The MiG-29K, named the MiG-29D by NATO, is a Russian, carrier-based, multirole fighter designed to replace the aging SU-33s.
Hobby Boss’ 1/48 scale MiG-29K plastic model kit is an all-new tooling, and it’s delightful. The kit provides markings for two versions: an Indian navy plane in all gray and a Russian variant with a multicolored underside. I chose to build the latter.
The decal sheet is beautifully printed with an abundance of stencils for both the aircraft and weapons systems. Some are hard to see in the instructions. Also included are seven trees of gray plastic, the upper and lower halves of the fuselage, a tree of crystal-clear lenses and a multipart canopy, a fret of photo-etched brass (PE) containing seat belts, mirrors, intake grilles, AOA indicators, and locking brackets for the canopy.
The construction starts in the cockpit, which consists of a multi-part ejection seat with PE seat belts. The seatbelts are easy to work with and complete the seat, which nestles into a single-piece tub with a side console molded in. The cockpit side is separate, with throttles and a finely detailed instrument panel.
Next, the nose and main landing-gear bays, struts, and wheels are all well-appointed and look good enough without any aftermarket bits. Unfortunately, the tires are not weighted. Instructions suggest placing all the undercarriage before sandwiching the lower and upper fuselage halves together. I left them off until the final assembly.
The fuselage halves fit well and required minimal filling and sanding. The intake trunks come in upper and lower halves. The PE intake doors hide the otherwise visible seam. Compressor blades complete the intakes. The intake doors can only be posed closed, but it wouldn’t be too much of a problem to open them.
HobbyBoss includes replacement exhaust nozzles and open and closed nozzles. Details on the exhausts are good, although I noticed the flame holders seem a bit thick. You won’t see much of them if you choose the closed nozzles. All control surfaces are separate pieces. The wings can only be built folded, which some may see as a drawback, but this makes it suitable for small display cases or shelves.
Decals detail the LCD cockpit screens and look awesome when applied. However, the decals are thin and require patience. I lost several stencils when they completely collapsed on themselves. Luckily, none of the major insignia were lost.
The whole kit had no issues except the finicky decals, and the assembly progressed well. The HobbyBoss 1/48 scale MiG-29K plastic model kit is a fairly straightforward build and would make a unique addition to anyone’s collection. Although it may not be the most popular choice, it is worth considering if you like naval aircraft. It looks fantastic next to an SU-33, F-18, Raphale M, or F-35C/B.