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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (built June 2019)

The Plane

The first fighter aircraft in the world to feature a variable-geometry wing, the MiG-23 was designed to address the shortcomings of the MiG-21.

The MiG-21 required long takeoff distances and was hindered by its short range. The MiG-23 addressed these issues through its unconventional wing configuration. The wings could be manually swept to either 16, 45, or 72 degrees. The 16-degree sweep setting allowed the MiG-23 to achieve lower takeoff/landing speeds. This allowed the Soviets to design a heavier aircraft that could carry a greater amount of sensors, fuel, and weapons.

As an interceptor, the MiG-23 was a massive upgrade over the MiG-21. It was the first Soviet fighter to use beyond visual range radar and look down/shoot down radar. The jet could track targets through a combination of radar and infrared systems. It was armed with a variety of air-to-air missiles and equipped with a 23mm cannon. While the aircraft could additionally be used against ground targets, a specialized ground-attack variant of the MiG-23, the MiG-27, was later developed.

The MiG-23 became operational in 1970 and was assigned the NATO reporting name “Flogger.” Although primarily flown by the Soviet Air Force, the aircraft also equipped the air arms of the Warsaw Pact and various nations across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. It participated in several conflicts ranging from the Angolan Civil War to the Gulf War. Several of these jets found their way to the United States, where they were evaluated and used for training purposes.

The Kit

The Build

The kit suffered from a few inaccuracies. The rear landing gear was too short, causing the model to sit on its tailfin. Additionally, the kit had air-to-air missile hardpoints on the wings - in reality the MiG-23’s missiles were located much closer to the fuselage.

The Result