Sovietwarplanes

I got my mits on one today, and it looks pretty good so far!

I haven't had a chance to compare it with other kits or with drawings yet, but the molding is very good, and reasonably clean.  The decals however look like the usual "trouble" I've come to expect from ICM.  Clear parts look good and thin.  More variants are on the way, as there are four different cowling choices in the box.  The only thing preventing construction of later versions (the kit depicts a series 4 aircraft..) is the lower-wing which presumably depicts the shape and position of the series 4 machine.

I have been thinking a series of parallel-builds might be fun, like the ICM LaGG alongside the same version from Vector, the SF La-5 with the Vector kit, and the La-5FN from both Vector and Zvezda.  Not to mention the two new Trumpeter MiG-3s!

Now would somebody get busy and re-do some Yaks?   :D

I'm looking to get one or two for myself but aftermarket decals would be required for me anyway.
not that ICM's decals are bad it's that they pick the same boring subjects as everyone else.
doesn't anyone want to build something interesting?

Eduard re-issued the Accurate Miniatures Yak-1 & Yak-1b kits if you are interested.

what I would really like are accurate kits in 1/48th scale for the Yak-9D and Yak-7b with improved vision canopy. ("Bubbletop")
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Regarding Yaks, it would be very welcome if someone would also produce a new, accurate, well-detailed Yak-1b, in 1/72 scale.

John

oh yes , that too!? :D
since I prefer to model in 1/48th scale that was where my head was at when I posted.
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Hi, i:)
it looks that the 1/48 scale can give much more satisfaction than 1/72 to Lavochkin lovers for a thematic collection.
Massimo

Hi Massimo!  :) Yes, I think you are right. The new 1/72 La-5 series from AML has really not made it any better in the smaller scale - these are difficult kits to build, with some accuracy problems. So, we are left with the old (but really quite good) KP La-5FN, and also the VES/Cooperativa/etc. "LaG-5", with its onion-shaped cowling.

John

I have several of the AM Yak-1s.  I've read conflicting accounts of their accuracy.  As noted before, I'm not too hard-core about such things, but to my eye, they've alwyas appeared a bit "stubby".  They are of course fine kits otherwise.  I even went out of my way to get one of the Eduard 1b boxings, just for the decals and extras.
 ;)

Hi John, :)
Any hope for a retooling? I've read contrasting things about the accuracy of different versions made by AML.
Unfortunately, Zvezda has already an ugly La-5FN 1/72 in its catalogue, else one could hope in a scalin down of their recent release.



Hi Greg, :)
yes, the AM looks a good model, even if its canopy looks a bit too wide to my eye.

Massimo

From the October 17/08 Hannants' new arrivals list (Eduard canopy masks):
EDEX257 1:48 LaGG-3 (designed to be used with Revell kits) ?3.99 ?3.40
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=EDEX257

"Designed to be used with REVELL kits"? Will Revell rebox the South Front or ICM 1/48 LaGG-3, or is it *another* completely new 1/48 kit, or is it a misprint?

John

Hi John  :)

It is a typo, on Eduard website is stated ICM kit.

Cheers
Libor

Hi Libor!  :) Thanks for the information - I hope everything is well with you!

John

Hi, :)
I've bought the ICM kit of LaGG-3 series 1-4, and it looks fully satisfying except for a thing: on one side of the fuselage the opening for canopy and rear windows looks out of register when compared to the surface details. An obvious error of moldmaking.
My question is: has anyone tried to assemble the model? One has to correct the surface details, or the opening itself?

Apart for this, it looks great.
I've seen yesterday the box and decals of type 9-11, and I was pleased for the decals of Mironov, with the black star and arrow as I drew on my profile page. I'm happy that it has been useful to someone.

Massimo

Hello Massimo:

I have the same kit and I like it,but it has several tiny sink marks (almost an ICM trade mark).I started to assemble it and found the same flaw in the rear side windows but I didn?t solve the problem.I think that the surface detail should be corrected but I?ll try to find a good set of plans to see if the window openings are correct.I want to finish it as one of Galchenko?s winter 1942/43 paint scheme based on your article.
Best regards:

Martin

Hi Martin, :)
thank you for the answer.
Have you tried a dry- assembling of the fuselage halves to check if the rear windows recesses are symmetrical, and if the canopy fits?
Massimo

No,I didnn?t;I will do the dry assembly and tell you howit looks.Best regards:

Martin

Hello Massimo:

I did the dry fit of the fuselage halves and think that the rear windows are not misaligned,the openings just need a light sanding and the surface lines should be filled with putty;hope it helps.I didn?t try neither the canopy nor the front windshield,I?ll do it as soon as the fuselage halves are glued together.Greetings:

Martin

Thank you Martin. Please, keep me informed.
Massimo :)

I haven't started on my pair of LaGGs yet, but I want to get started soon.
(I have the 'series 1-4' and 'series 7-11')

Thank You for your helpful advice , I will keep it in mind for when the time comes.
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Hello Massimo and Paul:

I?ve been working on the LaGG-3 and found some inacuracies.First,the above mentioned rear side windows:

(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/th_CopiadeDSC02903.jpg) (http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/?action=view&current=CopiadeDSC02903.jpg)
On the right half,the panel line sorrounding the window is misplaced.I glued the rear window to the left side and there is a bad joint (red circle),this was done after light sanding to the opening.

(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/th_CopiadeDSC02895.jpg) (http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/?action=view&current=CopiadeDSC02895.jpg) (http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/th_CopiadeDSC02899.jpg) (http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/?action=view&current=CopiadeDSC02899.jpg)
Bad joint at the base of the windshield (red arrows) and a strange step in the canopy rails (red circle).

