phat trev Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 SMER's IL2 Sturmovic can anyone provide any infomation on if it is any good? does it have engraved panel lines, whats the fit like? is it worth getting this or the Academy version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 The SMER single-seater is considered as one of the very best Il2 kits available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 SMER's IL2 Sturmovic can anyone provide any infomation on if it is any good? does it have engraved panel lines, whats the fit like? is it worth getting this or the Academy version? This might help: http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/Modeling/Ilyushi...rison/index.php Sounds like the detail is reasonable (especially the cockpit), but parts fit may be problematic. The article I've linked above is an older one which was written before the release of the Academy Il-2, by the way, so obviously it's not included. Just my humble opinion, but unless you're getting a real bargain on the Smer kit, I'd go for the Academy Shturmovik. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 This might help:http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/Modeling/Ilyushi...rison/index.php Sounds like the detail is reasonable (especially the cockpit), but parts fit may be problematic. The article I've linked above is an older one which was written before the release of the Academy Il-2, by the way, so obviously it's not included. Just my humble opinion, but unless you're getting a real bargain on the Smer kit, I'd go for the Academy Shturmovik. John Trev - apologies for hijacking your thread but... ...John, I saw the Eduard 1/72nd Il-2M3 in my LMS - what's that like? Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Trev - apologies for hijacking your thread but......John, I saw the Eduard 1/72nd Il-2M3 in my LMS - what's that like? Wez The hobbyvista article also reviews the Eduard kit; it's one of Eduard's older releases. I'd say it's pretty good; neatly molded, at least. At present it's about the only realistic option for a two-seater without scouring the Internet for Dakoplast or Roden (or their various reboxings) two-seaters. The main complaint against the Eduard kit is that it represents a very late and relatively uncommon version of Il-2 with all-metal wings and fuselage, so it's difficult to find accurate markings. If you're not bothered by this, I'd say build it and enjoy it. Feel free (anyone and everyone!) to go here, join up, and ask all the questions you can think of regarding Russian aircraft: http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/ http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilneBay Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Smer Il2? A very accurate nice kit, IIRC when I built mine I didn't have any fit problems that a dab of filler wouldn't fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Smer Il2? A very accurate nice kit, IIRC when I built mine I didn't have any fit problems that a dab of filler wouldn't fix. As always, one build is worth a thousand expert opinions... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The hobbyvista article also reviews the Eduard kit; it's one of Eduard's older releases. I'd say it's pretty good; neatly molded, at least. At present it's about the only realistic option for a two-seater without scouring the Internet for Dakoplast or Roden (or their various reboxings) two-seaters. The main complaint against the Eduard kit is that it represents a very late and relatively uncommon version of Il-2 with all-metal wings and fuselage, so it's difficult to find accurate markings. If you're not bothered by this, I'd say build it and enjoy it. Feel free (anyone and everyone!) to go here, join up, and ask all the questions you can think of regarding Russian aircraft:http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/ http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php John Thanks for the tip John Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BallsBuster Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 As always, one build is worth a thousand expert opinions...John A SMER Il-2 single seater represents a relatively rare bird as well. It has metal wing and wooden fuselage. Sturmoviks in this configuration were produced between July and October 1941. So when you build it be careful what markings you chose. BTW - the markings for the ski version (red 6) are correct (if memory does not fail me here). The overall shapes are good and when I built mine I did not need filler at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I take it the Smer kit is the Eduard one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phat trev Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share Posted November 2, 2011 (edited) thanks everyone. I am interested in getting one as it does represent an early version of the aircraft. bump Dave Flemming who's moul I take it the Smer kit is the Eduard one?whos mould are they originally? do they have engraved detail? Edited November 2, 2011 by phat trev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DStewart Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I take it the Smer kit is the Eduard one? No, the Smer single seat is unique to them. As far as I know Eduard have never made a single seater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 It has engraved detail. It came out towards the tailend of what I remember counting as 13 different Il.2 kits - some just different boxings, I suggest - and rather got ignored. Perhaps because people didn't realise that SMER ever produced an original. Those who did note it were full of praise, and it was considered the best of the single-seaters. Since then there has been the Academy, which apparently (I haven't got one, but believe it) is superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 It has engraved detail.It came out towards the tailend of what I remember counting as 13 different Il.2 kits - some just different boxings, I suggest - and rather got ignored. Perhaps because people didn't realise that SMER ever produced an original. Those who did note it were full of praise, and it was considered the best of the single-seaters. Since then there has been the Academy, which apparently (I haven't got one, but believe it) is superb. The Academy kit was originally designed for Accurate Minatures, but was never released/paid for (Dependant on which rumour you believe), so uses the same data as their 1/48th kits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Excellent thread, everyone - it's good to see so many people who are knowledgeable about these VVS kits, their history, and the history of the aircraft they represent! