Zvezda 1/72nd MiG-21bis
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Background
 I'm
not going to fill in this area much. There are tons (quite literally?)
of reference material on the MiG-21. Since it was the one jet in the world
that flew with more air forces than any other, pictures and books are
not in short supply.
The MiG-21bis was one of the last upgraded versions of this aircraft.
Many nations flew it, and the one country that flew it more than others
(minus the USSR/CIS, of course) was India. In fact, many nations are still
flying the type.
The Kit
The Zvezda MiG-21bis is finally the first 1/72nd kit to be released
that is accurate, much more so than the Fujimi kit. I've read on various
forums there may be a panel line or two out of place on the Zvezda kit,
but at least – unlike the Fujimi kit – all outlines and shapes
are correct. The only other area of "nitpick" would be the wheel
wells – they're not deep enough. Other than that, the Zvezda kit
is a beauty. It consists of 106 injected parts in gray, and two in clear
– the windscreen and the canopy, separate. Decals are spot on and
in register, and are for three schemes: one of the "Russian Air Force";
one Finnish example; and one Polish example. If you're looking for more
schemes, you can choose from Linden Hill Imports, Begemot, or a number
of other companies. In fact, I plan on finishing my example in Bulgarian
markings using the Linden Hill Imports sheet "Millennium MiGs".
 Construction
naturally starts out with the cockpit. While not detailed, the parts do
represent the tub layout. This is an area where either an aftermarket
resin set, or even an Eduard Zoom set would help. Also, replacing the
kit seat with an aftermarket resin one (it was a KM-1M seat) from the
likes of NeOmega, etc. would be beneficial. In addition to inserting the
cockpit into the fuselage halves, you'll also need to install the main
wheel wells, exhaust and intake cone. The instructions mention nothing
about needing weight in the nose, but if I were a betting man, I would
bet it's a must so the model doesn't sit on its tail.
 Once
the fuselage halves are assembled, then the "hump", wings, fins,
rudder, etc. are attached. Also note Zvezda provides most "bumps
and protrusions" on the fuselage as separate parts. Be sure to pay
close attention to the location of these via the instructions. After all
main parts are assembled the instructions move you into finishing the
kit with the landing gear (up or down) and a variety of weapons. It's
here where you should start painting the model.
I'm not up on my Russian weapon designations, but the kit comes with
missiles, fuel tanks, "a Gatling gun" (I think) and some sort
of canister to hang underneath. Sorry I can't be more specific than that.
Conclusion
 An
excellent model, much needed since all other MiG-21bis kits in 1/72nd
are inaccurate. You could build it close out of the box and be satisfied
with it, or find aftermarket goodies to add. Not only the NeOmega seat,
but PVD puts out a metal pitot for it, Equipage has wheels for it, and
I suspect there is some photoetch for a MiG-21bis, although not specifically
for the Zvezda kit. Hopefully that will change soon. It would be nice,
though, if someone released a vacuform canopy/windscreen for it so one
doesn't have to make a replacement themselves.
My thanks to Zvezda for the review kit.
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