1:48 MiG-23M Flogger B air scoops

Quickboost 1:48 MiG-23M Flogger B — Air Scoops

Replacement resin detail parts from the Quickboost line, made by the Czech company Aires. The set replaces the air scoops — cooling air intakes — on the spine of the MiG-23M fuselage in 1:48 kits. This is not an airplane model; the plastic kit is not included in the package and you must already own one.

Why resin pays off

Air intakes in plastic are usually molded as a solid bump with only a suggested opening — the mold simply cannot produce such a thin wall together with a through opening. Resin can: the parts have a thin rim and a genuinely open mouth, with a visible intake divider inside. These scoops are clearly visible on the fuselage spine, so replacing the solid bump with an open intake changes the model's look immediately.

The real subject

The MiG-23M was a Soviet single-engine fighter with a variable-geometry wing — the pilot could change the sweep angle in flight to combine a short takeoff with high speed. Its NATO code name was Flogger-B. The engine at the rear of the fuselage generated a large amount of heat, so the aircraft carried prominent air scoops on its spine for cooling the engine bay — exactly what this set replaces.

Use

• Separate the parts from the casting blocks by cutting, not by snapping them off — they are small and fragile.
• Clean up the remains of the blocks by wet sanding with airway protection; resin dust must not be inhaled.
• Before gluing, wash the parts in warm soapy water to remove any mold release residue — otherwise a primer will not hold.
• Glued with cyanoacrylate (super glue); cement for plastic does not work on resin.
• Spray on a primer first, and only then apply the fuselage shade.

Who the set is for

For modelers building the MiG-23M in 1:48 scale who want to get rid of the most obvious simplification in the plastic. Fitting is quick, but it assumes basic confidence cutting and sanding resin parts.

An accessory, not a kit. Wet-sand with airway protection. Cyanoacrylate, primer, paints and the base model are not included in the package.