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Praise indeed: but tell me, John, can you list how many 1/72 Il.2 kits have been available? Airfix, SMER, three (or was it four?) Toko, ditto Dakoplast(?), but what others? Was it really 13 about eight years back - and what is still available now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 (edited) Praise indeed: but tell me, John, can you list how many 1/72 Il.2 kits have been available? Airfix, SMER, three (or was it four?) Toko, ditto Dakoplast(?), but what others? Was it really 13 about eight years back - and what is still available now? Well, it was many - 13 could be accurate! Further to your list, there was also one from ZTS (Mikro 72) which was reissued under other brand names as well. I don't remember any others. I don't think KP ever did an Il-2, surprisingly - if they did, it isn't on their web site as currently available. Regarding what's still out there, the Airfix kit was reissued within the past year or two, there's the Academy one of course although not one of the earlier batch unless you count it in as an unreleased Accurate Miniatures kit, and the Toko and Dakoplast versions can be found in Eastern Express boxings if you look for them in the right places. Trouble is, EE released some Dakoplast ones (but not all of them) and some Toko ones (again, not all of them), so sprue images are helpful if one really wants to know what's in any particular box. I think I can dig out more specific information if anyone wants it - there's a great ebay vendor in China called East Street Daiyee who has a lot of EE stuff and who goes to the trouble of posting sprue images for his kits, and I have (blush) almost all of these kits in their original Toko or Dakoplast packages for comparison with his images. In fact, I think I already did something like that on another forum; probably ARC - there was a forum member there who was quite interested in VVS aircraft for a while and asked a lot of questions, to which I tried to provide replies. I'll try to track it down... John Edited November 2, 2011 by John Thompson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The wooksta V2.0 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Wasn't there a kit by some obscure Polish company? The same bunch that did a Yak 1 and the Loz bomber? Although I may be getting it confused with the KP Il 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Wasn't there a kit by some obscure Polish company? The same bunch that did a Yak 1 and the Loz bomber? Although I may be getting it confused with the KP Il 10. You're right - that was ZTS, also known as Mikro 72. Further to my previous post, here's the ARC thread I referred to: http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air...p;#entry2200911 One of the replies in that thread does mention an Il-2 from KP (distinct from the Il-10), so apparently it did exist. I could be persuaded to dig into my Il-2 storage box if pressed... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Test Graham Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 No, you're not confused, that was ZTS Mikro. I'd forgotten about that one. KP never did do an Il 2. I saw the Toko ones - although I don't remember now whether they did three or four - but never the Dakoplast ones. I think I may have been counting some of the EE releases, not realising where they came from. So that seems like six original companies, but some doing more than one variant, which is fairly significant as it means new wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The Dakoplast Il-2 single-seater was also released in a Modelist reboxing; this may still be available. The other Dakoplast Shturmoviks were apparently also done this way, but I don't have samples of these. Regardless, Modelist = Dakoplast. Just because I like it so much, here's the box art (used by both Dako and Modelist) from the Il-2m3: ...although the green/brown camouflage is fictitious, BTW. Note the Modelist logo in the top left corner; the image is from the Aviapress web site. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck1945 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Just an aside here, iirc the Il-2 in its various configurations was produced in more numbers than any other WWII aircraft so it isn't too surprising that there have been various editions of Il-2 kits. What is perhaps more surprising is that there haven't been more, especially considering the number of different kits produced of the second most produced WWII aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redboost Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 (edited) KP never did do an Il 2. KP actuallly did an Il-2 kit in late 90's, it was a polybag repack of a kit of horrible quality of an uknown ex-SSSR producer with post war Czechoslovak marking, issued in limited numbers (apparently) for domestic market. While the plastic is uselless, the decals printed by Propagteam were very good and justified the purchase just for them. Edited November 3, 2011 by Redboost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BallsBuster Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 ...although the green/brown camouflage is fictitious, BTW. Note the Modelist logo in the top left corner; the image is from the Aviapress web site.John - I am not sure this statement is entirely correct. At least for this particular picture. Brown (in various shades -stone, sand and ochre) was widely used by VVS and especially on Il-2. Three colour camo was introduced from 1942 and became a norm from spring 1943. However the usage of brown on single seat Il-2 is questionable... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Thompson Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 - I am not sure this statement is entirely correct. At least for this particular picture. Brown (in various shades -stone, sand and ochre) was widely used by VVS and especially on Il-2. Three colour camo was introduced from 1942 and became a norm from spring 1943. However the usage of brown on single seat Il-2 is questionable... Yeah, well understood. It's not a great image for discerning colours - if you squint at it enough, you could almost convince yourself that it's the three-colour scheme, but OTOH, the pattern doesn't look right. I wasn't really sweating the issue - I hope I didn't mislead anyone. The statement, "No green/brown camouflage", is almost obligatory when discussing the Il-2 and VVS fighters, since it's been a subject of repeated and persistent confusion for decades (check the box art on Airfix's recent Yak-9 reissue, for example). John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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