1:48 MiG-21PFM grey SPACE

The MiG-21PFM in a gray interior, a SPACE set from Eduard, 1:48

This is an accessory for the cockpit, not a kit. The SPACE line rests on three-dimensionally printed decals with relief as well as color, thanks to which the instrument panel and the side panels take on a three-dimensional look without the small dials being painted by hand. The name gives the gray variant, so the set matches machines with a gray interior, not a turquoise one.

The real subject

The MiG-21PFM was a transitional version between the early cannonless forms and the later variants with improved aerodynamics. It brought a side-hinged canopy with a fixed windscreen instead of the earlier one-piece hinged part, a new ejection seat, blown flaps for a shorter landing and the option of carrying a gun pod, because the versions without a built-in cannon had not proved themselves in combat. It was built in large numbers and served in dozens of countries including Czechoslovakia. The interior meanwhile differed in shade between production series and after overhauls, which is why the same type is modeled today in a turquoise as well as a gray form.

Recommended procedure

• Finish and paint the cabin, lift the features with tweezers and fix them with PVA glue.
• Go over the areas under the print with a gloss varnish; that reduces silvering.
• Work through the individual panels and let them dry.
• Do not use decal softener or setting solution; the chemicals would damage the printed feature.
• Bring the finished cabin together with a matte varnish and add highlights on the glass of the instruments.

Who the set is for

For modelers who are building the MiG-21PFM with a gray interior and want the cabin legible even under a closed canopy.