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Korean War MiG-15s

Iliad Design, 1/48 scale

Summary

Catalogue Number and Description

Iliad Design Item No. 48027 - Korean War MiG-15s

 

Scale

1/32

Contents and Media:

1 x waterslide decal sheets of national markings, codes and other aircraft-specific markings; 1 x A4 full-colour double-sided instruction sheet featuring seven marking options for six aircraft.

Price:

Available on-line from these stockists:

Click for currency conversion.

Review Type:

First Look

Advantages:

Interesting subjects; good instructions; high quality decals

Disadvantages:

Not really a disadvantage, but purchasers will need to refer to Iliad website for an illustration of the USAAF-marked machine.

Conclusion:

This is a well-produced release that addresses a neglected subject well – highly recommended.


Reviewed by Brad Fallen


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F i r s t L o o k

 

 

The MiG-15's long service across the communist bloc saw it finished in a wide variety of camouflage and markings.  This decal release from Canadian company Iliad Design focuses on MiG-15s flown by North Korean, Soviet and Chinese pilots during the Korean War and is intended for use with the Tamiya, Trumpeter, Monogram and Testors 1/48 MiG-15 kits.

 

 

Iliad has selected six aircraft and seven marking schemes as follows:

  • MiG-15 '07' of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force.  Overall natural metal with PLAAF insignia on upper and lower wing surfaces and "People's Voluntary Air Force" written on both sides of the forward fuselage.  While the fuselage script makes this a dramatic-looking plane, the instructions cast doubt on whether it flew operationally in these markings.
  • MiG-15 bis '931' flown in North Korean markings by Soviet pilot K.I. Siyom of the 535th IAP, 32nd IAD in spring 1953.  Medium green upper surfaces with dark green and sand stripes over 'greyish light blue' lower surfaces; North Korean markings on fuselage sides and lower wing surfaces only.
  • MiG-15 bis '758' flown in North Korean markings by Soviet pilot Captain P.S. Milaushkin of the 176th IAP, 324th IAD while based at Antung in early 1952.  Overall natural metal with North Korean insignia on fuselage sides and lower wing surfaces only.
  • MiG-15 bis '03' flown by Soviet pilot Major Arkady Boitsov of the 16th IAP, 971st IAD, Manchuria, summer 1953.  Medium brown and dark green upper surfaces over greyish light blue undersurfaces, with North Korean insignia on fuselage sides and lower wing surfaces only.
  • MiG-15 bis '2249' flown by Chinese pilot Wang Hai, Commanding Officer of the 7th Air Regiment, 3rd Air Division, summer 1953.  Overall natural metal with North Korean insignia on fuselage sides and upper and lower wing surfaces.
  • MiG-15 bis '2057' flown by North Korean defector No Kum-Sok to Kimpo, South Korea on 21 September 1953.  Finish was overall natural metal.  Two sets of markings are provided for this aircraft:  the original North Korean markings and the USAAF insignia it wore during post-defection evaluation.  However while the US markings are included on the decal sheet, they are not mentioned in the instructions nor is there an accompanying illustration.  There is a profile on the relevant page of Iliad's website, but it would be nice to have this included with the decals.

This minor complaint aside, I found Iliad's instructions to be typically thorough. There aren't reams of information – just a colour, double-sided A4 sheet with profiles and captions on one side, and overhead views on the other – but there’s enough for you to complete an accurate model and also undertake further research if you wish to do so.  The descriptions accompanying the overhead views are especially useful in that they clearly indicate which machines wore insignia on their upper wings, and which carried them on their lower wings only.

 

 

The decals look good on their carrier sheet.  Overall printing is crisp, with only a couple of very minor blemishes (on one of the USAAF insignia and one of the '758' decals for Milaushkin's aircraft).  Again Iliad's research comes to the fore with two styles of North Korean markings provided (with and without a white background) depending on the scheme for which they are intended.  There is – unavoidably – a large amount of carrier film present on some of the number decals and particularly the "People's Voluntary Air Force" decals for the Chinese MiG-15, so these will need to be applied to a very glossy surface.

 

 

Conclusion

 

As is often the case with Iliad productions, 'Korean War MiG-15s' addresses a neglected topic and as such is a welcome release.  The chosen subjects represent a good cross-section of Korean War MiGs and also cater for modellers who don't want to tackle a natural metal finish. 

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Iliad Design for the sample

Text and Images Copyright © 2015 by Brad Fallen
This Page Created on 30 September, 2015
Last updated 30 September, 2015

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