giemme Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hello everybody; second completed model for me here on BM, it's Academy's 1:48 Lavochkin LA7, Soviet Ace Ivan Khozedub's machine. The subject is probably well known, and the kit too; I built it as part of my learning curve, experimenting new (to me) techniques and some scratch building. Some details about the kit and my built: - first time masking with blue tac (called Patafix here in Italy, and it's actually white); I must say I'm pretty happy with the soft edge you get with demarcation lines - scratch built pitot, using a prescription needle - scratch built details in the wheel bay - scratch built minor details inside the cockpit (harnesses, some piping and control wheels) - I had a horrible time with the kit decals, so I decided to paint on the red stars on the tail rudder (I think it shows, as the inner star is a bit off center compared to the outer), the two red&white triangles on the engine covers, and part of the numbers. - aerials went south when I painted them, so lesson learnt for next time: first paint, then glue 'em in (it's a standard white cotton thread) - gun barrels are from the spare box On with the pics, any comments welcome Underside: More details: Cockpit details Pitot Cockpit again Tail Nose 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolwe82 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 very nice one, good work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Nice one!paint and weathering superb,not enough Russian aircraft make it onto these pages. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitfire Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Nice work and a great subject. Cheers Dennis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Thanks everybody, I'm glad you like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flankerman Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 You asked for comments........ It's a nice little model - well made and finished - but it looks like the undercarriage legs aren't raked forwards enough - making it sit too high. I've noticed it on other builds of Eduard's kit, so presumably its built-in ??? Here's Kozhedub's La-7 at Monino (where I photographed it in 2004)....note how the wheels are well forward of the wing... Kozhedub was the highest scoring allied ace - with 62 kills..... this is a closeup of the kill markings, plus the three 'Hero Of the Soviet Union' stars and a laurel wreath.... I'm not sure about the authenticity of the markings - Monino are not too bothered with historical accuracy. Just to finish off, I photographed his grave in Novodovichy cemetry, Moscow in 2009..... Ken 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 (edited) Thanks Ken, much appreciated. You are absolutely right about the undercarriage, it doesn't look right. The problem (my fault) is that I didn't dry fit the legs before mounting and painting the whole thing, so I ended up fitting them in and then saying "That nose looks way too high". Anyway, at that point I didn't trust my limited abilities and decided to leave them as they are. About the kill markings: I totally trusted Academy's decal for that, and only now that I read your post, I counted them and they are 63! I also had these pictures for reference, but it's like the third different camouflage scheme I found about Khozedub's machine, so again going along with Academy's decal scheme, I thought that my version could be an earlier one, i.e. 3rd star not yet assigned. Well, I guess I'll have to revise my research and do better for next time. Thanks again for your comments GM Edited January 28, 2014 by giemme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcode Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 nice work looks great very nice job on he paint and weathering 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolwe82 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 i think the shot down stars should be like you have it, though i did some quick research and found Khozedub´s La-7 (aircraft painted like that) in more museums which all had it on the right side, but most were from russia and as Flankerman said, the references from museums cannt be taken too seriously, mainly when it is about camouflage and colours (one more hint about the Monino La-7 - the stars on top side of wing probably should not be there as well and if yes, than i guess not as close to the leading edge?) . All other sources i found had it on the left side. But i did find something strange and maybe you can help me as there could be some info in the Academy instructions or so. The thing is, the gun barrels .. on ALL "Khozedub´s" planes in the museums the barrels are well out of the cowling, just like yours. But so far on ALL other photos, where it is clearly visible(it was like 15-20 images i could find that quick and it was mix of war photos and museum planes) and on all camouflage drawings the barrels are not out of the cowling at all or just a bit, but not leaving the cowling´s silhuette. Now i know the camo drawings are often inacurate in such a details but the photos.. As i said i saw these long barrels on all khozedub´s look a like museum planes, so i m NOT blaming you at all, want to make it sure at this point But i was thinking, if he was using some special weapons or maybe some late version of plane? Does the academy instruction says anything about it? I m just wondering how it should be, because i was making La-7 few days ago and made the barrels all hiden as what i saw on photos/drawings of "my" plane. But now i m quite confused Thanks and srry for a bit longer post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolwe82 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 By the way one more thing about the camouflage and how this plane looked. It seems he was using more aircrafts over time. On http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/f/335/1 you can find like 10 camouflage schemes for this plane and all are diferent. Some in details, some realy VERY diferent.. From diferently painted propeller cone(yellow, white, red), tail marking (white, yellow, none, blue for winter), shot down marks (left side, both sides, none) and number of medals (obviously) to realy big diferences, like top camo colour (grey/grey scheme, one coloured grey, green and even dark blue). So all i want to say with this is, you did nice work and probably even the pilot itself couldnt tell you today how the plane looked at what time. So i would be happy for nice kit, thats it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thanks Batcode and Wolwe82! @Wolwe82: I'm sorry, Academy's instructions are of no use concerning the gun barrels; in fact, they are not part of the kit, they come from my spares box. I went with what I saw in some pictures (probably the museum lookalike planes, as you said). I'd say, go with what you feel most reasonable, and enjoy it Thanks again for popping in Cheers GM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 That's a fantastic model, great work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thanks Val, glad you like it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango 1 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Looks great! I thnk you've done a cracking paint job-well done! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somnas Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Nice! The La-7 is one of my favorites and you've done a good job on this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 Thank you, Tango 1 and somnas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 O.M.G.... ITS AWESOME. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 Thanks Houston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMendes Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 Great work...beatifull. You 've made justice to the hero Ivan ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 Great work...beatifull. You 've made justice to the hero Ivan ! Obrigado Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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