Sovietwarplanes

hello,

more good news: the series production of new SB by ICM 1/72 has been started. Such news were announced on Russian forum.
At the start there are two models : "Spanish" SB 2M100 and VVS SB 2M-100A. Next will be "german" i.e. captured, imho.

Here are the boxart of the first two:
(http://www.vif2ne.ru/smf/forum/files/M-hobby/SB-2M-100.jpg)
and
(http://www.vif2ne.ru/smf/forum/files/M-hobby/SB-2M-100A.jpg)

And there is the model presented by ICM on the Nuernberg-2006 fair:
(http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2006/Bilder/IPMS_036.jpg)
(c) http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de

More planned releases you could find here:
http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2006/Nuernberg_2006.html

BR Audrius

Hi Audrius, :)
happy to read you again. Thank you for your link.
The news of ICM are extremely interesting. I didn't imagine the Ki-10. The most interesting thing looks to be a LaGG-3 in 1/48! And a lot of Dornier in 1/72.
Who knows if they will release an SB 2M103 too? I fear they won't. Who knows if it's easy to move engines from an MPM kit?
The list of news is a true mine. I am surprised to see Italian boats in 1/35 and 72 made by Italeri.

Massimo

hello Massimo,

> The most interesting thing looks to be a LaGG-3 in 1/48!

On the net I have found the ICM catalogue for 2006 in Russian. Thus I captured the only page regarding Lagg-3. Have a look:
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f301/senux/Lagg3ICM1-48Newkit48091.jpg)

Doesn't make any thought for you regarding camo?  ;D

Best wishes
Audrius

Hi Audrius, :)
great! Yes, I think to have already seen that camo!
I hope that they will produce all the family.
Could you give the link to the catalogue, please?
Massimo

Hi Massimo,

link:

http://scalemodels.ru/modules/mydownloads/

By the way, ICM have declared LaGG-3 1ser., and Galchenko's plane represented in their catalogue if I am not mistaken was later series (3 machine guns and a gun).

Sergey.

hello friends,
here by link you can have a glance inside the kit's box: http://www.dishmodels.ru/dis_main.htm?p=e936&mode=1
it is posted on russian modeling site: www.dishmodels.ru

At first glance it looks nice. But judging from the quantity of details and how the model is divided into parts (fuselage) it will require time and skills to assemble.

BR Audrius

Massimo, since the link given by KSL is on russian page, I thought the enclosed picture will make clear where to press in order to download the ICM catalogue:
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f301/senux/howtodownloadtheICMcatalogue.jpg)

Regarding the model of Lagg-3. KSL is true- ICM is announcing Lagg-3 of 1st series but the Galchenko's Lagg is of the later series of course! A slite errror  ;)

BR Audrius

Hi Audrius, hi Sergey, :)
having a look to the scomposition of pieces of SB, I think that they will release the trained and the plane with 2-M103.  The rear fuselage and the central part of wing are divided. Besides I think to see a small windshield for the trainer in the clear sprue.
Here is a good new! I didn't hope this.
Now I have to see what to do with my MPM kits, probably they wll be inferior in all respects.
Dishmodels looks a good site.
I'm downloading the ICM catalogue now. Thanks
Massimo

Regarding SB with M103 you are right. Such obtion was assumed making the master-model, as reliable source informed.

As well, regarding the boxart of the "spanish" version of the kit- SB 2M100 nr.5- unfortunately but the artwork in the red band on the fuselage has no any proof, moreover there is not known any picture depicting such camo. Be aware! ;)

BR Audrius

Hi, :)
I've bought the kit, only the Spanish version at the moment. It looks very fine. I hope that the trasversal junction line on the fuselage will not ruin the panels too much. Maybe it was better to move it on a position where it can be masked by the turret vane or the bomb vane.
Massimo

I found just one yesterday in my hobby store, lurking behind the towering piles of P-51s and Fw190s on display. Price roughly 10 GBP -is this a good price to pay for it?

As a side-note, there was a huge glass cabinet on display in the shop representing 'WW2 airpower'. Thus, I counted amongst the many spitfires, mosquitos, Me 262s and warhawk models -one Mitsubishi Zero, one Fiat and..no VVS models at all. Not one.

Says something about western perceptions and whatnot maybe.

Answers on a postcard to the usual address. : /

Hi Ioaea, :)
I paid 16 euros for it, it seems about the same value.

