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VVS Lavochkin La-5F from the 126 IAP, 1943


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I originally intended to also build the Eduard (Zvedzda) 1/48 La-5 and the Modelsvit 1/72 Su-7 in this GB. But considering my abmisal track record in finishing my GB participation last year of 0%, I made a tough decision in just building the 1/32 Special Hobby Yak-3. :(

 

When I ordered the Begemot decals for the Yak-3, I also purchased the 1/72 Prop & Jet La-5F resin kit from the same seller (not really knowing what to expect) as the price was right. The kit arrived yesterday and upon opening it, it was written all over "build me .... build me" and it would be rood not doing so :whistle: specially as we don't have a Lavochkin Fighter in the GB yet.

 

And what a smashing kit it is. I thought S.B.S. models are the ultimate resin kits, but this kit is equal or even better with unbelievable surface detail. If all fits as well as it looks it will be a winner.

La-5-1.jpg

 

and as an extra bonus, the kit is also made in Russia! I have to say that the whole package has a very professional feel to it.

La-5-2.jpg

 

There is only one problem .... which scheme to choose.

La-5-3.jpg

 

La-5-4.jpg

 

At the end I selected the aircraft from Major Pyotr Nikiforovich Belyasnik who scored nine individual and 17 group victories flying with 126 IAP, but none of them on this aircraft.

belyasnik2.jpg

I wanted to make an aircraft with victory stars painted on it. Also the old style stars on the grey camouflage look different and the presentation script is an extra bonus. :)

 

And there is even a good picture of this aircraft taken during 1943.

La-5-6.jpg

Once again, there is more information on these pages.

 

This build will be a good reason to read Learstang's book on the Lavochkin Fighters I purchased last year :D

 

Cheers, Peter

 

Edited by Basilisk
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Excellent choice! Musa does great work with his resin kits. I really need to buy this kit. As luck would have it, I was just looking at models of my (new) KP La-5FN (nice kit) and my AML La-5F (also a nice kit, despite what some have written about it). By the way, I'm very glad to hear you picked up my book - hopefully it will be of some use. If you need any help on the kit, just let me know. I'm a mediocre modeller, but I do know a little about the Lavochkins. Good luck with your build!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

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Thanks Jason. The biggest challenge will be to decide which parts to use for the aircraft I model as the kit comes with various alternative parts. Really have to read your book to know a bit more about the type.

 

I won't get started for a while, but I wanted to know how the fit is. So I cleaned up the fuselage and it looks rather good.

La-5-7.jpg

 

La-5-8.jpg

 

 

As mentioned earlier, the kit has some exquisite resin casting.

La-5-10.jpg

 

La-5-11.jpg

La-5-12.jpg

 

With all this great detail, I would like to use the Gonza PE set dedicated for this kit. But all the sellers I know selling Gonza PE are out of stock and the only place I found was a seller on eBay, but he wants US$ 19 for postage....

 

Anyone knows places which sell Gonza PE sets?

Cheers, Peter

Edited by Basilisk
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You could try emailing Gonza direct - there is an address is in the first post here http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1008.0

 

I think his website is here http://gonza.moy.su/news/?page6 but some of the links are opaque to me (I don't speak or read Russian).

 

perhaps Jason can help ((OT didn't know about the Lavotchkin fighters book, I like his IL2 book)

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I'm very glad you liked the Il-2 book, Robert! Regarding the link, it looks like those parts are for the 'razorback' La-5, but I suspect most of the parts would work just fine with the 'bubble-top' La-5F.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

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  • 2 months later...
On 30/04/2017 at 5:33 PM, Robert Stuart said:

You could try emailing Gonza direct - there is an address is in the first post here http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1008.0

 

I think his website is here http://gonza.moy.su/news/?page6 but some of the links are opaque to me (I don't speak or read Russian).

 

perhaps Jason can help ((OT didn't know about the Lavotchkin fighters book, I like his IL2 book)

 

I decided at the end not to bother about the Gonza PE set as it replaces mainly resin parts and I really don't see the benefit in doing so in this scale.

 

Anyway, I am still working on the kit in between other builds. The cockpit is now assembled and ready for painting.

La-5-13.jpg

 

The engine had 14 individual cylinders to assemble :huh: Looks nice but a bit an overkill as very little is visible at the end.

La-5-14.jpg

Paint is next - whenever that may be :D.

 

Cheers, Peter

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Nice to see you back at work on this La-5F, Peter! I'm working on a couple of Toko LaGG-3s right now - a 'Series 11' (with the drop tanks), and a 'Series 66', with the two-grey scheme, which wasn't that common on the LaGG-3. I look forward to seeing more work on your La-5F!

 

Regards,

 

Jason

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks Jason. I believe the Toko LaGG-3 kits are a hand full to build.

 

I got a bit further with this build. Cockpit and internals painted.

La-5-15.jpg

It all looks a bit sparse.

 

Added some Eduard harness I had in my stash and all is now together.

La-5-19.jpg

 

 

Unfortunately little can be seen and mostlikely less with the canopy in place.

 

Here is my Eduard Spitfire of which I built the cockpit in parallel to the La-5.

JE-J-13.jpg

I love making cockpits, but again most can't be seen on the finished model.

 

Cheers, Peter

 

Edited by Basilisk
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