This is the second masking set designed for Eduard’s new MiG-21MF kits. The first set, CX511, provides masks not only for the canopy and the windscreen, but also for the HUD, the underwing landing lights, and the antenna panels on the vertical tail, the ventral fin, the wing leading edges and a number of smaller ones under the wings and fuselage. This set, CX512, adds additional masks allowing you to paint the interior color on the inside of the canopy instead of just on the outside. This will result in a much more realistic finish for the canopy, especially if you are going to pose it open. Like CX511, but unlike many of Eduard’s other masking sets, this one does not include masks for the tires or wheel hubs.

The inclusion of the masks for the antennas is a great idea as the MiG-21 has a lot of antennas. Most visible are the large panels on the vertical tail and the front of the ventral fin, but there are a lot of smaller ones on vertical tail, on the leading edges of the wing and on the underside of the jet. The panels are crisply molded on the kit and after painting the antenna panels green, the masks were fitted and fit perfectly as expected.

There are three parts to the windscreen mask, one for each side and the central panel. The main canopy has three parts as well, one around the review mirror and then one for each side. The interior masks duplicate these to ensure that the lines between the painted and unpainted sections of the canopy match up. The instructions advise you to cover the part of the canopy that is to remain clear with liquid masking, but I prefer to cut small strips out of the unused parts of the masking sheet and use these strips to mask off the rest of the canopy. I also cut a small square off the sheet and used it to mask off the opening for the rearview mirror on the inside of the canopy. I used liquid masking to mask off the rear facing glass on the outside of the rearview mirror as this is also not provided in the masking set.

After masking the canopy I painted the canopy both inside and out with the cockpit interior color to ensure consistent color. When this had dried, I removed the interior masks and then tacked the canopy over the cockpit opening to mask it for painting. I then painted the entire airframe light grey as that was the paint scheme I had chosen for the kit. After painting and decaling were complete, I removed the masks from the antenna panels and applied my final flat coat to ensure that the finish on the antennas was flat like the rest of the airframe. After the flat coat had dried, I removed the canopy mask and the liquid mask from the mirror panel.

This is a great set and a must for anyone building one of Eduard’s MiG-21MF’s. The addition of the masks for the inside of the canopy is very helpful, especially if you plan on displaying the canopy in the open position. I also appreciate the inclusion of the masks for the antenna panels as these really simplify the painting of the antennas.

Very highly recommended. Thanks to Eduard for the review set and to IPMS-USA for letting me review it.