1:72 Russian MiG-31M Foxhound

The MiG-31M in 1:72 scale from Trumpeter

An injection-molded plastic kit of the Russian heavy interceptor MiG-31 in the M development version in 1:72 scale from Trumpeter. In the NATO reporting system the type carries the name Foxhound.

The real subject

The MiG-31 was created as a two-seat twin-engine interceptor intended to patrol vast and thinly covered territory. The crew is a pilot and a weapons systems officer sitting behind him, power comes from two strong turbofan engines, and the main weapons are long-range air-to-air missiles carried semi-recessed under the fuselage. The M version was an advanced development step from the turn of the 1980s and 1990s. It received a new radar, reworked cockpit equipment and more stations for missiles under the fuselage; from the outside you recognize it by the one-piece frameless windscreen, the enlarged dorsal fairing and the rounded wing tips, and the rear cockpit has only small windows instead of the usual canopy. This version never reached series production or line service and stayed at test machines, so it is a subject for collectors of prototypes.

Building and painting tips

Test machines tend to be restrained in color, which makes the demands on an even coat of light gray all the greater; use a filler primer and lay it on with an airbrush in thin coats. Finish the cockpit before closing the fuselage, because on a two-seater it is visible. Cover the surfaces with a gloss coat before the decals and choose a matte finish at the end.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of Russian and Soviet Cold War equipment
• Modelers interested in prototypes and versions that never entered service
• Anyone interested in heavy interceptors in 1:72 scale
• Builders who want an unusual variant of a well-known type for the display case

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.