ICM Yak-9T

[Greif8]

Outstanding work and clever solutions Mike!  I admire you preserverence in correcting the fit issue.  Like you I build in sequence and almost never have more than one build active at one time.  I like to concentrate on the task at hand as it were.  I look forward to following along when you restart the build.

 

Ernest

[scvrobeson]

Great work on the Yak, and best of luck on the Spitfire build

 

 

Matt 

[Dpgsbody55]

10 hours ago, Greif8 said:

Outstanding work and clever solutions Mike!  I admire you preserverence in correcting the fit issue.  Like you I build in sequence and almost never have more than one build active at one time.  I like to concentrate on the task at hand as it were.  I look forward to following along when you restart the build.

 

Ernest

 

Thank you.  The key was the was Tamiya's extra thin glue works as it temporarily dissolves most glued joints enabling the plastic to come apart well.  Yes, I don't multi task when it comes to models. 

 

I'm looking forward to getting back to this one too.  Next step will be to install the gunsight, canopy and aerial, mask up and get to painting.  I want to do this in the green/black camo as I have three other VVS planes in different colours, not including the P-39Q I did in Russian markings..

 

 

39 minutes ago, scvrobeson said:

Great work on the Yak, and best of luck on the Spitfire build

 

 

Matt 

 

Thanks Matt.  This is an enjoyable build with only a few small issues.  As to the Spitfire build, it's one I've done before, and anything Tamiya is always fun.

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Greif8]

Very nice display of Russian aircraft Michael.  I have both the MiG-3 and the Yak-3 wainting to be built.

 

Ernest

[Dpgsbody55]

On 12/14/2022 at 4:11 PM, Greif8 said:

Very nice display of Russian aircraft Michael.  I have both the MiG-3 and the Yak-3 wainting to be built.

 

Ernest

Thanks Ernest.  The SH Yak-3 was a pleasure to build, but check and re-check the wing/fuselage join as the wing is one piece and the fuselage just sits on top of it.

 

 

Mine needed a little bit of adjustment, but turned out well.

 

The Trumpeter MiG-3 is, in my opinion, Trumpeters best LSP kit, though that's based only on what I've built.  The kit cockpit is OK, but I scratch built mine based off kit parts, which was quite easy if a little time consuming.  I also used an Eduard etch kit for further enhancement.  Worth it, I think.

 

 

I look forward top see what you do with yours.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Greif8]

Very nice Michael!

 

Ernest

[spyrosjzmichos]

Nice progress Michael!

[TankBuster]

Awesome build, I have bookmarked it for when I build mine. Cheers.

[Dpgsbody55]

And the Yak's back.   I finished the Spitfire I was commissioned to build last night, and immediately got this build out of the cupboard.  Not a lot done in the last day except for some cockpit detail around the cockpit.

 

First of all, there is a a cross brace to install, and the gun sight goes on to that.  The location of the brace is not clear in the instructions, so I've put it in as best I can.  The gun sight I installed onto the brace first because that's the easiest way to paint it properly.  No glass reflector is included, so I'll make one later before adding the windscreen.  I may see if I can make it look a bit better too.

 

 

Next, the pilot's rear armour glass goes in.  There's no mention of paint in the instructions, but looking at the part, there is a mounting bracket on both the top and bottom of this, so this was painted light gray after masking.  The rear canopy was also masked at this time.

 

 

I had previously decided that the kit didn't lend itself to adding any wires for the radio on the shelf behind the pilot, and as I haven't found any pictures I decided against adding any such wires.  But now I've changed my mind, so I added a couple of said wires as best I could.  I doubt it's authentic, but it still adds a little to the model.  Once that was done, the armour glass was installed.

 

 

 

I've just added the rear canopy, but no photo yet.  That's for next time when I install front gun sight reflector, armour glass and windscreen.  Once at that point, I'll start painting this.

 

It's good to be back on my own model.  In the unlikely event of anyone else wanting a model built, I'll make them wait until I've finished what I'm on.  I do this for my pleasure and while it's nice to be asked to build a model for someone else, all the while I've been doing the Spitfire, I've been itching to get on with this.  That commission has also meant I'm unlikely to be able to take part in the Turning Japanese GB which I'm also annoyed at because I have two eligible subjects in my stash, and no Japanese LSP planes on my shelves.  This is the second model for which the build has been interrupted in the last year, and it's very annoying.  That said, the Spitfire turned out great and I successfully tried out a couple of things I've never done before too.  Now all I have to do is get it to the US in one piece.  Can we have a head scratching emoji, please????

