Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25PD Foxbat-E – Blue 56,146th GvIAP, Soviet Air Force, Vasilkov AB, Ukraine 1980

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA5608: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25PD Foxbat-E Blue 56 of 146th GvIAP, Soviet Air Force, Vasilkov AB, Ukraine, 1980. Low model production run.

Length 13 inches Wingspan 7.75 inches

Vasilkov (Vasylkiv) AB, Ukraine became the home base for the 146th Guards Fighter Regiment (146 Gv IAP) in 1950 and subordinate to the 19th Air Defense Division which was later re-organized as the 49th Air Defense Corps. Both units were part of the 8th Air Defense Army. The unit was equipped with the MiG-25PD and eventually the MiG- 25PDS. In 1992 the regiment was taken over by the Ukraine and the 146th Guards Fighter Regiment (146 Gv IAP) was disbanded in 1993.

Designed as a high-speed, high-altitude interceptor to counter the threat posed by the US XB-70 Valkyrie bomber, the MiG-25 was first flown on September 9th, 1964. The airframe was designed around a pair of massive Tumansky R-15(B) turbojet engines, capable of propelling it to a top speed of around Mach 3. The Foxbat is one of the fastest production aircraft to enter service. In addition to the interceptor variants, numerous reconnaisance variants were also produced. The MiG-25 has seen service with several air forces besides Russia including those of Iraq, Egypt, Libya and Syria.