Scale Plastic & Rail

1/48 Mig-21 seat late from Eduard

1/48 Mig-21 seat late

Eduard

Kit number 648030

Available from Eduard or other good hobby retailers for around $19.95USD

I was fortunate enough recently to review the first of Eduard's series of new 1/48 Mig-21 fighter models, the MF. Like many other reviewers, I was really impressed with the presentation, execution and overall package that Eduard had produced and thought that, even straight from the box, the ProfiPACK kit would build up into a beautiful model requiring no extra major details and only some minor extra work.

However, Eduard have thought differently about their own kit and have now released a highly detailed KM-1M ejector seat in their Brassin range to complement it. This seat was used in most of the later models of the Mig-21; it seems a little simple in comparison with the modern Aces and Martin-Baker seats, but it was a seat which gave excellent service over many years (below).

As with all of the new Brassin range, the set comprises parts in resin and an etched fret. The 7 resin parts (below) are finely cast with some great surface detail; the seat back is a particularly striking casting.The whole seat looks the part in comparison to photos and is a definite improvement on the kit parts. Also seen at the top of the photo is a pilot's helmet with one of the internal pad (the other had detached from the casting and was safe in the packaging), given as a "free bonus"; this was less impressive than the actual seat, because I think Eduard have mixed up 3 different styles of helmet to arrive at this casting shape and detail given in this part, and the pads are slightly undersized; however, as this was a bonus part, its lower quality does not affect the actual seat review.

The pre-painted etched fret (above) gives all the straps and fittings for the seat; it will be interesting to see how well the paint remains in place once the belts are removed, folded and twisted to give individuality and life to the seat. They do look good on the fret, however.

With all of this excellent material, I have to add a note of caution and that concerns the price; at a price of around one third of the actual ProfiPACK Mig-21 kit, I think many modellers will refuse to pay such a price for a seat, no matter how good it is.

So what do we think?

A really nice addition to an already excellent kit, but rather overpriced, which has to affect my rating.

Overall: 8/10

Our thanks to Eduard for the review sample. To purchase this and other Eduard products, click THIS link.

Robin Jenkins