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VVS Yakovlev Yak-3 from the 402nd FAR, Spring 1945


Basilisk

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The weakest point in my view is the shape of the wing root radiator openings which unfortunately have little in common with the real thing.

 

The kit has them blended into the curve of the leading edge whereby there should be a bit of a step.

 

….

The shape is still not 100% correct but much closer now to the real aircraft.

 

 

Cheers, Peter

 

It's the most noticeable inaccuracy on the SH model. The curves on the real thing are very subtle and rather difficult to capture. But you've made a good job out of it.  :clap2:

 

Cheers,

Quang

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Peter,

  The interior really is quite impressive. Looking to see how your IP comes out. With your backup plan being the Yahu panel, it's certainly a win win situation.

 

  I'm also very impressed how you've been reshaping the wing intakes. 

 

 Looking forward to your next update.

 

Joel

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Great progress 

Thanks.

 

It's the most noticeable inaccuracy on the SH model. The curves on the real thing are very subtle and rather difficult to capture. But you've made a good job out of it.  :clap2:

 

Cheers,

Quang

Thanks Quang. The radiator intake shape is indeed very complex with curves at every possible angle. I love adding missing details, but correcting shapes is like opening a can of worms as one correction leads to correct another and the build gets never finished....

 

So I will live with some imperfection as most people looking at the finished model won't know about them anyway :whistle:

 

Peter,

  The interior really is quite impressive. Looking to see how your IP comes out. With your backup plan being the Yahu panel, it's certainly a win win situation.

 

  I'm also very impressed how you've been reshaping the wing intakes. 

 

 Looking forward to your next update.

 

Joel

Thanks Joel. Still early days in the build but I am pleased how things progressed.

 

I came across this drawing of a Yak-3 cockpit.

7210616879.gif

It shows a pipe from the centre of the floor to the armament (number 48). I believe it was an air pressure pipe for loading the weapons. The same pipe was fitted in the Yak-1 cockpit.

 

Was this pipe fitted to all the Yak-3? I am asking because I can't see this pipe on any pictures of Yak-3s in museums and it is also missing on the one period picture I found of the cockpit.

 

Any comments and suggestions are much appreciated.

Cheers, Peter

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It looks no one knows about the mystery pipe above.

 

Didn't had planed to work on the Yak this weekend, but there was a kind of a spell on the cockpit and I just had to get it ready for painting. So I placed all the wires and some other small details. TheYak-3 cockpit was actually a tidy affair (compared to the Yak-1) mainly due to the side panels on the consoles. There were some wires I could see in pictures I replicated, but the wires from the radio are a gestimate as I couldn't find any information how they were routed.

Yak-3-26.jpg

Yak-3-25.jpg

Yak-3-27.jpg

The gun loading pulley is supplied in resin (it is the handle underneath the IP) - two of them. Either they had been missing or I put them at such a secure location I can't find them any more. default_wall.gif

 

Fortunately the part is also done in plastic. But it needed a bit of work to make it look in scale.

 

Wheel wells are definitely next.

Cheers, Peter

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Also Peter, Please note the dark grey in the cockpit, right now is the time to stop  the light blue extravaganza, that is often presented by kit producers as a interior colour. Your pitt looks great, I will follow with interest.

Cheers

Martin

IMG_9282.jpg

IMG_9122.jpg

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7210616879.gif

It shows a pipe from the centre of the floor to the armament (number 48). I believe it was an air pressure pipe for loading the weapons. The same pipe was fitted in the Yak-1 cockpit.

 

Was this pipe fitted to all the Yak-3? I am asking because I can't see this pipe on any pictures of Yak-3s in museums and it is also missing on the one period picture I found of the cockpit.

 

Any comments and suggestions are much appreciated.

Cheers, Peter

 

 

If I remember it right, the drawing comes from a Russian modelling magazine. Denomination for item 48 on the drawing was 'ejection chute for spent ammunition' (which is most unlikely IMHO).

 

Other inaccuracies involve the air exhausts (flattened half-cylinders in front of the ventral radiator) which should be parallel, and the shape of the radiator lip itself.

 

In the cockpit, the panels on the side consoles could be removed all together like in Martin's pictures above. A good (bad?) idea to spice up your 'pit.  :innocent:

 

HTH

Quang

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Peter,

  The cockpit is really looking quite good.

