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OK here is some errata for the instruction sheet in this new boxing. Actually I think the same problems were in all other previous releases.

This one is particular for the MiG-21 bis version or to be more precise it is for any MiG-21 version which had the later version of radar, the RP-22. The cooling system of the radar and its equipment was different and partially spirit based.

 

On top of the nose there was a Alcohol Bottle for windscreen de-icing on previous versions too, but there it was a single small bottle (D49) under that flat cover ( A3) in case of the MF kit. The instruction gave a Light Grey colour there. Almost right, in most cases it was a metal coloured bottle. But now were are speaking about this 21 bis kit.

 

The MiG-21 bis also has the spirit based de-icing bottle but it is enclosed inside a bigger bottle and has two caps on top. The smaller bottle inside is for de-icing the windscreen while the bigger capacity one is for cooling the radar unit. It is a much larger “double bottle” and so the cover (kit Part J5 or J8) had to be changed. It has a distinct bulgy look, much rounder and bigger. The “double bottle” inside (Part J18) is given Light Grey colour again in the instruction on top of page 9. Actually the two bottles are differentiated with colours on real aircraft. The main body of the “double bottle” is green and only the drop shaped front part of the smaller, inner de-icing bottle is painted brown. The caps are the same colour for easier maintenance. With time the base aluminium will start showing but no heavy weathering here.

 

 

q5yQDrA.jpg

 

 

More soon.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Here is another correction to the instruction sheet of the MiG-21 bis kit.

 

Something that in the original kit all those years ago the manufacturer did not feel important to make, OK they said it is not possible but actually the nose cone was already on a common sprue with other kits so no investment was made in a new one.

 

Well the difference is in the base ring of the nose cone. It is different since the aircraft has a different radar unit inside, namely the RP-22. To help in cooling the system series of perforations were added to the front of the ring. This is the part that was considered to be a “minor” and unimportant feature to be included in the kit.

 

OK, this time around the plastic is not changed, so you are not getting a base ring with perforations but there is something else included in the kit. It was not easy to persuade the decal people but in the end they agreed to add a decal of the perforations so we get an optical tuning of the plastic parts. The perforation ring is common to all bis and for earlier Russian versions which already had the RP-22 radar fitted to them.

 

Be careful and don’t follow the instruction sheet blindly. The position of the decal is shown as placed on the actual nose cone which is of course wrong. The perforation is on the front part of the base ring further back from the one shown by the instruction sheet. The base ring is a metallic greyish- brown colour this is a chemically protected ring just as the intake lip.

 

c66nRpt.jpg 

 

 

More soon.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Hi Ken,

 

Nice work there! How do you like the kit?

 

Yes, the etched version is nice but adds to the diameter unless it was calculated into the equation in the first place by Modelsvit. On the MiG-21 bis it is a little different, it is further forward, over a conical part and visible on the aircraft and not only if you stick an endoscope inside the intake. :))) 

 

There was an etched sheet (dont know by who) for the Zvezda 72nd kit of the MiG-21 bis with etched perforation. It also looked nice but you have to fit it over a conical shape with lots of bending and of course annealing the brass in advance.

 

 

 

Best regards

Gabor 

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Hi Ken,

It is interesting that you have shown the etched perforation ring for that early MiG.

 

News from yesterday that in October Eduard will release two etched sets for detailing the MiG-21 bis kit and it will include an Exterior set № 48 999 and Interior set 49 1036. In the exterior set there is something new, it is a photoetch version of the perforation. It is going to be interesting to see how it fits on the conical base ring of the kit. If one wants nit-picking, the radar base ring has 5 rows of holes in the perforation while the etching has only 4. Oh well. . .

 

 

HU3Sruk.jpg

 

 

n1OaMyg.jpg

 

IpJVTz6.jpg

 

 

*   By the look of it unfortunately there are things which have not been corrected at all in comparison to set 48 702 (MiG-21MF exterior) from which most parts were copied. It is part 30 which details the underside of the R-13M (Part E19) missiles launch rail (E8). In fact photoetch designer missed measuring the actual width of the plastic launch rail (also by Eduard) and so the etching is far too wide and does not fit at all on the plastic part so it is completely useless.

 

Width of the launch rail base should be the same as width of etched rail. The designer accidentally took the gross width of the rail and made the etching width go with it which is wrong since the rail has a rounded cross section. The etching is sticking out on the sides while its edge should be in line with the edge of the rail.

I don’t think anyone at Eduard ever glued the etching to the rail to see if it properly fits.

 

*  For the gun vets (etched part 72) the same etching was copied from the MF set. The bis gun has a different part.

 

*  The RATO bottle attachments (etched part 9) are wrong in that only the outer side of them has details on it. The inner side is flat. But this means that the designer has to make two versions.

 

The set should be released in October of this year so maybe there is still time to correct the mistakes! ????

