INTERMEDIATE BUILD
Despite enduring wartime conditions, Ukrainian company ICM has brought the recent legend of ‘The Ghost of Kyiv’ to model form. This 1/72 MiG-29 Fulcrum-C is built by Chris Jones
During the opening phase of Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion, rumours began to circulate about one of its fighter pilots – with claims he had shot down multiple Russian aircraft despite seemingly overwhelming odds. This legend of ‘The Ghost of Kyiv’ went viral rapidly, fuelled by atmospheric footage of MiG-29s flying low over the capital and a widely shared dogfight video, which actually came from the PC flight simulator DCS! Clearly, the long-standing fascination with the air-combat ‘ace’ still resonates heavily, even in the digital age.
Above: ICM’s cockpit consisted of a minimal set of parts, though the raised detail was appealing and would look good once painted.
Despite posthumous claims that Stephan Tarabalka was the pilot in question, the Ukrainian Air Force (UkrAF) subsequently issued a statement stating the ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ was not an individual, but a legend that represented the collective effort and fighting spirit of the MiG-29 pilots. Regardless, the epic story of a heroic aviator surviving against all the odds…