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

 

 

[Greif8]

Glad to see you back at work on the Yak Mike!  I have only build two models for someone else, both relatives, but I can see where building for someone can feel like a job and not a hobby.

 

Ernest

[MikeMaben]

Have some fun Mike 

[Dpgsbody55]

On 2/27/2023 at 4:27 PM, Greif8 said:

Glad to see you back at work on the Yak Mike!  I have only build two models for someone else, both relatives, but I can see where building for someone can feel like a job and not a hobby.

 

Ernest

 

Thanks Ernest.  I've also only built two models for someone else.  They are this one, and the old Revell Hurricane Mk1 that I built for a very dear friend, now departed, back in 1971.  He thought so much of it that he put it on display in the hobby shop he worked in at the time.  By today's standards it wasn't that good, but back at age 16, I was pleased with it.  If there's ever another request it will have to wait until I've finished whatever I'm presently building.

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

 

[Dpgsbody55]

Work continues on the Yak, and I'm now at the point where I can start to think about masking and painting.

 

The rear screen went on just after the last update, then I started to think about the front screen and doing something with the gun sight.  I found a colourised image which suggested that the sight should be painted a yellow/green colour, with a white range adjustment knob and leather covered protective pad.  So the sight was duly repainted and a reflector glass cut made from a piece of clear acetate and glued into place. 

 

Next up was mounting the windscreen and armour glass which are separate pieces.  The instructions say to glue the armour glass directly to the windscreen and no mention of paint.  I think we know how that's going to turn out......    So I masked off the armour glass and painted the surround in the same gray as the cockpit, then dry fitted with tape it to the inside of the windscreen.  This suggested it fitted very neatly between the top of the screen and part E40 fitted in the previous step, and that E40 butted up to the base of the screen.  So the armour glass was glued directly to part E40 and allowed to dry.  I used a knife edge to make sure it was positioned right at the very front to E40 so that it will also butt right up against the back of the windscreen, just as it should be.  Here's some pictures.

 

Firstly, the gun sight as per the kit instructions, and as shown in the last update.  Not very convincing, IMHO.

 

 

Gunsight, with armour glass in place from the same angle.

 

 

Close up.  Much better.  I also ran a little clear green around the edge of the reflector glass to give it a little better definition.  Parts fit is very good on this model, and the chamfer cast into the base of the armour glass is exactly at the right angle to mount the glass parallel to the windscreen.  But I dry fitted the screen (with tape protecting it from wet glue) and pushed it properly into place with a slender knife point.

 

 

Next, the now masked windscreen was glued into place.  Once the glue was dry, I painted the interior colour over the windscreen frames.  Lastly, the canopy was masked, then a little of the bottom edge on each side removed to allow me to fit canopy rails.  I like my canopies to slide if at all possible.  Again, the canopy frames were painted interior gray.  Here it is now.

 

 

 

I have a little work to do correcting some marks, the it's masking and paint.  I only have three other Russian planes on my shelves - one all green with a little winter camouflage, one all white (also winter camo) and one in two shades of gray for the camo colours.  So this one is going to be in the earlier Yak-9 colours of green and black with the usual blue underside.  Hopefully I'll show that result next time.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Greif8]

Nice progress Mike.  Your improvements to the gunsight make it look much better than the kit instructions would have you paint it.  Clever solution with the armored glass as well!

 

Ernest

[Dpgsbody55]

My Yak is now painted and in the gloss/pre-decal stage.

 

Undersides were painted first, and also the white fin/rudder tip.  Then masking.

 

 

I'm painting this with a green and black camo to distinguish it from my other VVS aircraft.  Looking at the pattern, I decided to do the black first as this is easier.  The canopy is mostly green, so no need to mask around that if I paint black first.  The rear canopy was also partially brush painted as the sliding canopy covers this area.  I've also masked inside the sliding canopy as there's a gap in height between this and the rear canopy.

 

 

Next, I cut some masks using grease proof paper.  It's cheap and you can get any shape you want with time and effort.  Plus no wasted money when you screw it up.  This pic was taken after the green was airbrushed, and mask removal beginning.

 

 

All camo masking removed.

 

 

Very distinctive, even if it does look a bit like a poisonous Amazon Jungle frog .  There's a little touching up to do, but overall, I'm very happy with it so far.  The spinner is also white, so with the decals applied too, the frog look should be reduced.

 

Next time, the decals will be on and it will be flat coated, which I think is more appropriate for a plane that was skinned mostly in wood and fabric.  I'll also be painting the prop blades dark gray.  Apparently, Yak props were either light blue gray, or dark gray.  Pictures I have in a book about VVS colours suggest that dark gray is the way to go.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael