Sovietwarplanes

Hi,
here I started work on Yak-7 profile:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1356483)

It should be this plane:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1356484)

My understanding is that the overal shape should be quite similar to Yak-1 - same prop. spinner, windshield and moving part of the canopy, tail, wings, front cooler under the engine and bottom oil cooler.
The main visible difference is the second seat in the cockpit e.g. windows were added, the air intakes in the wing root were on the both sides and have either oval or rectangular shape. And some differences in panel lines and surface details.
If I am wrong the corrections are more than welcome. Thank you.
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
are you sure about the flap at the outlet of the oil cooler? I had a look to many photos, they show a sort of concave profile and no flap protruding.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
I am not sure with that. That picture is only the first step based on the line drawings found on the internet. Anyhow, those flaps will be in the closed position.
I will make both coolers same as on my Yak-1 profiles.
Regards,
   66misos

Hi,
a little progress:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1357016)
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
it has changed a lot.
Does the oil cooler flap open inwards?
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
I do not know. I follow line drawings from the net. Anyhow, it is only WIP, more changes will come (not dediced yet whether 7A or 7B early), see description bellow:

Here http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/yak-7.html (http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/yak-7.html) and https://coollib.com/b/261704/read (https://coollib.com/b/261704/read) is quite a lot of info about Yaks in the Russian language, although pictures or line drawings are not same, so hard to say which of them are really corrects.

Yak-7
- engine М-105PA,
- almost the same like Yak-7UTI,
- armament 1x ShVAK and 2x ShKAC,
- 62 produced,
(https://coollib.com/i/4/261704/pic_64.jpg)

Yak-7A differed from Yak-7:
- engine М-105PA,
- tail wheel partially retractable,
- covers of the main landing gear added to fully cover wheels when retracted,
- rear window replaced by plywood,
- armament 1x ShVAK and 2x ShKAC,
- 277 produced,
(https://coollib.com/i/4/261704/pic_66.jpg)

Yak-7B (e.g. Як-7Б)
- engine М-105PA,
- tail wheel fully retractable,
- armament 1x ShVAK and 2x UBS,
- 261 produced,
(https://coollib.com/i/4/261704/pic_69.jpg)

Yak-7B (e.g. Як-7Б) М-105PF
- engine М-105PF,
- early/mid series almost the same like Yak-7A except engine,
- late series had lowered rear fuselage behing canopy like Yak-1B
- 5120 produced
(https://coollib.com/i/4/261704/pic_75.jpg)

Yak-7V (e.g. Як-7В)
Russian "B" for "вывозной" e.g. "vyvoznoi" e.g. "for export"
- simplified version of Yak-7UTI,
- landing gear not retractable,

Regards,
   66misos

Hi,
another rework to get on version 7A:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1357237)
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
the star under the wing seems too outside.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you for comment. Seems you are right. Here is (almost) finished view from the left  on Yak-7A from 12 giap PVO Moscow:
Still need to correct the position of the star on the underwing, shorten antena mast and add inscription "Komsomol Kuzbassa".
EDIT: Corrected picture is in my post below.

(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1357552)
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1357503)
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1357524)

Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
looks very good.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you.
Here is corrected and finished view from the left:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1359231)
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
very good as usual.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you. :D
Here is finished view from the other side. Hope I did not forget for something:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1359232)
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
looks an excellent work.  On the left profile, I would add some more black around the red star. On the right profile, some more black over the tail star.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
Thank you for comment.
I will correct the left-side view.
However, check the right-side view on the tail - on the upper photo the black blotch goes throught the rignt arm of the red star, but on the bottom photo it goes through the top arm of the star (like on the majority of the planes). So my black bloch goes the middle way. I let it be as it is.
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos, as you wants, but the number on the tail is 7, not a general plane.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
here are 2 pictures of the same tail from the right:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1358460)

Different positions of the black blotch are apparent.
However, on the left photo the white digit "7" is clearly visible, but on the right photo the white digit "7" is not visible. Visible part of the inscription is "K...bassa" e.g. Kuzbassa, so it should be the same plane "Komsomol Kuzbassa"
My picture is much closer to the left photo with the digit "7", at least to the right from the star. The side to the left from the star in not visble at all.

The left-side profile is already reworked/corrected and replaced in my previous posts.

Regards,
  66misos

Hi Misos,
the photo on the right seems numbered 1.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
that white line (stick) on the right photo seems to be indicator of the open landing gear, and it is too far from the leading edge of the tail.

