The IL-78 Midas (or IL-76 for that matter) has been a familiar aircraft for many years...from the days of the Soviet-Afghan war to the more recent LIMA 2001 Airshow, held at Langkawi, Malaysia. Me and my buddies headed north for the much-anticipated LIMA 2001. Upon touching down on Langkawa Int'l Airport, the first sight that caught us were the huge IL-76 Candid and IL-78 Midas. As in most airshows in our part of the world, we've been seeing the all familiar F-15/16/18, AN-124, B-52s, etc but never the IL-76/78! It was during the flypast of the pair IL-78 and a SU-30, flown by veteran Russian test pilot Anatoly Kvotchur, that caught the crowd cheering for more...one particular scene was the 'breaking-off' of the Su-30 from the drogue chute of the IL-78, the Midas pitched to nearly 45° and turning right!! The next thing, I told myself..."I'M GONNA BUILD THIS IL-78!!' Much to my delight, when Trumpeter released it's 1/144 IL-76/78/A-50, I BOUGHT THEM ALL!