The MiG-21 (and F-104) came about from the lessons learn from the jet air combat in the Korean War. This was to be a short-range but high-performance air-superiority fighter. While the MiG-21 started out with those limited qualities, it would mature into a very successful multi-use weapon system that would be (still is?) the most numerous used fighter in the jet age. In addition to Soviet production, this aircraft would also be produced in Czechoslovakia, India and China for more then 11,000 MiG-21s that offered a very wide range of variants in a plethora of different schemes and markings.

Another of Matchbox’s basic kits and this one contains a total of 32 parts molded in two colours (including a one-piece clear canopy). This 1973 kit has a combination of engraved and raised panel lines and both are rather subdued which is a little unusual for the former. A very basic cockpit comprises one over-sized Type SK ejection seat (assuming this kit is a later PF with the broad tail) that doubles as the aft bulkhead and this seat could almost hold two of the nicely done pilot figure!

 All of the wheel wells are enclosed if a tad shallow and the main gear legs look a little anemic while the doors would look better thinner. (Anemic is a good word as your editor recalls his breaking shortly after construction. They are so thin that a fly walking on the floor causes them to wobble. Ed) External store is limited to one fuselage tank. Matchbox supplied adequate instructions with detail colours notes listed at the end of the sheet. Both basic decal options are for natural metal finished MiGs with the Soviet being Blue 65 and the Czech being Black 0202. These are adequately illustrated in full colour on the back of the box.

Walk Around MiG-21 Fishbed Part 1, Hans-Heiri Stapfer, Squadron/Signal

Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, David Donald, PROSPERIO Books

 April 2007