A "Thank You" goes to Master Models for submitting this item for review and to IMPS/USA for allowing me to review it.

The pitot tube is used to measure flow speed. Attached to an airplane it measures the "flow" of the aircraft through the air – an airspeed indicator. The pitot tube can be mounted on an airplane in a number of places and ways. Most propeller-driven aircraft have them mounted on the wings in some fashion. Most modern day jets have them mounted in the nose. Some are the very tip of the nose. Others are located on the side near the tip. Such is the case of the pitot tube of the MiG-21, the subject of this review.

The Model Master pitot tube is designed to be used with Academy, Eduard, and Italeri kits. The parts come in a small sealed cellophane bag packaged in a small zip lock bag with a set of instructions. The complete tube consists of six parts: two turned brass tubes and four brass vanes. The vanes are part of a small photo etch sheet containing 6 vanes – respecting the carpet monster, I suppose. The tube sections are machined perfection. They’re so detailed that small locating holes are provided for each vane to ensure proper alignment and location. The instructions show 6 steps of construction. The steps are clear and easy to follow. (Step 3 could have been a little more explicit indicating the degree of bend, rather than "lightly bend.") A small outline on the instruction sheet showing the exact degree would have been helpful. It would ensure the alignment of the business end with the aircraft's centerline.

I'll compare this pitot tube to one found in the Eduard Limited Edition MiG-21MF kit – a kit with exceedingly good detail. The kit's tube (D4) is one piece to which four vanes are added from one of the photo etch sheets. Separating the part from the sprue and cleaning it up are a delicate operation. The kit's instructions are not exact as to the location of the vanes. However, a good "eyeballing" is sufficient in lieu of the Master Model pitot. The base section of the kit's part is removed and used as the Master Model’s mount to the MiG-21’s nose.

The Master Model pitot tube has better form and detail than the tube found in any kit. If you want to improve the looks of your MiG-21, I recommend using the Master Model AM-48-061.

Again, thanks to Master Model for this review sample.