1:32 MiG-23BN remove before flight covers

Remove Before Flight covers for the MiG-23BN in 1:32 scale

A resin set from the Quickboost brand (a range of the Czech manufacturer Aires) with covers and plugs for the sensitive openings a parked MiG-23BN carries, together with Remove Before Flight tags. In 1:32 scale this is a small thing with an enormous visual effect: red tags on a gray or camouflaged machine draw the eye at once and give a scene the authenticity of ground operations.

The real subject

The MiG-23BN was a fighter-bomber derivative of the MiG-23 with a drooped attack nose and no radar, intended for strikes against ground targets. It served with a number of air arms including the Czechoslovak one. On parked machines the ground crews protected the pitot-static sensors, the openings and sensitive equipment with covers carrying warning tags, which had to be removed before flight, and that is where their familiar name comes from.

Building and painting tips

Separate the fine castings from the casting blocks very carefully, ideally with a razor saw, and bond them with a minimum of super glue. Paint the tags a deep red and let the lettering areas stand out in a light shade; a slight ripple in the tags looks more natural than perfectly flat ones. Fit the covers only onto a finished, painted model.

Who the set is for

• Builders of the MiG-23BN in 1:32 scale
• Diorama builders putting together an apron scene with ground crew
• Modelers who want to give a model color contrast and a story
• Enthusiasts of Czechoslovak and Soviet aviation

This is an accessory set: the model of the airplane, the glue and the paints are not included in the package.