MiG-21 F-13, MF, SM & MFN

Kopro Decals, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

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The MiG-21 is a deservedly popular choice with aircraft modellers. There are numerous versions and even more colour scheme choices. The sets reviewed here are weighted towards the Czechoslovak and Czech Republic Air Forces, although several other nations are covered by one of them (93107).

The decals come packaged in very close-fitting cellophane bag. My three samples had two that were sealed and one that was resealable. I prefer the resealable kind although their sticky flap tends to adhere to the instructions. The sealed ones are hard to cut open because their sealed edges are so close to the contents, and once opened there is the risk that the decals will fall out. Whatever Kopro saves in cost over the more typical zip-lock polythene bags used for decals is not worth it in my view. I find that the cellophane kind annoying to use. Another cost cutting measure is the absence of an insert or header showing the schemes offered. This is probably not much of a disadvantage given that most orders will be on-line, where the stockist’s website will most likely display the schemes on offer.

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Inside each bag is a two-sided A-4 page paint and markings guide, and of course a decal sheet. Printed in colour, the instructions have four-view placement guides for the subjects covered in each case. The drawings for the sets with only two subjects are clear and easy to follow. However, the set for the MiG-21 MF & SM (93107) covering multiple air forces has quite small diagrams. This is because it maintains the two-side single page format used for the twin subject sets rather than expand to using two sheets of paper. I feel that the diagrams are too small to distinguish some camouflage outlines because of this penny pinching. The Paint colours are in English and Czech; and they are cross-referenced to Humbrol, Agama and FS.595.

The decals have good registration and colour density looks good too. The aircraft covered by each sheet are as follows:

• 93103 – MiG-21 MFN Fishbed J Last Anniversary (Czech AF):

• “Grey 2500”, 21st TAC, Caslav Air Force Base, Czech Republic, 2002.

• “Black 4017”, 21st TAC, Caslav Air Force Base, Czech Republic, 2000.

This is sheet provides the stylised camouflage pattern of the anniversary scheme as decals. This enables the distinctive colour scheme to be finished with relative ease when compared to having to mask and paint it. The second scheme is a very simple and run of the mill bare metal MiG.

• 93107 – MiG-21 MF & SM:

• MiG-21 MF, Czech Air Force, Caslav Air Force Base, 2004

• MiG-21 SM, Soviet Air Force, 1st Sqn of 18th Vitebsk Guard Fighter-Bomber Regiment.

• MiG-21 MF, Iraqi Air Force, Iraq, 1976.

• MiG-21 MF, Luftwaffe, JG-1, Holzdorf Air Force Base, 1990.

• MiG-21 MF, Sloval Air Force, Silac Air Force Base, 1993.

The schemes covered by this sheet are let down in some cases by the paint and markings drawings being too small. This makes the camouflage outlines lines hard to distinguish in some cases. Had Kopro splashed out and used two sheets of A-4 paper rather than just one they would have avoided this criticism, and would then have had space for some reasonably sized drawings. The symbols on the inside of the Iraqi national insignia seem to lack clarity. I think the red lines are rather dark and do not contrast much with the green triangles.

• 94170 – MiG-21 F-13 (Czechoslovak AF):

• 5th slp, Pizen-Line Air Base, Czechoslovakia, 1980’s.

• Silak Air Show, Col. Luska, Czechoslovakia, August 29th, 1964.

The sheet has four styles of nose digits as used by Czechoslovak MiG-21 F-13’s. Also included are fourteen example aircraft, three of which have nose art decals.

This is a good sheet enabling many different aircraft to be modelled because plentiful nose numbers in four styles are supplied, along with three examples of nose art. The red over aluminium air show scheme is a quite fetching one for a MiG-21 F-13 in my view. The instructions let the set down a little because the demarcation lines of the two greens on the camouflaged machine are hard to discern.

These are good quality decals with simple and clear instructions in two out of three cases. The diagrams with the MiG-21 MF & SM set are too small to display some of camouflage outlines lines adequately in my view. The Iraqi national insignia supplied with this set are not as good as the other markings.

The use of tight-fitting cellophane bags may help reduce cost, but I regard them to be frustrating to use. I hope that Kopro considers changing to zip-lock polythene bags like most decal makers use.

I think that sets covering just Czech and Czechoslovak machines are the of the three sets reviewed here. Despite my cellophane bag phobia, I am happy to recommend all three sets of decals.

Take time to check Kopro’s large range of decals; the number of interesting and useful subjects they cover surprised me.

Thanks to hobbyshop.cz for the review sample.

Review Text & Blue Background Images Copyright © 2012 by Mark Davies
Page Created 2 September, 2012
Last updated 3 September, 2012

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