MiG-23 Detail Sets
for RV Aircraft Kits

RES-IM, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

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Resin Improvement is a new company to me, these being the first of their products I have seen or reviewed. They come in a zip-lock plastic bag with card header with simple but adequate instructions. These use photo-images of the recipient kit and detail set parts. Only the cockpit set instructions provide painting guidance, and this is limited to three colour names with paint code cross-referenced to the Gunze Aqueous and Mr. Colour paint ranges. However a quick visit to RES-IM’s website soon reveals links to MiG-23 walk-arounds and images of their detail sets including painted examples. I’ve used their images for this review because they looked better than the ones I took.

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The detail sets are intended for the RV Aircraft kits, which are very nice indeed; and in my view are by far the best MiG-23 kits in 1/72 scale. However it’s quite likely that the sets could be used with MiG-23 kits by Zvezda/Italeri, Bilek, Airfix/Heller, Hasegawa or its engraved panel clone by Academy. Of course some adjustment may be needed to achieve a good fit with these other brand kits.

I included the single KM-1 ejection seat in this review because it is the one used in the MiG-23 cockpit set, although obviously the lone seat could be used in a number of Soviet/Russian aircraft models.

The Sets

The replacement parts are highly detailed, with crisply cast and delicate representations of relevant features. The wheel well set has a lot of plumbing represented in the main wheel wells. This level of detail will really need to be extended by the builder to the kit undercarriage legs for best effect.

The cockpit sets has just five parts - a tub, seat, instrument panel, control column and the coaming under the windscreen. The detail on the coaming and ejection seat is quite eye-catching.

Despite their high detail levels both sets remain very simple to use with a low parts count and nothing that’s fiddley to assemble. Obviously some areas of the recipient kit need to be cut away, but this should be very straightforward. The quality of casting is very good with the parts appearing flawless.

Not yet listed on RES-IM’s site but listed by Modelimex and worth mentioning is a RES-IM exhaust nozzle for the RV Aircraft kit.

To my eyes RES-IM’s detail levels look very refined but without the complexity and parts count sometimes found with other brand sets. That’s quite a nice balance to have struck I think. The instructions are basic but adequate, whilst RES-IM’s website more than makes up for this with links to walk arounds and images of their detail sets assembled, fitted and well finished.

These are very good sets to enhance the already nice RV Aircraft kits, or possibly other brand MiG-23’s. The single seat package (7206) of course will suit other subject choices as well – Recommended.

Thanks to Resin Improvement for the review samples.

Review Text & Images Copyright © 2012 by Mark Davies
Page Created 9 April, 2012
Last updated 9 April, 2012

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