Here is finished the view from the top:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1359230)

Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
it could be a stick, but where is the number then?
The top view looks excellent.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you.
Number was euther added or deleted latter. Here at this page (http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/yak-7_color.html) there are two profiles of the "Komsomol Kuzbassa" - one with and one withoui tail number "7".
Anyhow, I have another question. Position lights on the wings were on Yaks whole red/green or were transparent without color and only a bulbs inside were red/green? And was it same on all Yaks (1,7,9 and 3)?
(http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/colors/1941-43/i26-7.jpg)
(http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/colors/1941-43/yak1-reversed-42.jpg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Yakovlev_Yak-7B.jpg)
(http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/photo_albums/images15/18.jpg)
(http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/yak179/Yak-9/yak9-serpentine-mus.jpg)
UTI has colored whole light.
Other Yaks on the photos looks like they have transparent plexiglass cover with colored bulb, but almost on all pictured they are painted with colored the whole plexiglas cover. ???
Regards,
   66misos

Hi,
here is work in progress on Yak-7A from the bottom:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1358797)
Position lights has translucent plexiglass cover with colored bulbs inside.
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
good question, I don't know.
Yak-3 of Bourget is visible here:
http://scalemodels.ru/modules/photo/viewcat.php?id=11684&cid=343&min=48&orderby=dateA&show=12 (http://scalemodels.ru/modules/photo/viewcat.php?id=11684&cid=343&min=48&orderby=dateA&show=12)
Russian Yak-1b and Polish Yak-9P in museum lack of the piece.
There should be a Bulgarian Yak-9 to look for, and two Yak-9s in Russian museums.
Regards
Massimo

Could be both with a transparent dome and with color, everything depends at what plant collected

Hi Johan,
thank you for reply. So I made it according to the photo, which shows the big white shining plexi cover.
Here is finished view from the bottom on the Yak-7A:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1359498)
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
excellent work as usual.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you. :D I have also reworked navigation lights on the other views of this plane and replaced pictures in my previous posts.
Regards,
   66misos

Hi,
here is finished Yak-7B, early version.
EDIT: corrected picture:
I have found interpretation of this plane also with the red area under the victory starlets, within Begemot decals too. So I finally decided for red area:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1359836)

This is original:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1359482)

Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
beautiful work. The photo is new to me.
I think that the number 39 should be a bit wider (not higher) and moved to the front. The 3 intersects the black band in different way.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you for comment. I put photo over profile and adjusted its size, proportions and perspective to fit as much as possible to the profile (fuselage, panels, hatch) and reworked size and relative positions of the black area, no. 39 and star accordingly. I replaced picture in my previous post.
Regards,
   66misos

Hi,
The last member of the "Seven" family is very late version of the Yak-7B:
EDIT: corrected picture is in my past below.

Here is the original:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1359837)

and here is another plane from the same unit - 146 iap and from the same period - summer 1943 showing 3 white stripes on the tail and white propeller spinner from http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/yak-7_color_b.html (http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/yak-7_color_b.html):
(http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/color_b/photo_yak-7_28-2.jpg)
(http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/color_b/photo_yak-7_28-1.jpg)

Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
very beautiful profiles and photos.
Plane 40 has fought with the victory starlets painted on, there is what seems a repair for a bullet hole.
The plane of the lower photos is interesting too, I can't see if it is numbered 62 or 67.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you.
There is still a question regarding colors of the victory starlets on the "White 40". The shade of the upper row is identical to the shade of the big red star. However, the bottom row seems to be apparently brighter, closer to the shade of no. 40 than to the red star. It looks like 8 red (individual) and 7 white (group) victory starlets. ???
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1359884)
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
I agree that the rows are of different color. Excellent work.

Regards
Massimo

This is great reference material, thank you.

Cheers

Dennis

Hi Dennis,
thank you. :)
regards,
   66misos

Hi,
here I made another profile of the late Yak-7B:
EDIT: reworked picture in my post below.

