1/72 Trumpeter MiG-29SMT (Izdeliye 9/19)

Gallery Article by Gerd Wilcken on Mar 23 2017

 

      

The new MiG-29SMT (Izdeliye or “product” 9/19) from Trumpeter in 72nd scale is a real highlight. It comes in the well-known blue color cart box as all of the Trumpeter kits.

The upper and the lower parts of the fuselage were built in two parts. The fit in between those two halves is almost perfect. All the rivets and panel lines are correct in size and depth.

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The nozzles are a little bit too thick and rough and could’ve been better. If you want, you`ll find enough on the aftermarket. The intakes on the other hand are again quite nice. This goes for the wheel wells, their doors and horizontal stabilizers.

The cockpit and the gear struts are great too. 

The kit features two sheets of decals for two airplanes from the Russian Airforce 4.th Center of Combat Application and Conversion of Frontline Aviation at Lipetsk, Red 20 or 21. A huge amount of stencils for the aircraft and the weapons load are on the sheets. Some of them nearly too small and fiddling to handle.

The canopy and the clear parts are packed separately and carefully covered with a white sheet. 

As in most of the Trumpeter kits there are two full colored sheets with thorough description of the actual splinter camouflage and the decals and their place. One two sided for the planes and the other for the pylons and the ordnance. Color notices for Mr.Hobby, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol. What I miss is the comparison to Federal Standard (FS) colors. 

The main three colors for this particular gray-blue three-tone splinter camouflage are FS 36375, 35237 and 36320.

The ordinance load includes additional tanks (a great looking centerline tank!), R-27, R-27R and R-27T rockets. But so far I saw only original pictures from the SMT without the whole weapon load. As a little extra you can build a tow bar which you had to paint in orange, nice for a little diorama.

Trumpeter MiG-29 SMT is a fine kit. The camo is great, the price is reasonable, the detail is great and most importantly it is suitable for all ages and types of modelers. From the beginner to the expert!

Very highly recommended!!!!

Gerd Wilcken

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Photos and text © by Gerd Wilcken