Pavla

1/32 MiG-21 F-13 Cockpit For the Trumpeter Kit

Stock Number: C32003

Reviewed By  Charles Landrum, IPMS# 26328

MSRP: $35.00 Review copy provided by Pavla Models www.pavlamodels.cz Trumpeter really came onto the modeling scene with its 1/32 MiG-21MF and since then has added, amongst other variants, a first generation F-13. It is a nice kit with nice cockpit detail, but in this scale there is still a lot of room for more. When the MiG-21MF came out, the aftermarket manufacturers came out with competing resin cockpits. Unfortunately sales were flat and so aftermarket interest in the other kitted variants was minimal. Fortunately Pavla, undoubtedly with access to a vintage F-13, stepped up and produced this multimedia set. I referenced the 4+ Publication on the MiG-21, which has good coverage of the F-13; I believe it was their first publication. Pavla's cockpit set consists primarily of resin parts with clear film instruments and the bonus of a vacuum-formed canopy. The resin is molded in cream and is reminiscent of aftermarket cockpits from 5 years ago in the way that it is engineered, that is many of the small details are separately cast an require assembly rather than the latest casting methods where practically whole cockpit pull from the mold! The castings are clean and free of air bubbles, but there is flash present and some thin spots in the resin. My sample had rattled around in the roomy box and several smaller pieces had separated from the pour block.

Looking at the individual components, the tub is busy with additional wires and plumbing, though I did note that the ribbing on the cockpit wall is not uniform or parallel. The SK-1 ejection seat is a nice casting and captures the Spartan look of the early ejection seat. It is nearly a complete casting, only requiring the addition of the footrests. The rudder pedal assembly is a complex build up with fragile castings and will required great care to get it right. The instrument panel is well cast with lots of detail around the instrument faces, which will pop-out with a good dry brushing. Although the instructions do not say so, it is apparent that you cut out and glue the instruments to the IP. This will be tedious and you will need to paint the face white before gluing in the instrument. Future™ might be a good adhesive in this case. Pavla gives you a nice color call out in the instructions. The cockpit sidewalls are nice and capture the busy feel of Soviet cockpits with all of their maintenance buttons. The detailed combing is integrally cast with the framing for the armored glass. The entire cockpit is designed to be assembled before insertion into the fuselage; but there is no engineering to interlock these components.

Pavla also provides a good amount of detail for the canopy, including detailed framing for the insides of the canopy, including the locking/release mechanism. Another nice casting is the avionics section under the rear of the canopy. A bonus of this kit is the inclusion of a crystal clear replacement canopy. Molded in two pieces it allows you to pose the canopy open or closed with minimal effort. If you choose to pose the canopy closed, the viewed will be able to see all of the detail of the cockpit. The instructions are better than many aftermarket sets. The components are clearly identified, assembly is clear and color call outs are provided for all details. Especially helpful are the instrument panel layouts. The only drawback, the instructions do not indicate what is replaced or must be removed from the kit components.

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