Here is original, photos from http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/yak-7_color_d.html (http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/yak-7_color_d.html):
A.V. Vorozhejkin, November 1942:
(http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/color_d/photo_yak-7_61-1.jpg)

Pilots from 728 iap (from the left): Lazarev, Vorozhejkin, Sachkov and technician Mushkin, December 1943:
(http://www.airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak-7/color_d/photo_yak-7_61-2.jpg)

Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
are you sure that it is a Yak-7b and not a Yak-9? The lip of the cooler seems of Yak-9.
Besides the red part looks a bit too extended if compared to the position of the third pipe and of the bulge, and has an angulation point, it is not perfectly vertical.
Besides the plane is without the sliding hood.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you for comment.
- I am not sure whether it is late Yak-7B or Yak-9. The plane from this angle is difficult to identify. However, the guy at the source page identifies it as Yak-7B and he is an subject matter expert.
- I will move the red part a bit to the left, but all proportions and details (front cooler at the bottom, exhaust in the middle and bulge at the top) from line drawing do not fit to the photo, so it will not be perfect.
- From the point at the panel line above the exhaust between 2nd and 3rd pipe something darker is going to the right roughly under angle of 45°. However it is hard to say whether it is red color or original dark camo color or defect on the photo or something else.
- Sliding part of the canopy is really missing on the photo(s). IMHO it is only matter of accident or repair, not longterm status. So I made it in the standard config.
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
the photo seems to show a pilot and plane combat ready. It can be that canopies were removed or left open to bail out in case of emergency, as sliding hoods are prone to be blocked by any distorsion of the rails. I  suggest to represent this.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
here is reworked profile according to our comments above:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1372034)
Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
very good work. I suggest to check the lip, maybe increasing the contrast of the photo.

Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you. And what lip, please, do you mean?
Regards,
   66misos

H Misos,
I mean the intake of the cooler, I think it is of Yak-9.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
front cooler is reworked. It is hard to say what it is, whether Yak-9 or Yak7B.
Yak-7B from 728 iap had red noses during short period since Nov 6, 1943. Since loses started to increase, they repainted them back to standard grey-grey. And in december 728 iap received Yak-9 planes.
Picture above is already replaced.
Regards,
   66misos

Hi,
a little show fell here, so I made a winter version of the early Yak-7B:
EDIT: updated picture in my post below.
Original:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1372925)

Regards,
   66misos

Hi Misos,
beautiful profile.
I would check the inclination of the star on the tail and of n.9, it's not sure that they were so on the left side but in absence of opposite evidence I would make them as on a mirrored version of the photo.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo,
thank you for comment. Star on the tail is made according to the photo mirorred and superpositioned over the tail. The inclination of the little 9 in the red star is also corrected. Plus overall white painting was a bit reworked not to look very similar to the photo of the red 2. It can be said now that my profile is inspired by photo of downed red 2:
(http://modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1373105)
Regards,
   66misos

Just to thank you for your excellent work Michal.
Great job  :)
Regards
Stéph

Great job, but I don't think the spinner is white. I'd say light-blue or maybe red.
About the starlets, your colors looks right, but the score is strange (11+3 for Filatov ace).

Hi,
light blue could be, I don't think red.
Could it be that the pilot is hidding some starlets with his arm?
Regards
Massimo

(http://ava.org.ru/iap/115g/yak7b-fedorov-1943.jpg)

Yes maybe blue (http://ava.org.ru/iap/115g.htm).
About the hidded starlets  - I don't think so.

Hi Gents,
thank you for info about prop spinner. I had some time today and so here is corrected picture:

(https://www.modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1565757)

Regards,
    66misos

Cool, thank you!

Hi all,
I've uploaded a page on Yak-7 with 5 profiles of Misos and related articles, and a small introduction  from him to distinguish the versions.
http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/yak7/yak7.html (http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/yak7/yak7.html)

Regards
Massimo

Great job on Yaks! Hold on there! :)

If somebody will made No 11 profile someday, that would be cool! Smiley
http://ava.org.ru/iap/148g.htm

Hi,
no snow here around so I decided to make at least a picture of "winter" Yak - in this case Yak-7UTI, basically "grandpa" of the whole Seven family:
Picture is still "work in progress" stage:
(https://www.modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1644346)

And photo of the original from February 1942:
(https://www.modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1644345)

Regards,
   66misos

Hi,
here it is (EDIT March 6, 2021):
(https://www.modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1666313)

Another photo of the original:
(https://www.modelforum.cz/download/file.php?id=1644667)

Photos are from http://airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak.html (http://airfield.narod.ru/yak/yak.html)

Regards,
   66misos

Nice work Misos. I suggest to move the fuselage star a bit forward.
Regards
Massimo

Excellent work on that profile, Michal!

Best Regards,

Jason