 

   

Best regards

Gabor

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Before accusations of pointless attack on a given producer. Of course I have sent remarks in connection with the October planned release of the above photoetch set to the designers also. It seems that there is a chance that something will be done. After all to make corrections to a photoetch design is not as expensive and complicated as making an injection mould press forms for a brand new MiG-21 bis nose section. 😁   😁  😁  

 

Hope there is a chance that there will be a possibility to look at other problems on this set too.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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Continuing with errors in the instruction sheet of this MiG-21 bis kit. Actually the mistakes has been around for years and was repeated time after time on all instruction sheets.

 

Difference has to be made between O2 bottles and cylinders with compressed air. They are not the same and serve a different purpose on the aircraft. The lines and bottles of the O2 system are always blue (different shades but a usually a light blue shade). The O2 bottles are usually come in triple bottles, with three small spheres interconnected. The compressed air bottles are differentiated with semi gloss black colour and also white stencils on them clearly stating what they are.

 

Parts D26 and D28 are O2 bottles but so is D25!!! They are all blue in colour. I know they are deep inside the wing so who cares. Sorry, I do.

 

 

jo7j6Es.jpg

 

Best regards

Gabor

Edited by ya-gabor
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Just a small correction this time. There is a small mix up of decals on page 23 of the instruction sheet.

 

Decal H 174 is a plain red line and it represents the canopy hold which snaps opens on the canopy and can help in holding the weight of the canopy while opening it from the outside. It is marked with a red rectangle, well actually the whole handle is simply painted red on this aircraft. OK here on the decal it has rounded ends, but that’s not a real problem just cut the ends off and it is perfect. And you get a spare one too.

 

 

nu0Wrr0.jpg

 

 

Usually aircraft tyres are marked so that it is easily visible if the rubber has moved in comparison to the hub which is important for braking power of the wheel. On the MiG-21’s we had all sorts of markings for this over the decades of service.

 

On this particular aircraft a white rectangle ( a fairly big one) was painted on with a thin red line in the middle. It was applied to each tyre on both sides and is very visible. This is why I have asked the decal designer to include this feature on the decal sheet. In the end they have agreed. Well on seeing the decal it was both good news and bad news. Only 4 such markings were made (Decal H 176) instead of 6 but at least they are there. So please note that it is decal H 176 which goes on the wheels and not the other one.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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  • 1 month later...

Back in August preliminary images were shown by Eduard of a new set of photoetch for the MiG-21 bis. I mentioned here (few posts above) some mistakes which were obvious from the low quality images. It is easy to attack something from afar or as our Czech friends would say Bash their producer.

 

OK, so I went a step further (obviously as one should do in such a situation) and mentioned of course the problems to the Eduard team as well. The response was surprising. A long exchange of letters followed. The end result is now on hand with a lot of corrections made to make the etching more accurate and right for the MiG-21 bis version. It is now a one piece etching instead of the planned two part set. But everything is included and even more!

 

Glad that recommendation were accepted by Eduard and incorporated into the set, they are sometimes some very small additions but make the end result and what is more important the built kit more authentic MiG-21 bis.

 

i3G0TRD.jpg

 

 

The perforation for the nose cone is for example a welcome addition in this set which corrects one of the mistakes of the original kit and is available for the very first time. Some extensive bending and twisting resulted in a perfect fit onto the kit nose cone. I like it. So now some paint will hit that surface to make it look better.

The perforation is not exclusive for the MiG-21 bis but also applicable to any earlier version which had the RP-22 radar fitted, like the Russian service 21SM or those SMT versions which on the outside looked like a bis.

I think the set will be out in October.

 

4AD2MxT.jpg

 

 

Best regards

Gabor

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1 hour ago, Flankerman said:

 

 . . . Is this the cone fully extended Gabor? - and if so, should'nt it be retracted when at rest?  . . .

 

 

Hi Ken,

 

The nose cone movement is an automatic system. Theoretically on the ground with engine stopped the nose cone should be in the after position. With the aircraft powered up on the ground from the cockpit you can “manually” with a switch move the nose cone forward and back. This can be done as a test too but in flight depending on speed the nose cone is moved automatically. The switch in the cockpit has a safety wire lock on it to prevent accidental tripping of it.

 

When fully forward the nose cone and its base is further “out” from what is on your photos.

 

The Ledovo “base” was a school/training place for MAI as far as I know, so it is possible that anything and everything was moved in one or other direction on it.

 

Best regards

Gabor  

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It is very simple rule for serviceable aircraft - FOD cover don' fit on intake if the cone in forward position, so the cone should be fully retracted on the ground before engine shut down. Soviet SM/SMT didn't have perforation behind the cone. It is boundary layer control, distinctive feature for MiG- 21bis airframe strictly connected with new engine intake.

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  • 6 months later...

Hi Chuk,

 

This was never a build of the kit itself, just to show/introduce the new kit. I tested some of the things on it, like the perforated nose cone.

There are too many things, too many new projects and research going on so no time for a proper build here of the 48th MiG-21bis.  : (  : (

 

But I am doing a 72nd MiG-21PF build in the "In-Progress" topic from the new Edu kit. Much smaller, much faster and really easy. Already did a Pure Plastic version of it to test the first sprues back in January. But this time it is a production kit with all colours added on it.

 

Best regards

Gabor

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