 

Joel

Thanks Joel. I hope that some paint will make it pop :rolleyes:

 

I don't thing that the pipe was happening at all, here is a picture from the overhaul of the "French" Yak-3 (18) and there is flat foot rest in place of "the pipe" :)

 

Thanks for your contribution Martin. A very valid point. I should have noticed the missing hole in the floor myself :BANGHEAD2:

 

If I remember it right, the drawing comes from a Russian modelling magazine. Denomination for item 48 on the drawing was 'ejection chute for spent ammunition' (which is most unlikely IMHO).

 

Other inaccuracies involve the air exhausts (flattened half-cylinders in front of the ventral radiator) which should be parallel, and the shape of the radiator lip itself.

I have no idea where the drawing originated from Quang, but it is good to know about the inaccuracies.

 

The Yak-1 had this pipe in place as can be seen on this picture.

Yak-1-Cockpit-2-MA.jpg

 

As far as I know, early Yak-3 where based on the Yak-1 fuselage including the fabric coverage and only later was it changed to ply (after the 250th aircraft if I remember right).

 

So maybe this pipe was in place in these early Yak-3 builds as well. But as my model depicts a later produced aircraft, it is safe to say it wasn't fitted as the aircraft in Le Bourget is showing.

 

Also Peter, Please note the dark grey in the cockpit, right now is the time to stop  the light blue extravaganza, that is often presented by kit producers as a interior colour. Your pitt looks great, I will follow with interest.

Cheers

Martin

But light blue in a cockpit looks so sexy :blush: - I will paint it grey A-14 which is also given as the colour in the Special Hobby assembly instruction.

 

But what about the wheel wells? I have seen several builds of this kit where they had been painted in blue AMT-7 even though the instruction ask for grey A-14!

 

Some museum aircraft have them painted in blue, but others have them in grey...

 

In the cockpit, the panels on the side consoles could be removed all together like in Martin's pictures above. A good (bad?) idea to spice up your 'pit.  :innocent:

 

HTH

Quang

BAD idea! I am (at the moment anyway) not into opening panels and I feel it would spoil the clean line of the aircraft. Also hope to have it finished in a reasonable time ;)

 

Cheers, Peter

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Got a bit further during the week finishing the wheel wells. First I had to add the internal ribs which are extra parts in the kit But they are a bit wider than the ribs they should be a part of so I thinned them by cutting them in half and then gluing them back together :mental:

 

I also had to drill the holes into the receptacles for the wiring.

Yak-3-28.jpg

Next was adding the 0.2mm lead wires into the receptacles.

Yak-3-29.jpg

 

2015-03-29%2008-14-24.jpg

The Image is from the Belgrade walk around

 

Yak-3-30.jpg

 

Yak-3-31.jpg

Most is now done now with still one or two wires needed when the undercarriage is in place.

 

And then I finally could use my Sherline. :D

Yak-3-33.jpg

 

To make this.

Yak-3-34.jpg

 

A kind of airflow device at the rear of the radiator exit as seen here on the French aircraft.

Yak-3-36.jpg

 

Also had a go at refining the seat pan as the rim was way too wide.

Yak-3-32.jpg

It was a bit tricky as I had to reduce the rim from the inside as the overhang on the sides was correct.

 

I think it looks now much better when compared to the real seat.

Yak-3-37.jpg

 

I am pleased with the progress I made and I should have finished the cockpit all the cockpit parts next week.

 

Thanks for watching.

Cheers, Peter

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Looking great! 

 

 

Terrific stuff, Peter!

 

Kev

Thank you Jim and Kev for your kind comment.

 

I managed to progress a bit further during the week. I added a bit more detail to the cockpit framework in the shape of an air bottle and clamps for the various wires.

Yak-3-38.jpg

Yak-3-39.jpg

This is the only period picture I found from a Yak-3 cockpit.

Yak-3-40.jpg

 

Together with this picture from the aircraft at Le Bourget

cockpityak02.jpg

 

And this.

IMG_9277.jpg

 

I just had to add a bit of detail to the cockpit floor.

Yak-3-41.jpg

 

Yak-3-42.jpg

 

I just had to put it temporally all together to see how it looks as a whole.

Yak-3-43.jpg

 

Yak-3-44.jpg

 

Yak-3-45.jpg

 

Yak-3-46.jpg

Yak-3-47.jpg

 

Yak-3-48.jpg

 

Looking forward to get the paint on as it will come really alive then :D

 

Thanks for watching.

Cheers, Peter

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