Having built the Eduard Bf-109E, I would have loved to have had the prop hub off my open-cowled model but I didn’t have the means to do it effectively. Quickboost now provides you with a five-piece prop and hub, plus an alignment tool.

Molded perfectly in light grey resin, the props are suitably thin and of the correct cross section. You will need to drill a hole for the prop shaft, but it is not a big deal. The mounting pins for the prop blades will ensure correct alignment of the blades. Then, all you have to do is leave off the prop hub and you can add a new dimension to your 109. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Quickboost and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this set.

History

The MiG-23, NATO reporting name Flogger, is a swing-wing aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the former Soviet Union. It is considered to be a third-generation Soviet jet fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet Union aircraft to utilize look-down/shoot-down radar and one of the first to be armed with beyond visual range missiles. The MiG-23 was also the first production fighter aircraft to have intakes at the sides of the fuselage. Production started in 1970 with over 5,000 aircraft built.

The design of the MiG-23 was influenced by the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and the General Dynamics F-111. The Soviets required a lighter, single-engined fighter to maximize agility. The F-111 and the MiG-23 were initially designed as fighters, but the heavy weight and instability of the F-111 eliminated it from the fighter role. The Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau kept the MiG-23 light and agile enough to dogfight with enemy fighters.

Overview

Zimmerit coating was applied by the Germany army during WWII from 1943 on tanks as a way to defeat infantry personnel from being able to attach magnetic mines. Zimmerit was developed by the German company Zimmer AG. It was made up of polyvinyl acetate, sawdust, barium sulphate, ochre pigment, and zinc sulphide. Zimmerit was applied during production prior to the painting process since it did not adhere well to painted surfaces. The coating also featured ridge patterns to reduce the surface area that a magnet could attach to. Zimmerit was applied to Elefants when they were modified at the factory. Simulating Zimmerit on military models using putty requires advanced skills and is time-consuming.