Serial Yak 6 undercarriage - fixed or retractable?

[JWM]

There are two kits of Yak-6 in 1/72 available. One is a kit originating from Alfa company which issued it in 1990, then the kit was reboxed by Zvezda,  Encore and Mistercraft, just to name the most popular companies (https://www.scalemates.com/products/product.php?id=130690&p=timeline ) . The the second one by A-Model, which appeared recently (I mean in XXI century ).

There are many diffeence between them regarding quality of surface, details etc, however there is one basic difference (at least as I have noticed it: the old Alfa (Zvezda, Encore, Mistercraft) model has fixed u/c wheres the newer one has retractable. Here is plastic of old kit:

and here is A-model:

 

No doubts which looks better. Moreover, the difference in u/c is also obvious. 

However, on the web page  http://aviarmor.net/aww2/aircraft/ussr/yak-6.htm it is written: 

Шасси трехопорное, с хвостовым колесом. Первые экземпляры Як-6 (в том числе и НББ) имели убирающиеся главные стойки шасси с ручным приводом и тросовой проводкой.

Однако летные испытания показали, что потери максимальной скорости с выпущенным шасси невелики - меньше 20 км/ч, а надежность самолета значительно повышается. Поэтому от уборки решено было отказаться, и вместо "ломающегося подкоса" убирающегося шасси установили жесткий, изготовленный из стальных труб, систему уборки сняли, а створки ниши заменили легкой дюралюминиевой крышкой.

Стойки шасси подкосные, телескопические с жидкостно-газовой амортизацией. Колеса с камерными пневматическими тормозами. Костыль самоориентирующийся, с механизмом стопорения.

 

So it is written, that only few early machines (including well photographed prototype of light bomber) has retractable u/c and all remaining couple of  hundreds of produced machines have fixed one. I do not have reasons to not believe the Russian web page on it - but I will very grateful to experts who like to comment it. 

Especially that on photos the u/c legs looks like undergoing some evolution:

A prototype of light bomber with retractable u/c

Maybe also prototype of light transport machine  (no individual number)- the u/c looks like same with retractabe but but the wheel bay doors are closed, what suggests fixed one:

serial machines (please note the strut going outside from leg)

and here where if those strut exists there are much more upward 

I hope some clarification of this is needed not only for me.

 

Best regards

J-W

 

 

 

 

 

[KRK4m]

Note that these two models differ essentially not only in the type of undercarriage, but also in the outline (in terms of the sweep angle) of the wings.

Probably one is based on these plans

and the other is based on these:

And the question is: which of them correctly depict a real plane?

Cheers

Michael

[borisZG]

Basically both. Apparently, the top drawing depicts the majority of Yak-6 produced, the bottom one modified machines, manufactured spring 1943 onwards.

As for the undercarriage, on most Yaks it was fixed.

Best regards

 

P.S.

Google translate is your friend: http://airwar.ru/enc/cww2/yak6.html

(excellent drawings, too)

[JWM]

16 hours ago, borisZG said:

P.S.

Google translate is your friend: http://airwar.ru/enc/cww2/yak6.html

(excellent drawings, too)

Many thanks! This clarify whole story, so the retractable u/c is the feature of prototypes. 

I still can read Russian, however google translator makes it faster in some way ....  

Regards

J-W

[Massimo Tessitori]

Unfortunately, the Yak-6M was built only in one prototype. All the decals and equipments in the Amodel kit are only what-if extrapolated from standard Yak-6s. I am very angry with Amodel since I discovered this.

About the landing gear, I've read the same things as you read, and it can be seen in many photos. 

Regards

Massimo

[modelldoc]

Sorry, the old kit with the skies:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/19688906085/in/photolist-vZQMQ2

 

build, shortly after first presentation.

 

modelldoc

 

[JWM]

2 hours ago, Massimo Tessitori said:

Unfortunately, the Yak-6M was built only in one prototype. All the decals and equipments in the Amodel kit are only what-if extrapolated from standard Yak-6s. I am very angry with Amodel since I discovered this.

About the landing gear, I've read the same things as you read, and it can be seen in many photos. 

Indeed, this is a bit unfair or strange... The funny story is that two weeks ago I started work on this Alfa (original) kit (the same reboxed then by Zvezda, Encore, Mistarcraft) which was in my stash for 30 years from cutting the wheel bay doors etc. Yesterday I was gluing it back and filling up the cuttings....So within two weeks I went from position 
"what they did - why they have not done normal wheel bay like A-model did" to the position "Alfa kit is basicly better then A-model one..." 

17 minutes ago, modelldoc said:

Sorry, the old kit with the skies:

Looks that it is better kit than new A-model one... (if you want to do w regular war time Yak-6)

 

Regards

J-W

 

[Smudge]

Just reviving this topic. I was researching for my Alpha Yak-6 and came across it. I was contemplating upgrading to the A-model kit. Now I know a little more about Yak-6 I will stick with the Alpha kit.

 

Cheers 

[tempestfan]

On 4/18/2021 at 10:27 PM, JWM said:

The funny story is that two weeks ago I started work on this Alfa (original) kit (the same reboxed then by Zvezda, Encore, Mistarcraft) which was in my stash for 30 years...

 

There was an even earlier incarnation of the Alfa Jak-6, in a black and white box supposedly from the mid 80s, with english-only text on the box. My example is missing the instructions, so I can't comment on them. The general parts are the same (mostly), but with some significant differences: No "Frogmen", what appears three fold-up seats moulded flat, and - choice  of fixed and retracting u/c (though no wheel bays on the nacelles. The box art actually depicts a machine with extended retractable u/c. As I have currently no photohost which is acceptable here, I will upload pics in a certain modelkitcollecting forum in a minute.

[Smudge]

 

@tempestfan Hi,

 

23 hours ago, tempestfan said:

.................I will upload pics in a certain modelkitcollecting forum in a minute.

 

Any chance of a link to, or the name of the website, please? I would be interested in having a look.

 

Cheers.

 

 

[Smudge]

Ok @tempestfan I think I found it.

 

I'm not a member so I can't see anything. Maybe I'll join. Looks like it might be something 'up my street' 

 

Thanks.

[Graham Boak]

There was also the high-quality vacform (with white metal bits) from Eagles Talon.  I have a part-made Yak 6 using parts from the Alpha and the ET ones.

[tempestfan]

2 hours ago, Smudge said:

Ok @tempestfan I think I found it.

 

I'm not a member so I can't see anything. Maybe I'll join. Looks like it might be something 'up my street' 

 

Thanks.

Sorry, I didn’t want to put up a blatant ad for the site 😊 There are fora whose admins do not react favourably to such, and I confess I am ignorant to the policy applicable here. But I gave you a clue, and it seems to have worked😉

All the better if it’s up your street anyway, I think you will not be disappointed after you joined. You may well find out there are folks leading a secret double live, building here and collecting there…