About Soviet weapons... well, in the tank matter it's even worse.
Let's consider T-55 and T-62: how many of them can we find with Israeli markingsin the model shows ? How many of them are reproduced with Syrian, Egypitian or Iraqui markings as burned wrecks?
And the T-34: from what one can find on model shows, don't you suspect that it is a German tank? >:(

Massimo

Quite right, Massimo, although I'll take your word for it regarding tanks, I don't know tanks.

Isn't there a boxing of a La-5 in luftwaffe colours though? Italeri? Why?

So anyway, after my last post, and having business in town, I did a mini-poll of three reasonably large model suppliers based here. I found that of all 72nd scale ww2 subjects available, there was a single SB and two Il-2 sturmoviks (Eastern Express) all in just one of these shops. Post ww2, soviet airpower is better catered for. Mig 15s, Su- 7s and whatnot are more readily available; something like a dozen of these types for sale (out of, say, two hundred items). Additionally, one Cant seaplane for Italian airpower and a couple of (very pricy) Tamiya Japanese bombers was all I could find for what seems to me two more niche modelling markets in the west.

All of this is interesting on a number of levels, whether we look at supply and demand in this industry or a less tangible notion of western perceptions of the ww2 airwars, which for many goes perhaps something like this:

Battle of Britain ->African campaign ->Pacific War ->B17s over Europe ->D-day ->Early jets and weird nazi prototypes.

A russian collector's display may very well be utterly different, of course. I'd like to learn more about such a display.

So, we need to get out there and deluge the SMAKRs and ARCs on the web with our subject matter. Set up a link exchange with the japanese and italian air modelling groups, or something, for mutual promotional purposes. Just publicise our 'specialised' hobby a little more -it wouldn't hurt, that's for sure, as long as we're agreed that there is no political agenda on hand. Remember, for some, the hammer and sickle is as every bit as offensive as the swastika.

All things to dwell upon.

Comments appreciated and welcomed.

Adieu!

A good and thoughtful post, Ioaea! As a keen enthusiast of Russian GPW aircraft in 1/72, I'm constantly disappointed that decent kits of these fascinating aircraft are so rare - I'd be embarrassed to admit how many Cooperativa LaG-5 and Toko LaGG-3 kits I've butchered, trying to create a more accurate La-5, and this was a *very* significant fighter of that era. If we did not have Amodel and ICM releasing the occasional one, we'd be depending on reissues by EE or Gran (for example) of older "cottage industry" kits from gone-but-not-forgotten sources like Dakoplast and VES. To my (perhaps prejudiced) eye, the camouflage schemes and individual markings of Russian pilots/aircraft are far more attractive and interesting than those of any other WWII air force. In fact, with due respect for the enthusiasts of Japanese and Italian kit subjects, I would suggest that the emphasis/interest of companies like Hasegawa, or even Italeri, runs more like:
German>British>US>Japanese>Italian>>>>Russian!

John Thompson

Hi,  :)
there is a long history of Italian planes and tanks shown with German markings on Italeri boxes: BR-20, semovente 75/18 etc. There are even two boxes of 1/35 soldiers that were sold as "Axis paratroops" and "axis attack forces" that were originally produced as Italian paratroops and Italian Bersaglieri. Ridiculus, isn't it?
The first box of the new CR-42 of Italeri has German marks, we have to wait for a box with Italian markings.
Their original name was Italaerei, then changed it into Italeri, some years ago I feared that their next name could have becomed Germaneri.
However, it would be wrong to cry now that, in recent years, Italeri has some new interest for Italian vehicles and planes.
About Japanese modelling sites: I know an excellent one in English. Probably there are a lot of excellent ones in Japanese language, but...
For Italian sites, it can be easier. At least I can translate.
I would add that French AF and other European AFs can be interesting. There is at least one good site on Yugoslav AF in English.

Massimo

* That's very humorous, that is. Got me laughing over my cornflakes.

Well, John and Massimo --whilst having me breakfast, I had a poke around at the WW1 modellers group site (have you looked at some of the work there? Some of the larger scale aircraft/engines/dioramas are works of art in themselves. Incredible) *And* they have a mailing list...hmm. It's all self-contained and self-sufficient, a marvellous resource indeed, as Mr. Matt Bittner will attest to.

So we here have this excellent forum (and the other VVS one) and it's well-publicised enough, and from what I see in the uppermost sub-forum here we're about to get a face-lift of some kind and available in more than one language. It'll be good. But we can do more, as suggested. Send out some reviews to the other a/c modelling sites just to let 'em know that there was life before the MiG 15. Let folk spend a few euros on examples they might never have heard of before -it has to be good -more exposure to the wares of ICM, Amodel and who-have-you, as well.

