by Ahson Aftab
I started this kit back in Chicago and reached as far as sanding/ pre-shading, but then as my inevitable migration to Australia persisted in the background with the deadlines, panic of moving and routine of work it just stayed on my desk and collected dust. After getting fed up with all the moving and packing, and selling or giving away all my built/ half built kits. One fine day I just packed it away with my nick knacks and shipped it out down under. The mig came out practically unscathed (only the Pitot/ dorsal antennae broke) but the rest survived the journey from Chicago to Sydney and then from Sydney to Perth. It was only recently after re-acquiring all my gadgets that I finally finished it.
I will not bore you guys with any technical and historical details on the Mig-29. Suffice to say that if you don�t know the mig-29 series, you shouldn�t be modelling jet aircraft. It is a fairly well covered modelling subject. A brief history on the Mig-29 in IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air force) service does deserve mention. Faced with a total western arms embargo for it�s essentially American Shah Era Air Force since the Islamic revolution, Iran has appeared to half heartedly pursue the acquisition of modern aircraft for its Air force. Only the Russians were willing to supply a small batch of Mig-29B�s and a few Su-24MK�s at the end of the long and costly Iran Iraq war. (14) Mig-29B�s were acquired in the 1989-1990 timeframe and inducted into service. These were pressed into service with a squadron based at Mehrabad Air Force Base on the outskirts of Tehran on Air defence duties, supplanting the surviving F-14A�s, F-5E�s and F-4D/E�s in that role. This initial batch of 14 has since been considerably bolstered with the arrival of up to 4-8 (initially disclosed figure) defecting Iraqi Air force Mig-29�s during operation Desert Storm (Along with upwards of 150 other defecting Iraqi machines including dozens of Iraqi AF Su-24 MK�s, Mirage F-1�s and Su-22/25�s. All these ex-Iraqi Air force machines have been pressed into service within different regiments of the IRIAF and the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) Air Wing, Although the number of defecting Iraqi Mig-29B�s is debatable, but recent numbers cited on Iranian Defence forums suggest that upwards of 50-60 airframes, with a dozen or so Mig-29UB�s being currently operational with the IRIAF, in several Air Defence squadrons. It is quite easy to deduce that far more Iraqi Mig-29B�s actually defected, than what was formally disclosed by Iranian officials! Judging from Bort numbers in the 3-6XXX range from available photographs, it appears likely that the actual number remains classified. These range from 3-6100 to as high as 3-63XX. The operational inventory could offcourse be higher, as neither Iran nor Russia have disseminated much information, and the IRIAF seems particularly secretive about its equipment and inventories. The Iranian Mig-29�s have all been seen toting R-27E�s, R-73�s and now to a lesser extent the R-60�s. So far none has been photographed with any of the newer RVV-AE/ R-77�s or any newer Russian air to surface or anti radiation weapons such as the Kh-59, Kab 500L or numerous other types. Their role seems confined to Air Defence. Although gauging from all the weaponry clips of different types of aircraft, surface to surface missiles and anti-ship missiles (that Iran was certainly not known to possess) shown by the Iranians recently during the current tussle with the United States for control of the Persian Gulf region, this might not be true, and in fact these Mig-29�s are fully capable of carrying the wide range of Russian Air to Surface precision ordnance. In addition, Russia has admitted that it upgraded Iran�s Mig-29 and Su-24 fleet during the last major $700 million dollar transfer of arms of which (30) batteries of the TorM-1 Surface to Air missile System were the highlight. The Mig�s purportedly got the newer Zhuk-MA�s installed, considerably upgrading their combat capabilities. Some IRIAF Mig-29�s have also been seeing carrying Aim-9 sidewinders along with larger than standard drop tanks. Some have even received bolt on type refuelling probes to enhance range. The Iranians have also set up a project to overhaul and maintain these aircraft in house with Indian assistance and have achieved self sufficiency in maintaining the type with unspecified help from Syria, which maintains a large force of Mig-29�s.
