Eduard 1/72 MiG-15bis Bunny Racer Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

While the Germans were the first to field an operational jet fighter, it was in the early 1950s during the Korean War that another jet fighter would appear on the scene that would transform aerial combat forever - the Mikoyan MiG-15 (NATO Codename: Fagot). This was a light, agile, and heavily armed gun fighter that forced US airpower to push the development of their own fighters to counter this new threat. From those days over Korea to present time, it doesn't really matter what kind of enemy fighter is spotted in combat, over the air the call is still "MiGs!".

While the USAF would eventually attain a reasonable kill/loss ratio over Korea, that ratio was nothing like the kill ratios experienced during World War 2. This was partly due to Soviet fighter pilots flying the North Korea MiGs. On more than one occasion did an allied fighter pilot spot a blonde-haired pilot ejecting from a crippled MiG. The MiG-15 would find its way into many air forces around the world and would prove a deadly adversary in the right hands.

In this latest limited edition release from Eduard, we have a fun theme with the MiG-15bis Bunny Racer. Available only from Eduard's online store, this is their latest in the 'Bunny Club' series that revolves around their bunny mascot. This kit is a dual combo, so there are two complete MiG-15 kits in the box, only one of which has a ton of super-detail parts.

Among the kit's features and options:

• First kit that captures the air intake ducts that pass either side of the cockpit
• Cockpit is nicely detailed including color photo-etched instrument panel and side consoles
• Resin ejection seat, cockpit floor, and control stick
• Postionable canopy
• Resin speed brakes and brake wells
• Resin wheels
• Photo-etched boarding ladder
• Photo-etched maintenance platform
• Photo-etched wing walkway mat
• Photo-etched intake and exhaust covers
• Photo-etched flaps and flap wells

External stores included for this version:

• Choice of two drop tank types
• 4 x OFAB bombs

This kit provides markings for three examples:

• MiG-15bis, Race 5, 'Bunny Racer'
• MiG-15bis, Bort 300, North Korean AF, early 1950s
• MiG-15bis, Bort 3901, Czech AF, 1960

This is an interesting dual combo kit as it provides one MiG-15 with a nice cockpit but otherwise simple build while the other one is about as super-detailed as I can imagine a small model like this. With two real world subjects and the 'Bunny Racer' club subject, you have some nice options without even addressing all of the aftermarket decals out there for the MiG-15. Oh yes, one other perk with this club kit - you get the Bunny Racer t-shirt in your size when you order the kit. Have some fun!

My sincere thanks to Eduard for this review sample!