Page 5
MiG-21BIS
what´s changed, what´s not.
nose section
Vladimír Šulc
NOSE SECTION CHANGED:
1. INTAKE FRONT RING. Correct front ring
leading edge diameter. Ring depth correct,
BIS fuselage length 40cm shorter compared
with the MF, 0.833cm in 1/48th scale.
2. WINDSCREEN WASH TANK COVER, TOP
OF THE NOSE, IN FRONT OF CANOPY; TWO
VERSIONS.
3. SCREEN WASH TANK.
4. WINDSCREEN, SIDE WINDOWS
NOSE SECTION UNCHANGED:
1. DIAMETER INCREASE BETWEEN INTAKE
FRONT RING AND PITOT TUBE BASE
2. ANGLE OF ATTACK INDICATOR BASE ON
THE LEFT SIDE OF THE NOSE.
3. PERFORATED AREA OF THE INTAKE CONE/
RADAR COOLING.
COMMENT:
Nose area shape, specically in comparing
between the BIS and MF versions, has been in-
tensively discussed in the past several weeks.
As you will certainly know, the Eduard design
team studied this difference very carefully and
we spent tens of working hours investigating
the BIS and MF nose section, as well as the rest
of the aircraft. The nal decision was completely
my responsibility, and my nal decision was to
create a new and correct front intake ring, but
not to redesign the whole fuselage for the MiG-
-21BIS project. The reasons for my decision are:
1. The difference itself is marginal when scaled;
less than 0.38mm in the diameter of the nose
section at the top (see picture). The difference
is asymmetrical; 0.20mm on the bottom and
0.18mm on the top of the nose. What’s more, the
actual spot where the difference on the top of
the nose is located, is under the pitot tube base,
making the optical identication of any diffe-
rence very tough, regardless if you are looking
at the model or the real aircraft. The same idea
applies on the bottom of the nose, if the RSBN
antenna of the POLYOT OI ILS is mounted, be-
cause it is located on the top of the ‘difference
curve’.
2. Actually, the stainless steel nose intake ring is
the most important aspect for the optical identi-
cation of the BIS and MF nose difference. The
BIS front intake ring is about 0.833mm wider
on the leading edge in 1/48th scale than the
MF ring, where the MF ring is deeper by about
0.4mm, also in 1/48th scale. Our BIS intake ring
is correct in its leading edge diameter as well as
in depth. These dimensional differences are qui-
te marginal too, however, when you compare the
BIS with the MF, the ring difference is optically
recognizable, thanks to the usual stainless steel
color of the ring. If the ring carries the fuselage
color of the plane, or if you see one version of
the aircraft only, it is not easy to pinpoint what
version you are looking at.
3. I have had the unique opportunity to bounce
between the BIS and MF in Luftwaffemuseum in
Gatow, outside of Berlin in Germany earlier this
year. It was easy to see the difference in the
front ring, but it was extremely tough to see any
1
1
2
2
3
4
blue area is MiG-21BIS Eduard
red line shows real MiG-21BIS
MiG-21BIS Luftwaffemuseum Berlin-Gatow MiG-21BIS 1/48 Eduard MiG-21BIS 1/48 Eduard 3D model
The following article describes the changes and the reaso-
ning behind them within the transition from our 1/48th scale
MiG-21MF to the BIS. I will also endeavor to explain the
rationale behind dropping some initially planned and an-
nounced changes. Starting with the most obvious, the nose:
eduard
5
Info Eduard - December 2011