1/72 Fujimi Mig-21 Bis

by Eric Bade

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The Fujimi series of the ubiquitous Mig-21 series has been released some years ago now. Although some concerns have been expressed about their accuracy they are amongst the best engineered models of the Mig-21 family and once built they have the look of the real machine.

My model is built as a late Mig-21 bis of the Angolan Air Force. This aircraft is well known because its pilot defected to Namibia. It was damaged during its landing when it overran the runway and its front gear collapsed. Damage was minimal and the aircraft was restored and used in South Africa for evaluation and then for display purpose. I know photographs of this Mig from at least two different publications : the "Mig-21" issue of the Aerofax series and issue nr 19 of the World Air Power Journal series.

I am lucky I bought some HAD (Hungarian Armour Decals) sheets in Budapest some years ago, long before I started construction of my model. One of these sheets was for Mig-21s and this Angolan machine was enclosed. To my knowledge Angolan aircraft are not available from other sources in the 1/72nd scale, although this aircraft decals were printed by Aeromaster in the 1/48th scale. 

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The model 

Model is well engineered, parts are sharp, panel lines are recessed and the whole is moulded in a light grey plastic. Some have complained about the kit accuracy and a quick test with line drawings confirms that the model is not absolutely accurate. Still I believe if you rate accuracy/engineering/sharpness it is quite a decent start to build a 1/72nd scale Mig-21. With a change of spine and fin mostly, Fujimi released a line of Mig-21 models, starting from the PF series, through the PFM, MF, RF, SMT an Bis series. The most obvious error in the series concerns Mig-21 MF and RF boxes that share the same plastic as their Mig-21bis. As is the MF or RF versions cannot be built from the Fujimi series as the Mig-21 MF/RF spines should be thinner than the Bis spine. 

Building 

Cockpit has some details. It is decent but it does not correctly depict a late Mig-21 cockpit. Mig cockpits are busy and their walls are covered with switches and fuse boxes. I used a PAVLA resin cockpit instead and a white metal ejection seat by Aeroclub. Overall colour is the famous turquoise blue (or is it turquoise green) common to Russian machines of the period. My paint is from the Xtracolour range (X629).

The second sub-assembly I wanted to detail was the landing gear. A mix of stretched sprue, thin metal wire and photo etched parts did the job conveniently. A minimal level of detailing was incorporated in the landing gear bays with thin wire.

Le last part one has to build before assembling main fuselage is the small jet engine; just four parts make the job. Inner walls are a mix of dark grey and the odd apple green that portrays the heat resisting paint the covers the hot end of Mig-21s engines.

From then on construction proceeds easily. There are relatively few parts, they are sharp and any filling was minimal.

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Painting 

The decal instruction sheet was printed in colour and this plus the World Air Power Journal photographs were used to determine camo colours. No FS or BS references were available. If finally made my mind about which colours l'd use. I chose the JASDF dark green (H320) and JASDF light tan (H321) from the Gunze acrylic range for upper surfaces. Lower colour was a mix of white and RLM65 light blue also from Gunze (H67).

I used a very thin black permanent ink marker to depict the rivets that cover the skin of Migs 

Decals and Finishing 

I was very prudent with decals. I had no spares and although very are sharply printed they were kind of the same type as Hi Decals : sharp and thin but dry and matt in aspect and I feared silvering.

Still I wanted all the subtle tonal changes of my overall camo painting to show. I therefore elected not to gloss varnish surfaces before decaling. With patience and good use of softening products I managed to obtain the desired effect. Matt varnishing was very limited and I used just a very light layer on and around decals and on some parts of the aircraft. This gave a varied sheen to the model much like a real machine that never has an even finish.

The best known photographs of the aircraft show its side numbers and cockades were severely worn at the time it defected. Although I wanted a weathered model I elected to show its identification markings in a better shape, say in earlier days in Angolan service.

This model was a pleasure to build. It looks like a Mig-21 to me and I completely forget about its inaccuracies. I believe I will build more of the series and I already have a PF and a SMT in hand.  

Add to this that it is very exotic in my collection, being the first Angolan/African aircraft I ever built.

Eric

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Photos and text © by Eric Bade