As for link exchanges -sure, why not? We shouldn't overlook any other 'niche' category (ww2 french aviation and so forth) but the japanese aircraft site and Italian a/c equivalent are sure candidates (let's hope Italeri do more over the years ahead). Seeing as this is somewhat of an expensive hobby, greater *choice* and more variety for people unaware of ww2 aircraft that don't feature heavily in western history books would be both fun and productive, I believe.

Edit: Giving up cornflakes. Compels me to type long posts. : /

Hi Ioaea, :)
your idea about niche site interlinking is interesting.
About writing reviews for other better known sites: this would be good too, I think that its publicity effect would exceed that of the publication of the same work on our own site.
I hope that the work on the rebuilding of the main site will proceed. My part of the site will be excluded from this reorganisaiton, simply because it is already too large to be modified without an HUGE work.

Massimo :)

But it will still be readily accessible, right? Let's hope so.

Hi, :)
yes, it will be accessible from the main page of the main site, exactly as today.
It would be nice to have its translation in Russian, but it's a too huge work to ask to anyone.
Massimo

Hi folks,
I know, it's an old topic. But I think my question fits in here: It's regarding the old MPM kit of the SB (in 1/72). Often I have read that this kit has a serious and unfixable issue with its fuselage cross-section. But honestly - I can't see it. ??? I compared the kit to photos of the original thing as best as I could, but if there is any difference at all, it's hardly noticable. Even when holding it against the plans in Maslov's book I cannot notice anything - actually the outline accuracy of the MPM kit seems to be quite good. Built-up examples give the same impression to me.

Please, can someone enlighten me here? Am I that blind? I do not want to throw my MPM kit in the trashcan just because the internet says so and against my own observations ...

Cheers,
Christian

Hi Christian,
I have the impression of a too rounded section, should be more flat on the sides. But I haven't examined  the kit deeply.  Perhaps it's easier to fix this problem if one utilizes it for an USB scratbuilding the nose.
I remember to have compared the old Frog to the same drawings, and looked surprisingly accurate for its age.
Regards
Massimo

Ah ok, you are right - it's the nose section! I always looked at the centre and aft fuselage. The cross section at the point were the nose glazing is fitted should be a little flattened at the sides, instead it's a perfect circle. This is hard to fix indeed, especially with this vac-formed clear part. Hmm ... will see what I can do about it - Thanks Massimo!

You're welcome.
If you convert it into an USB, I would like to see it.
There are interesting photos of USB painted green and blue with silver nose, or of silver ones with green/blue nose. All the nose was a separate kit that could be fitted to any variant of SB.
As a possible alternative, a vacuformed glazing for the Frog is produced by Falcon and perhaps Paula. Probably it is better shaped, even if I can't assure this.

Regards
Massimo

MPM Tupolev SB-2 model does have serious problems with fuselage cross section!!!  Nose cross section is circular while in reality it was pear shaped.  Nose is also visibly shorter than it should be.  Entire fuselage is wider than it should be.  All transparencies are wider than in reality.  Pilot's cockpit canopy is 100% useless, rear gunner's canopy is probably too shallow.

When compared with ICM model, there are differences in engine nacelles and wing trailing edge geometry.  Those are probably wrong  in MPM's kit too...

Why are you wasting your time with this (expensive!) model when much superior (and cheaper!) ICM model is available?

MPM's SB bomber:
(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/116/301922146_ff2ccd4425.jpg)

(http://www.modellisti-it.org/oldsite/Galleria/Aerei/WWII/Sb2/MPM%201-72%20-%20Stefano%20Foresti/SB2%20-%20Stefano%20Foresti%2005.JPG)

ICM SB bomber:
(http://static.imodeler.com/uploads/2013/10/012-800x582.jpg)

(http://www.hyperscale.com/2009/galleries/p7hg_img_81/fullsize/sb272jk_3_fs.jpg)
 

Because I have it in my stash. ;D And probably because ICM doesn't offer an M-103 version. Perhaps I also like a challenge. And @Massimo: Yes, the Falcon vacform pieces are better shaped (and also clearer and thinner than their MPM counterparts). I have them here I and will try to marry them with the MPM kit. Of course the entire forward fuselage section has to be modified (and lengthened, yes), but I think it's managable. USB conversion - who knows? Maybe if I ruin the Falcon parts ^^ Will definitely post photos if I get it done.

Anyway, thank you both for your help! Very appreciated!

Christian