Revell MiG-21 F-13 Fishbed C

There are plenty of MiG-21 kits out there, but a top-quality kit of the early "small cone" Fishbed has been needed for some time.Revell Germany's new kit features finely recessed panel lines and loads of details in the wheel wells. The kit decal sheet offers two East German, one Soviet Air Force, and three Finnish Air Force markings.

The decals are thin, well printed, and go on without trouble. Raised surfaces for the cockpit consoles do a great job of showing the complexity of the MiG's office. Closing the fuselage around it was a tight fit, though. I appreciate the option of painting and dry-brushing, or decaling the instrument panel. The four-part SK-1 ejection seat is the nicest I've seen in a mass-produced injection-molded 1/72 scale plastic kit.

Assembly was easy. Some of the smaller parts had minor mold seams, but they were easily cleaned up. The fit was nearly perfect with only minor filling needed around the intake assembly and canopy. A couple of hard-to-see sinkholes are hiding inside the intake.

You can pose the canopy and the speed brake open or closed, and the landing gear extended or retracted. More options include rocket pods, bombs, or air-to-air missile training rounds.

The only problem I had was making decisions on color details. The instructions use Revell Germany's color numbers, but at least it lists the names for the colors. I The only problem I had was making decisions on color details. The instructions use Revell Germany's color numbers, but at least it lists the names for the colors. I wish more color brands were listed. I used Model Master, Xtracolor, and SnJ paints on my model.

I really enjoyed building this model. It took me a little more than 10 hours to build. The kit's overall dimensions and shape are right. Beginning modelers won't have much trouble building it, and experienced modelers will appreciate the fine representation of this important fighter.