HMH Publications | Aircraft in Detail 012: MiG-31 Foxhound
Reviewed by Kevin Williams
Publisher: HMH Publications
Author(s): R. Pied, Nic Deboeck
Publishing date: 2020
ISBN: 978-2-931083-01-7
Pages: 114
And yet another fascinating volume here from the good folks at HMH Publications. I've been searching long and hard for better references than I already have on this machine (which was not much to begin with, just the Pen & Sword volume), and now here it is. Once again, everything the MiG enthusiast could want, and gobs of it, is featured in this book. Just beautiful coverage.
This particular book (No. 012 in the series), depicts the rather aggressive looking Mikoyan MiG-31, and it’s geared toward both modelers and aviation enthusiasts alike, being very much a detailed, walk around overview of the type, and that pleases me immeasurably, as it's the major reference type that I seek these days.
(Not a brand new volume by any means, but I'm fortunate to have access to periodic older publications, thanks to Casemate.)
Large scale aircraft modelers are again out of luck here, as at present, there is no large scale Mikoyan MiG-31 kit available, not that I'm aware of anyway. (I'll have to snatch a 1:48 Hobby Boss kit for myself.)
As with all of the titles from this publisher, this is very much a collaborative effort, using photos from many varied sources, each with appropriate photo credits given, and there are quite a substantial number of them, especially in this wonderful volume. Printed on good quality semi-glossy stock, the photos are nothing sort of magnificent, highlighting many areas of the air-frame, giving both modelers and aviation enthusiasts alike, a wealth of details on this fascinating plane. If you're looking for wonderful detail shots of the big MiG, it's more than likely in this book.
Photo Samples
Photos are broken down by section; types, forward fuselage, air intake, fuselage, wings, cockpit (numerous pages, all depicting the usual turquoise color found in many Soviet built aircraft), front landing gear, main landing gear, vertical tail, speed brake, horizontal tail, maintenance (quite a lot, but certainly not all of the detail photos, are located in this section), engine, brake chute, aft fuselage, pylons, ordenance [sic], and finally, Action!! Certainly enough material is presented here, to satisfy even the most ardent MiG fan.
The prodigious quantity and clarity of photos obviously form the backbone of this book, and for me, this is a true blessing, as I can never seem to get enough details, and this book certainly has them in great abundance.
While I've always liked the lines of the MiG, I've never yet owned a kit of one. Now I'm very seriously considering grabbing a kit for myself!
Even if you have just a passing interest in the big MiG-31 (or fighter aircraft/interceptors in general), you can’t go wrong with the purchase of this book. You may just become a fan.
Summation
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d rate this book as a solid 10, no question about it. Topping out at a solid 114 pages of MiG goodness, it's just packed wall-to-wall with details, details, and more details, and is therefore highly recommended. Another great volume "knocked out of the park" by HMH.
Note: Book cover image directly from HMH Publications (used with permission).
My review copy compliments of Casemate Publishers. Thanks a ton to Casemate, it's truly an outstanding reference book for the MiG-31, really top-notch stuff.
© Kevin Williams 2022
This review was published on Wednesday, September 14 2022; Last modified on Sunday, September 18 2022