuring out at 1/66. The kit has engraved panel lines, but I'm not familiar enough with MiG-21s to comment on accuracy etc. edit: this is the kit I have. Edited December 1, 2014 by habu2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MoFo Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Fujimi MiG-21s These are great kits. Details are crisp, fit is great. However they are poor models: Good way to think of it is, Fujimi's MiG-21s are like Eduard's new -109. They look really, really nice in the box, and obviously they "look like" what they're supposed to when they're built... but there are a ton of pretty major shape and proportional errors that make it a pretty mediocre miniature. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Laurent Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 As for Fujimi kits even the fuel tanks are wrong?I was not aware of that,I spared a PFM for parts :-\ Diameter a mm too wide (relative error is big since since the diameter is 7-8mm), length a few mm too short. I think that the fins are too big also. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I also measured out the Fujimi missile rails to be 'WAY oversized. You could still salvage the landing gear from it! :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Johnopfor Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 (edited) Anybody's thoughts on Zvezda's MiG-21bis and MiG-21PFM? Edited December 14, 2014 by Johnopfor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Anybody's thoughts on Zvezda's MiG-21bis and MiG-21PFM? "Excellent!" pretty much sums it up. Cheers, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Seems like I've heard the PFM intake is slightly too narrow, but still looks great overall. Especially considering the other MiG-21 kits, these two are real winners! My only complaint is they released the PFM literally months after I really, really worked turning a KP -MF into a PFM. You may have heard the shout and the foul language once I discovered that I could've saved myself a LOT of effort.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Laurent Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Seems like I've heard the PFM intake is slightly too narrow, but still looks great overall. Especially considering the other MiG-21 kits, these two are real winners! For the PFM, the angle of the nose cone is too big, the cone stick out too much (just sand the base of the cone) and the tip is blunt. The bis nose cone is good. For me the only little glitches are the intake lip that isn't curved enough and the wheel hubs that aren't bis ones. I luve the Zvezda bis: accurate, detailed and cheap. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Julien (UK) Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Anybody's thoughts on Zvezda's MiG-21bis and MiG-21PFM? I am no accuracy guru but the PFM went together very nicely. Julien Quote Link to post Share on other sites
flagon21 Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 PF PFM and bis Bilek , Zvezda in my opinion are the most accurate and good price too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ReccePhreak Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 How about the Eastern Express MiG-21R and the KP/Mastercraft MiG-21R? Larry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Laurent Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 How about the Eastern Express MiG-21R and the KP/Mastercraft MiG-21R? AFAIK they're just reboxes of the old Condor (messy raised panel bis) or new Condor ("scale" recessed panel lines -93) with a recce pod sprue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rizon Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I have an Academy MiG-21 in my stash, kit #1618. The box says 1/72 but the kit is overscaled, measuring out at 1/66. The kit has engraved panel lines, but I'm not familiar enough with MiG-21s to comment on accuracy etc. edit: this is the kit I have. Just for interest, have a look at the first part of this thread as to what is required to fix the Academy MiG 21: Chengdou F-7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ReccePhreak Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 AFAIK they're just reboxes of the old Condor (messy raised panel bis) or new Condor ("scale" recessed panel lines -93) with a recce pod sprue. Thanks. It's a good thing I have pretty much switched to 1/48 scale. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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