Afghantsi
Soviet MiG-23MLD Combat Veterans

Linden Hill Decals, 1/32 scale

S u m m a r y :
Catalogue Number	Linden Hills Decals Item No. LHD32015 - Afghantsi Soviet MiG-23MLD Combat Veterans
Contents and media	2 x Decal sheets + 3 double sided A4 instructions
Scale	1/32
Price:	$21.99 + postage from Linden Hill imports
Review Type	First Look
Advantages:	Fixes error in the Trumpeter supplied decals, and provides a wide choice of combat veteran schemes.
Disadvantages:	None noted
Recommendation:	Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Phil Parsons

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron.com

The Soviet war in Afghanistan lasted from December 1979 to February 1989. Fought between Soviet-led Afghan forces against multi-national insurgent groups called the mujahideen, the Soviet MiG-23 operated for a majority of the campaign, with MiG-23MLDs deploying in the later years.

From the Linden Hill website:

“MiG-23MLD 'Afgantsi' is the culmination of over a decade of research into the VVS MiG-23 'Lightweights' which served in Afghanistan between 1984 and January 1989. The set includes a richly illustrated six-page booklet, which includes both individual histories of the MLDs featured and numerous rare reference photos. The decal set is designed to complement the forthcoming Aviaeology book 'Griffons over Afghanistan'.”

This decal sheet covers the period 1987-1989 and is designed for the Trumpeter MiG-23 MLD Flogger K kit. As always Linden Hill Decals provides a great wealth of information on individual aircraft history, backed up by photos, plus there is a great discussion about weapon loadouts, with what and why discussions on different configurations that were used.

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Thumbnail panels:

An extra nice detail is a verbal description for some decals as to their alignment with relation to certain panels etc.

Again in an effort to assist the modeller wherever possible their website provides the following:
“Enhance your MiG-23MLD with this downloadable PDF of templates for badge backgrounds, reinforcement plates and scale plans to scratchbuild the PKiVP-23 special centerline pylon/flare dispenser fitted to many Afgantsi 23s.”

Aircraft covered include:

• MiG-23MLD, Bort 48, 2.AE 168 IAP, Starokonstantinov AB, Carpathian MD, Ukraine,  deployed to Bagram AB, 1988

• MiG-23MLD, Bort 26, 168 IAP, Starokonstantinov AB, Carpathian MD, Ukraine, deployed to Bagram AB, 1987

• MiG-23MLD, Bort 55, 2 AE 979 IAP, Schuchin AB, Byelorussioan  MD, deployed to Kandahar AB, 1987-88

• MiG-23MLD, Bort 32, 120 IAP, Domna AB, Trans-Baikal MD, deployed to Bagram and Shindand AB, 1988-89

• MiG-23MLD, Bort 57, 120 IAP, Domna AB, Trans-Baikal MD, deployed to Bagram and Shindand AB, 1988-89

• MiG-23MLD, Bort 64, 120 IAP, Domna AB, Trans-Baikal MD, deployed to Bagram and Shindand AB, 1988-89

As a bonus with this set you are provided extra intake art and with cutting up Bort 55 decals you can also build Bort 22.

Again another lovely researched set from Linden Hill Decals, I eagerly await the follow on reference material that these decals are based upon, Aviaeology’s forthcoming book 'Griffons over Afghanistan'.”
Great decals, painting guides, and information make this a must have, allowing you to build some lovely MiG-23MLD aircraft with combat loadouts.

Thanks to Linden Hill Imports for the review samples.

Text and Images Copyright © 2013 by Phil Parsons
Page Created 15 March, 2013
Last updated 15 March, 2013

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