Finnish Air Force MiG-21UM MK-106 Condor 1/72

Clockwise from top left: MiG-21UM, de Havilland Vampire Mk. 55, MiG-15UTI, Folland Gnat F.1

Condor MICOJAN MIG-21UM MONGOL 1/72

Well, here's a scale model that isn't too easy to have even nowadays: a Finnish Air Force MiG-21UM 'Mongol' 2-seat trainer in 1/72 scale. Bought my kit from ModelsUA online and fortunately it was very cheap.

The Condor kit is simple and crude, but in 1/72 scale there aren't many, if any options for an OOB builder. In some ways it looks like the original 'Mongols' I've seen in Finnish aviation museums and it's not totally off, but there are definitely issues with some dimensions and shapes overall. Maybe kitbashing a Zvezda MiG-21 BIS kit with some scratchbuilding would produce best results, but this Condor will have to do at least for awhile.

Painted with an airbrush, camouflage brown and green colours mixed from Vallejo Model Air 71.002, 71.022, 71.105, 71.057 and 71.034 water acrylic paints, bottom light blue Revell Enamel 52 mixed with 04. Final clearcoat Revell Matt Enamel. Aftermarket decals from Harraste Shop (Tampere, Finland).

This model represents the MK-106 in its original 1982 Soviet Union delivery scheme before any later Finnish modifications or repaints. The real MiG-21UM MK-106 is stored at the Karelia Aviation Museum, Lappeenranta Finland. 

Finnish Air Force MiG-21bis MG-135 details

FAF MiG-21F-13 repro photo reference (MG-63?)

MG-63

Finnish Air Force MiG-21 takeoff or low level flyby at an airshow in the early 1970's. Reproduction photo of an original faded paper print. I think the plane registration is MG-63. Interestingly the main landing gear seems to be down, but nosewheel already up?

Soviet Air Forces MiG-21 MF 1/32 Revell

Big 1/32 scale "Fishbed-J" kit from Revell isn't bad for such an oldie, but there are serious issues with some parts like canopy or tail part: they just don't fit. This model was just something to tinker with between more serious projects and looks adequate when finished. Original kit decals were for Luftwaffe "shark" special or East German Air Force camouflage, but I wanted the Red Stars and used Strike Eagle MiG-17 aftermarket decals instead. This model represents one of six MiG-21 MFs which made an official visit to Rheims, France in September 1971. There was an illustration in Aircraft in Profile about Marshal P.S. Kutakhov's "Blue 30", but I figured it would have been possible if one of the planes was a "Blue 40" like this.

From Künnapuu, Ants: 100 Ōhusōidukit. Illusteerinud V.Tōnisson (Valgus, Tallinn, 1975)

The canopy is a mess, tried already twice to fix it.