YAK-3

[spitfire]

It didn't quite work out as easy as I thought, I'm not a big fan of closed cockpits so I had a re think, the first step was to trim the canopy, so out with the White Tac.

This is the point that I changed tack and decided to go for the open canopy option, so here is the first cut marked out , new #11 blade fitted and off we go.

Some trimming to get the fit right.

Then can't have it wobbling, so some thin plastic trim is added.

Don't know how many photos I can fit on so I'll break off here.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 7, 2019 by spitfire
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[spitfire]

Canopy, continued, the finished rear portion, with added rails to aid location.

The same process applied to the windshield, I've since added some more framing to the lower front portion where there is some sort of vent/air intake.

And the sliding portion added.

Rather pleased with how this has turned out, luckily I had a spare just in case, here's my effort with the original.

All parts cleaned up, extra framing fitted, all dipped in Klear, and left to dry.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 7, 2019 by spitfire
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[spitfire]

Time to resurect this thread, the Yak has been sitting on the top shelf while I try to figure out what to do with it, no problem as I also had the G55 on the go, but I think it is time to try and save this one.

I decided to try to detail the wing fuel tank indicators using a couple of lenses, with the silver backing removed.

The wing was lightly drilled, and the lense test fitted, looks good, just a touch of paint or an instrument dial required.

Then a grey undercoat was applied (Humbrol H1), this revealed quite a bit of "waves" in the wing surface, these were sanded out.

BUT, this sanding also revealed loads of air bubbles, in both wing leading edges.

I used the tried and tested coat with CA and sand method but this just revealed more air bubbles.

So this one is in limbo at the moment, I've ordered some Mr Surfacer 1200 to try and cover/fill the holes but I have never used it before, any hints and tips out there ?

Cheers

Den

Edited November 7, 2019 by spitfire
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[spitfire]

Well it was still lurking on the top shelf, gathering dust, but after all the work I had already put in on it I got it down, dusted it off and bought some of this:

And some of this

And set to

Cheers

Den

Edited November 7, 2019 by spitfire
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[Moofles]

great work on the vac canopy, really looks the part.

[spitfire]

Yes I was rather pleased with the canopy, normally I do not have a lot of luck with clear parts !

Onto the pitted wings (air bubbles) the Mr Surfacer was very thin so I popped some of it in my AB cup and added some thinner, it sure does smell a lot, eventually I added enough thinner to get it to spray well, must have been about a 50/50 mix, it covered well but there was still some pits evident. So I let it dry and brushed some more Mr Surfacer on, this worked better and covered all the pits and bumps.

Then it was out with the Micro mesh and off to the kitchen sink, worked a treat, then a cover coat of Humbrol 165 to check if I had missed any big bits and all is well.

I'm a convert but I think the brush painting worked out better than using the AB, for the small patches that showed up during the sanding I applied more Mr Surfacer with a cocktail stick which worked just as well.

Here's the outcome.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[KLP Publishing]

Good work Den! Glad to see this one make a comeback. Mr Surfacer = Modelling Magic.

Kev

[spitfire]

Good work Den! Glad to see this one make a comeback. Mr Surfacer = Modelling Magic.

Kev

It's certainly saved this one.

Cheers

Den

[spitfire]

Well it's that time, time to sort out the paints and get stuck in, just before the build stalled with the air bubbles I scoured the various model forums for information, looked through all the reference material I had (got some great info from a gentleman called Igor in Slovenia), checked through the IPMS Stockholm site and came up with some model paint Names and makes. Got the paints and made up some samples to compare to the photos that I have of the Normandie Nieman Yak-3. Also I got some MM paint details from Learstang/Jason, which are spot on.

Here's some of their samples including the elusive AKAN enamels

More

And more

And here are the ones that I will be going with, note that the X207 and MM Gunship Grey (gray) are identical, but I will be going with the X207 as I am more used to using Xtracolor.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[spitfire]

Well that went very well, thinned the paint 50/50 with Xtracolor thinner, sprayed at approx 12 psi and it went on great, very strange to see it drying to a matt finish though after using WEM and Xtracolor for so long ! I will have to give it a slightly lighter coat for a "lived in " look.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[Learstang]

Nice to see you using my colour suggestions, Den! It'll be great to see how they turn out on your Yak. I do think the MM blue is a good "fit" for the Soviet AMT-7 Blue. Always great to see a VVS build!

Regards,

Jason

[spitfire]

All was going well I left the undersides to fully cure and was ready to start painting the rest of the scheme when I found this

I though about leaving it out until I had finished the paint job but worried about having a problem getting it back in and ruining the paint job, which is what would have happened. No matter how I tried it would not go back into place so I had to remove some parts

Which left me this, to get a more snug fit I also opened up the front of the cockpit.

And I still could not get it into place, so a radical re think was called for, so I trimmed the instrument panel to clear 2 trim wheels in the cockpit and to get a tighter fit on the fuselage, then drilled holes through the fuselage.

