The Aircraft

The MiG-15 was the USSR’s first really successful jet fighter. The engines for the prototype were copied from Britain’s Rolls Royce Nene, with the cooperation of the UK government.

The MiG-15 was used in the Korean War, with Chinese, Korean and Soviet pilots flying combat missions into “MiG Alley” in northwestern North Korea.

There were many users of this aircraft, 39 countries, including the United States, who bought fighters as “opposition” aircraft for exercises like Red Flag. Only two countries still use the MiG-15, North Korea and Guinea-Bisseau.

The two versions this landing gear set is for are the MiG-15bis, an improved single seat version, and the MiG-15UTI, the two seat trainer version.

The Topdrawings series specializes in line-drawings of a given subject in each booklet. The 92^nd installment in this series is devoted to the Medium Tank M3 Lee/M3 Grant as known in UK service.

This booklet has 4-View for the M3A1 early, mid and late production, M3A2 with welded hull, M3A2 with GM 6046 engine (modified rear part), M3A3 with welded hull, M3A3 late production series, M3A4 with Chrysler engine, M3A4 final production series, M3A5 with GM engine, and the M3 Grant (UK) modifications.

In addition to the B&W line drawings, you also get 11 color profiles, in some cases with multiple views (left side, right side, etc) of the same vehicle.

The booklet also includes a brief description on the overall history of the AFV and each line drawing has an explanation as to what was modified from the previous block series.

If you are looking for detailed drawings of the M3 Lee or M3 Grant, this book has it all.

You have to give the former Soviet Union credit – they didn’t waste time coming up with something new IF something available would do the trick. They did it with the U.S. B-29 bomber (Tupelov Tu-4) and they didn’t with this series of post-war sedans – making a carbon copy of Germany’s Opel Kadett from 1946 on.

ICM has previously made a closed-top four-door sedan version of this lovely little vehicle, and now offer the somewhat rarer convertible version. The kit offers a couple of options – open or closed convertible top and free spare tire or encased spare tire. It comes with a detailed engine and drive train and a truly exceptional level of detail in the interior. It also comes with all the parts to make the standard sedan if you desperately want to go in that direction. Being the kind of modeler I am, I chose to do mine with the open top so I could show off all the lovely inside workings.