I would like to share the result of the build of the Clear Prop 1/72 Mig-23 MLA model (CPA72030).
The building process you can see here: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=146788
You can find detailed photos of the kit contents on the manufacturer's website here: https://clearpropmodels.com/cp_72030
A few words about the model.
The basic kit includes:
- Sprues of the model with highly detailed surface. Pane lines are clear, thin and neat. The riveting is imitated well.
- Sprues with armament, for nearly all underwing combinations available for Mig-23MLA;
- Transparent elements sprue. The canopy is given in two versions - separate for the open cockpit option and one-piece, if the cockpit is closed.
- Two photo-etched panels, one for the model and the other for R-60 rockets.
- Decal is made by silkscreen printing method. It consists of four sheets: technical stencils of the aircraft, pylons, armament, and identification marks for 4 variants (two Czech, one Soviet, one GDR). The decal has a thin lacquer underplayed and works well with fixing fluids.
- Detailed colour instructions.
The model itself has a number of features, which I think it is important to dwell on in detail.
The first thing I would like to mention is the wing. As you know, all Mig-23/27 aircraft had a variable sweep wing. Literally all manufacturers of these planes made the wing movable. But Clear Prop has chosen a different approach. The kit allows you to set the wing in one of two wing positions: 16 and 72 degrees. For each wing position there is an individual set of parts covering the hole in the fuselage where the wing fits. This approach provides the best possible match to the prototype and takes into account all the kinematics of wing movement, which is impossible to achieve on a model with a movable wing. This is the only model of this plane for today that offers such precision.
Another important advantage of the kit is the duplication of early and late modification of the aircraft, such as the front landing gear strut, rudder, keel fin, front cockpit instrument panel sight. Thus you can select a set of parts to match your chosen prototype exactly.
To complement the kit I used the following aftermarket from Clear Prop, designed specifically for this model:
- Cockpit canopy and Wheel Mask Set (CPA72077) https://clearpropmodels.com/cpa_72077
- Set of landing gear doors (CPA72096) https://clearpropmodels.com/cpa_72096
- Set of wheels + dirt shield on nose strut (CPA72079) https://clearpropmodels.com/cpa_72079
- Set of exhaust nozzle + combustion chamber exterior + external air intakes (CPA72080) https://clearpropmodels.com/cpa_72080
In addition to the aftermarket from Clear Prop, the following third party aftermarket was used:
- Nose Pitot tube by Master (AM-72-040) https://www.master-model.pl/product/am-72-040.html
- Pitot set + antennas + cannon by Mini World (A7292) https://miniworld.in.ua/en/product/a729 ... 23-ml-mla/
- Missile set of AIM-9D ResKit (RS72-0233) https://reskit-models.com/reskit?product_id=4182&page=8
In order to give a complete picture on aftermarket for this model, I can add that Clear Prop released 2 more sets of add-ons specially for this model:
- Set of cockpit parts + cannon (CPA72098) https://clearpropmodels.com/cpa_72098
- Set of masks for exterior (CPA72099) https://clearpropmodels.com/cpa_72099
However I didn't use them in this build because by the time they were ready I had already finished these stages.
I chose Czechoslovakian Air Force (Czechoslovakia) Aircraft No. 4850 as of February 1983 as a prototype.
Final photos of the model :
