(various 1/72 kits)
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1/72 scale kits of the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-21
The third kit of the new KP MiG-21 3-pack was made as a MF model of the Laos air force in South East Asia.
This aircraft has an overall grey finish for which "ghost grey" approx. FS36375 was picked, airbrushing Gunze Sangyo 308 acrylic. (note: it is NOT bare metal).
The small Laos flag appears on the tail to be the only national marking. The flag had to be hand made from scrap with bits of decal.
The central white disk was found in the decal spare box.
Note the small black stencilling and some in red
Stores added were a central fuel tank and a pair of unknown rockets? from the Eduard kit.
Model completion was as usual with landing gear, antennas, static dischargers and so on. But the vanes on the long nose pitot are not required on this MF of Laos (for unknown reason.., see photos on internet).
LAOS
[area: 238,000 sq.km | population: 7,4 million | capital: Vientiane | GDP US 2,000 per capita nominal ]
The "Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force" got in the late 1970s the first 10 MiG-21PFM jets and eventually over 40 MiG-21 fighters including some 10 MiG-21MF in 1985 were supplied. From 1983 probably another 20 MiG-21bis were delivered. For training two seat MiG-21UM were used as well.
In recent times, the Laos air force operates Mi-17, Ka-2 and a few other helicopters. The fight regiment flies with Yak-130 armed jets that replaced the MiG-21 from 2021. The main base is at Vientiane Wattay.
For more historical information about the early Laos air force, look at the T-28 page here
MiG-21 MF , 18 red, Laos
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Created this page February 20, 2020