Croatian MiGs
Mi-24 Balkan Hinds

Balkan Models, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Ken Bowes

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Background

Balkan Models is a new brand to me, although they appear to have been in operation for at least several years, given that the first sheets that have crossed my workbench are numbers 5 and 6 in their 1/72nd scale range. Having started out with a range of decals covering former Yugoslavia subjects, they have now diversified into covering the Air Forces that emerged from the breakup of that country and the Republics that emerged from the terrible civil war.

The Decals

Sheet BM-7205 covers MiG-21Bis Fishbed fighters that became the core fighter capability of the Croatian Air Force. Six key subjects are covered from a pair a jets that defected from the Federal Armed Forces in 1992 to airframes that were acquired from the Ukraine and modernized in Rumania in the 2002/03 timeframe. These later 12 aircraft formed the backbone of the Croatian Air Force in the early 21st Century and are currently scheduled to be replaced by 2013, with ex-Luftwaffe F-4Fs or Swedish Gripens under consideration. Of the six MiG-21bis options one is in bare metal, three in a light brown/green scheme and two post modernization in a scheme reminiscent of the old USAFE European 1 scheme. It is testament to the intensity of combat during the civil war that two of the options were lost to ground fire, whilst at least one other is a significant combat veteran.

Moving on from MiG-21s, sheet BM-7206 covers the standby of low intensity conflict, the Mi-24 Hind gunship.

This time instead of focusing on one air force, there are three covered over six options. The first is a Serbian aircraft from the Kosovo Conflict of 1999, the second a Croatian aircraft and the remaining four being Macedonian aircraft. All a relatively modern Mi-24V airframes and carry a range of interesting camouflage schemes that will challenge a modeler in this scale. Like the MiG-21s of the previous sheet some of these subjects have a combat history from the wars of the 1990s although with only limited information provided for each subject good references will be required to learn more of their individual histories.

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The Hasegawa and Fujimi kits in 1/72 leap to mind as the obvious kits to use these decals with although they will work as well on any good model of the subject. The decal sheet has clean crisp printing, minimal carrier film and no register problems.

This decal package from Balkan Models is well researched, extremely well put together and leaves little for the modeler to do save source a kit. Whilst the subject may be of narrow interest, they offer something that is well off the beaten track and are sure to result in quite attractive replicas.

Thanks to Balkan Models for these review samples.

Review Text Copyright © 2011 by Kenb Bowes
Page Created 30 August, 2011
Last updated 30 August, 2011

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