Swifts
MiG-29s

2003 Scheme

1/48 Scale

Linden Hill Decals

Reviewed by Ken Bowes

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After a number of years of facing oblivion due to economic constraints, in 2002 the Russian Swifts Aerobatic Team found a new sponsor in the form of RSK-MiG and burst onto the stage in 2003 with upgraded MiG-29 Fulcrum Cs and UBs. Their appearance at MOSAERO 2003 wowed audiences and showcased their new colour scheme, featuring of course a stylised Swift on the top and bottom of the aircraft.  

For those with even a passing interest in Russian aviation, Guy and the team at Linden Hill Ltd has once again come to the rescue with this release from their inhouse Linden Hill Decals line.

For those who have previously used Linden Hill Decals the package should come as no surprise. Included in the neat ziplock bag is the usual instruction booklet, in this case covering three A4 pages and including a decal sheet map. The decals themselves are spread over three A5 sheets plus a small supplementary sheet and are designed to make painting and application of the complex scheme simple.  All one has to do is paint the main airframe overall gloss white above and red below with decals providing the complex trim. Appropriate alternative decals are provided for all the teams two MiG-29UB Fulcrum Bs and four MiG-29 Fulcrum Cs. 

Linden Hill provides a step by step walk through in the text to apply the designs as they have been split up to facilitate fitting the complex curves of the airframe. Following these and the clear diagrams should leave you in no doubt of placement. Linden Hill’s sheets are very well printed, being very thin and with minimal carrier film. The complex patterns themselves are in perfect register. I have used Linden Hill’s earlier “Flankers on Patrol” decals on two models and they have proved to be trouble free, easy to apply and respond well to applications of Micro Sol/Set.  

The one possible drawback is that there is no available Article 9-13 Fulcrum C kit available out of the box. Linden Hill has therefore deliberately sized the decals to the Academy Article 9-12 Fulcrum A kit that is readily available. However instructions are provided to modify the MiG-29UB decals to fit a single seater converted with the Neomega Resin set. That aside, Linden Hill has once again come up with an excellent product and they should be congratulated for bringing these out of the norm subjects to the market.

Highly Recommended.

Good online references for the Swifts are available including their website http://www.strizhi.ru/ (in Russian with English coming soon) and Linden Hill’s own website http://www.lindenhillimports.com/russia_2003.htm  

Thanks to Linden Hill Imports for the review sample.

Linden Hill Decals are available from Linden Hill Imports' website

Review Copyright © 2003 by Ken Bowes
This Page Created on 13 February, 2004
Last updated 13 February, 2004

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