MiG-21 Late Wheels

RES-IM, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

Eduard Brassin’s 1/72 M117 Bombs (Late) are available online from Squadron.com

Aftermarket sets don’t come much simpler than these 1/48 MiG-21 wheels from RES-IM Resin Improvement.  The set comprises two mainwheels and one nose wheel that are drop-fit replacements for their plastic kit equivalents. 

Casting quality is excellent, with no imperfections on the review sample.  Preparation should be straightforward.  The wheels are attached to their casting block by narrow strips of resin that should be easy to saw through, and the axle attachment holes may need to be drilled out slightly to fit the gear leg of the kit you’re using.  RES-IM has cast each wheel as a single piece, without separate hubs as some other producers have done.  This complicates painting a little, but ensures there is no fiddling around to get a good fit between parts.

So far so good – but where do RES-IM’s wheels fit into the crowded 1/48 MiG-21 aftermarket world?  At least five other companies offer replacement wheels, with RES-IM’s sitting in the middle of the price range.  However one MiG-21 wheel isn’t necessarily the same as the next, given the type’s extraordinarily long production run and service history. 

RES-IM’s wheels depict those fitted to variants from the 1970s and later, such as the MiG-21bis, MiG-21SMT, and MiG-21-93.  A comparison to walkaround photos of a MiG-21bis suggests that RES-IM has captured the grooved tyres, smooth inner hub and chunky axle-side hub of the mainwheels; the nosewheel also compares well.  As always, check your references to ensure you’re using the right wheels for the subject you are modelling.

Well produced and accurate, these wheels are highly recommended for anyone considering a 1/48 late MiG-21 build.

Thanks to Resin Improvement for the review sample.

Review Text & Images Copyright © 2017 by Brad Fallen
Page Created 25 September, 2017
Last updated 25 September, 2017

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