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.

More goodies from Eduard for the Revell 1/48 PV-1. In this review, we'll look at the Brassin wheels. Each set consists of two perfectly cast resin wheels with one hub molded in and a diamond tread. The second hub is separate. Also included is a PE fret with brake lines and covers if you need them for the outboard hub. A mask set is also included.

Removing the wheel from the hub takes a bit of time as the pour stub wraps around 20% of the tire. The treads need to be engraved once the removal is complete. The rest of the installation was a breeze and they take paint well. I used the covers, as my version had them mounted. The set replaces the main wheels only. And they are much better that the kit wheels (see the shot I included) with much better tread design and accuracy.

These are great and dress an already excellent kit nicely with better detail for a good price. Recommended. My thanks to Eduard and IPMS/USA for the chance to review them.