Pavla cockpit set for Mig-21F-13 - looking for input

[smithery]

I see that Pavla is pretty much the only game in town if I want to spruce up the cockpit in the Mig-21F-13.

 

Anyone out there have the set, and can comment on casting quality, detail, and fit to kit fuselage?

 

Thanks much,

 

Kevin

Edited October 6, 2012 by smithery

[Tony T]

Am interested in the same answer. The thing that appeals to me most is the casting for the inner windshield arrangement, which is a complete b***er to do using the Eduard etch and acetate sheet, though I may cut it out from an old CD jewel case.

Any one know of a FOD guard with spike cover - otherwise the inlet is a bit see-through.

 

Tony T

[Kagemusha]

I've got the set, unused so can't comment on fit, nicely detailed finely cast, wee bit of flash here and there. Regards FOD cover, both PWMP http://www.largescaleplanes.com/lane/PWMP.php and Joe Lortie http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&ftab=AllFeedback&userid=fox3tornado&iid=-1&de=off&interval=0&items=200 make one, but for which version?

[amurray]

I am building the kit now using the Pavla set. I also have the Eduard Interior set which I did not use. If I had it to do over again I would kit bash both sets. My obesrvations of the Pavla set:

 

Excellent casting.

So-so fit of the tub. It's too big and requires substantial sanding and re-shaping.

So-so fit of the seat. Had to shave a lot off the part that fortunately one can't see anyway.

The piece containing the fuel lines behind the cockpit is excellent, though very fragile.

Vac canopy - tough decision. Kit canopy is well done and easier to handle BUT the kit canopy has a molding seam right down the center that is impossible to remove. The vac canopy is very nice but thin.

Canopy frame is VERY fragile. Haven't broken it - yet.

One must make one's own armored glass piece and side pieces. Not hard to make but the latter are hard to fit in place.

 

Parts I would kit bash from the Eduard Interior set(32081):

 

Seat

Clear film armored glass and side pieces.

Possibly the instrument panel

 

Other Eduard sets:

 

The Eduard Exterior set (32082) is a must for detailing the Sidewinders. Each missile becomes a separate miniature kit. The exterior set also has a small detail part (chute cable attachment) that drew my attention to something that I realized sets the F-13 apart from the later MiG 21's - the chute cable. Believe it or not, the F-13 chute cable hangs OUTSIDE the fuselage and has considerable slack in it. I couldn't believe the instructions so I checked my reference sources. Sure enough, the aircraft has a steel chute cable that is attached below the afterburner and runs back to a side fuselage panel where the chute is stored. The cable dangles outside the fuselage. During flight it must have beat the side of the plane like a drum. I would have overlooked the cable had not the Eduard set shown it. The exterior set also has good illustrations for detailing the wheel bays.

 

The Eduard Engine set (32083) is great! The afterburner is beautifully engineered and its assembly was well-thought out. It looks very real.

 

The kit is very nice though overengineered in places. The "lock tab" horizontal stabs were a good idea (in theory) but the resulting gap leaves a bit to be desired. I may even finish the kit this year!

 

I love the F-13 for its clean lines and aerodynamic shape. The later the MiG-21 version, the less I like it.

Edited October 7, 2012 by amurray

[smithery]

Thank you, that was exactly the kind of info I was looking for.

[Zero77]

I have the Mig-21F-13 cockpit set but not built yet so i cant tell.

On the other hand i have already used the Mig-19 one, and i found it quite correct but far from the quality of an aires or AMS one... I found the casting not so good and not very crispy, but the adjustment were ok IIRC.

[amurray]

The Pavla MiG 21 F-13 tub casting was sharp as was the casting for the smaller parts - side rails, canopy parts, rear fuel line compartment, etc. The ejection seat was inexplicably "clunky" for lack of a more precise technical term. It is as though one person did the Pavla tub and small parts and another person did the seat.

 

I have the AMS MiG 17 castings and think we will be hard pressed to ever find resin any better. For the MiG 17 I have the CE set, the Lone Star set and the AMS set. The first two are quite good. The AMS is in a class all its own. I look at it, scratch my head and ask "How did he DO that?!?!

[Guest]

Yep, you can't do any better than AMS..............Harv

[Zero77]

 

I have the AMS MiG 17 castings and think we will be hard pressed to ever find resin any better. For the MiG 17 I have the CE set, the Lone Star set and the AMS set. The first two are quite good. The AMS is in a class all its own. I look at it, scratch my head and ask "How did he DO that?!?!

 

So have i, and i totally agree with you. Even the seat alone is a piece of art. And it is the same for the F-86 cockpit set. AMS products very good stuffs.