1/48 Revell MiG 21 FL

Gallery Article by Ivan Jalaluddin on Aug 15 2013

  India Independence Day 

 

 

This is my first submission to ARC and one of my first attempts at scale modelling.

I am actually an aviation history enthusiast who was introduced to the related FB group ISM (Indian Scale Modellers).  The enthusiasm and great encouragement from these folks is the reason behind this build. 

The Revell kit is very user friendly for a beginner like me.  One of my areas of fascination has been the hot wars that were fought during the cold war era.  While the Korean, Vietnam and Middle East conflicts have been widely researched and written about..not much is known about the few short sharp conflicts in the Indian subcontinent during the same approximate period.  While researching the '71 war I came across the stellar role played by the then freshly inducted MiG 21 FLs in the IAF (Indian Air Force), where the FL variant was known as the Type 77.  This particular example seeks to represent an 8 Sqn (eight  pursuit) a/c with that units distinctive logo on the nose. (decal supplied with the kit).  As the USAF and the Navy found out in Vietnam, that the MiG 21 is visually a very difficult to spot adversary due to its small size, but the sun glinting off the NMF (Natural Metal Finish) of the Fishbed sometimes gives away its position.  When the '71 Bangladesh liberation war started IAF Sqns were still receiving factory fresh NMF type 77s from HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) which was producing these a/c under licence from the USSR.  So as an adhoc measure the a/c were handpainted using washable house paints, usually in dark green and brown camo patterns at the Sqn level.  

I hope to make more such models of IAF a/c as my skill level improves!. 

Ivan Jalaluddin

      

Photos and text © by Ivan Jalaluddin