Through which I passed some plastic rod to give a firm attachment point for the IP.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[spitfire]

And it worked, the IP fitted nicely.

The rod was cut off, gaps filled with CA and everything was smoothed off.

Just to make sure CA was liberally applied to the top of the IP to stop it falling out again.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[Learstang]

Necessity is the mother of a lot of cursing, at least for me. Good save there, Den! This Yak build looks a bit of a handful, but you're doing a good job of it. I've thought about getting this kit, to give my Ilyusha some company (okay, so a single-seater IL-2 and a Yak-3 probably wouldn't have been together chronologically, but we're not exactly spoiled for choices in 1/32nd scale when it comes to VVS fighters).

Regards,

Jason

[KLP Publishing]

Wow, clever and courageous work Den! I really like the way this is coming together.

Kev

[spitfire]

Finally an update, the demarcation lines between the upper and lower surfaces on the Yak-3 seem to vary considerably, on "my" aircraft the demarcation on the nose is hard, the wings soft and the aft fuselage a mess ! the masking reflects this.

Then at last the first top colour went on, Testors Model Master enamel Light Ghost Grey, it does look a little light but will see how it looks with the other colours, as long as it looks Soviet to me I will be happy.

And hung up to dry for a few days.

I did fade the underside with a lightened mix in a random pattern but I think I may have done it twice so it may be a mite light !

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[Thomas Lund]

That look great. Seems like a lot of work, so I'd be interested in you opinion - as I really like the YAK-3 - is this the way to go or is it better to wait for the one Special Hobby announced (knowing that you haven't seen it yet, but I assume you have a general idea of these, hmmm, mainstream limited run kits) ??

[spitfire]

Hi Thomas,

I did have the SH Yak-3 on pre order with Hannants years and years and years ago, but it has never appeared ! I do like SH kits, their P-39 is very nice and from the same family the AZUR kits are very good.

Cheers

Den

Edited May 3, 2011 by spitfire

[spitfire]

I originally intended to fade the paintwork using a light grey colour after I had finished applying the top colours but in the end I decided to fade both colours and fade the lot later, so a lightened mix of the LGG was applied.

It may not show up very well but it is faded in a random pattern.

Random but mainly following the airflow.

Then the fun part, making the paper masks and fitting them using White Tac sausages.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[spitfire]

All masking in place so out with the trusty Badger and away we went, for AMT-12 it was a toss up between Testors Model Master Gunship Grey or Xtracolor X207 RLM 75, I have probably picked the wrong one but went with X207 as I tend to use Xtracolor paints more often. The paint was thinned 50/50 with Xtracolor's own thinner and airbrushed at 12-15 psi. Looks a wee bit darker on the photos than it is in real life, I added a drop of white and faded it as well. In hindsight I probably would have used a lighter grey but I'm not going to change it now. It's a shame that there are not more Soviet aircraft available in 1/32 as quite a bit of time went into the research on this one that will not be used again.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[Learstang]

That looks very nice, Den! The colours look good. It is indeed a shame there aren't more VVS aeroplanes in 1/32nd scale. It would be great to see an La-5FN in 1/32nd scale, for starters. I guess the model manufacturers are too busy releasing yet another s*****g Bf-109 (although instead of another "E", it would be nice if someone came out with a Spanish Civil War Bf-109B). And no, I don't think we need "a truly accurate" Mustang in 1/32nd scale. B****r the Mustang! We need a LaGG-3, even of indifferent accuracy, in 1/32nd scale. Rant over (for now).

Regards,

Jason

[spitfire]

Well it's that time, on with the markings, as there are not many 1/32 scale decals for Yak-3's (read as none) I have gone down the paint mask route and Mal at Miracle Paint Masks came through for me (again) The instruction that come with the masks are idiot proof which is just as well !

First of all I measured out where I wanted the masks to go, then marked the limits with Tamiya tape.

On with the mask which combines the star with the flash.

Remove the star white section and out with the airbrush, a 50/50 mix of Xtracolor 141 white and thinners.

Then, and this is the tricky bit, replace the white mask and remove the red.

Out with the Red (X14), and just try and guess who did not leave the white long enough to fully cure.

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[spitfire]

The photo of white 14 that I have shows it with a Cross of Lorraine on the tail, this was masked up and airbrushed, it's a shame as I would have liked a star in this position.

Paint seems to scuff off this model with the greatest of ease, so a quick repair was called for here.

And the finished repair

Cheers

Den

Edited November 9, 2019 by spitfire
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[Dr.Jellyfingers]

Easy correction on the white I would guess.

You've made a cracking build of this, it looks superb

Si.

[Learstang]

Very nice, Den! Despite your small problem with the star, it looks like the masks worked up a treat. Now you'll have to buy the Hobby Boss Il-2 arrow kit when it comes out - I mean, your Yak needs to be protecting something, doesn't it?

Regards,

Jason