(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/th_CopiadeDSC02902.jpg) (http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/?action=view&current=CopiadeDSC02902.jpg)
Panel line in front of the windshield on the right fuselage half (red arrows) don?t match the same line on the other half (purple arrows).
I added structure to the sides of the tail wheel bay and bottom of the cockpit side wall.
(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/th_DSC02904.jpg) (http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z27/marluc_foto/LaGG-3_ICM48/?action=view&current=DSC02904.jpg)

The kit has good surface details but many tiny sink marks on the fuselage side as a result of the inner structure of the cockpit interior.This is all by now,I?ve found moulding flaws on the ailerons underside but no photos yet.Best regards.

Martin

Hi Martin, :)
thank you for your advices.
Please, keep us informed on the fitting of the sliding shield. Do the strange discontinuities in rails affect it?
Massimo

Hello Massimo:


I really don?t know.I?ll leave the sliding hood opened so I?ll try it after the fuselage halves are glued together.Best regards:

Martin

This must be "open season" for LaGG's! I've been working (if you can call it that) on a Dakoplast 1/72 series 66 lately. If it's any help, here's the "LaGG-3 Question and Answer" pinned thread from Scalemodels.ru:
http://scalemodels.ru/modules/forum/viewtopic_t_1505.html

Regarding drawings, part of the discussion seems to be about a revised version of the well-known Voronin/Kolesnikov LaGG-3 drawings, apparently created by the participant whose name is "Paul_S". On page 8 of the thread there is a link to the following page, where (I think!) a download of his drawings is available, but you need WinRAR to open the files (I haven't downloaded that software myself, yet):
http://narod.ru/disk/8249282000/mygrafend.rar.html
(You have to do this in the original Russian version - there's "CAPTCHA" protection on the download page which comes up blank in the translated version. It uses only numeric characters, though.)

In the above thread you will see a few images from a book which credits the fine artwork to someone named Massimo Tessitori, and also some links to this Tessitori fellow's sovietwarplanes.com web site... ;)

John

Thanks for sharing these links John,very useful information as usual.I?ve been using the LaGG-3 pinned thread as a reference for my build.Greetings:

Martin

Thanks again , John.
I've seen that forum page before ,but as has been said; it is a good reference.
(I'm downloading the diagrams right now)

as for Winrar...
there's an even newer one called 7zip that does zip .Rar and the new Z7 files that I found on a Russian download site.
(tons of books there!)

so I think it is high time you finally added Winrar to your computer.
:)? :)
(just some more teasing!)

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Hi DGM - so, which do you recommend, WinRAR or 7zip? Since I don't plan to do anything more complicated than downloading and opening a few files, I suppose either one would do.

The Russian download site you mention - is it Farposst? I stumbled across another one which had almost every one of the Mushroom Modeller books on it (including Massimo's MiG-3 book) but I seem not to have bookmarked it; probably just as well, since it's best not to encourage the really glaring examples of copyright infringement!

John

Winrar will unzip .zip and .rar files ,but 7Zip will also do the 7Zip files .
7Zip is more flexible and very easy to use.
it was available as a free download , but I can't remember where now. oops my bad!
recently I also found a free download for .DJVU files (high resolution images) as Farposst (SHH! keep that quiet) uses those ,too.

as for copyright infringement... some of the books I am looking for are in the Russian language from Russian publishers (usually) and some cases no longer in business.
also , I am not aware of any distribution method from Russia to the USA.
(I have gotten lucky a few times on ebay)
it is not that I am trying to cheat publishers of the 'proper payment for services rendered' it's that I do not know of another way to see the contents of those books.

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Hi all, :)
John, this is a very interesting link. There is some image I didn't know, maybe I could make some more profiles. Yes, very few LaGG-3s wear unusual camos, the painting was highly standardized.
I'll ask AR if he could kindly resume the news from this topic.
Personally, there is no problem if you download images from that site on the MiG-3 book. I don't know if it is still available on bookshops. Should I live with the profits of this book, I should close the web page on MiG-3.
However, they were the only ones honest enough to pay me for my work.
My profiles and images were utilized by other people for commercial use, sometimes  without even asking, or forgetting to pay what they promised.

Massimo.

Hello everybody:

I?ve found this review (part 1) and building article (part 2) of ICM Lagg-3:
http://www.ipmsusa2.org/reviews/Kits/Aircraft/icm_48_lagg-3/icm_48_lagg-3.htm

It looks like the decals are too fragile and the spinner red star decal on one of Galchenko?s options don?t fit correctly.But this article is not the only one with complaints about the bad quality of the decals.
Greetings:

Martin

I think everyone complains about ICM's decals - they are not very strong, and fall apart when you soak them or try to move them into place. They need to be strengthened with some kind of clear coating, like Microscale Liquid Decal Film.

John

I thought everybody knew that. :)

it's also amusing that people still think a certain series with have this or that.
just build it as an early series 5-gun,4-gun or 2-gun machine and call it a day!
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So, series number doesn't mean anything? Where did the idea of LaGG-3 series numbers come from? The first time I saw it was in Hans-Heiri Stapfer's "LaGG Fighters in Action" book; I very carefully listed all the key features as he described them and made myself a table comparing each of them. Now I'm disappointed... ;)

John

John

Hi, :)
I think that the origin of the commonly accepted division in series is from the drawings of Voronin, that report details of different variants listing the serie on which they appeared. This division was adopted by the Lagg-3 in action monograph, and is widely accepted even if it contains by sure some simplifications, as the absence of indications of how the non mentioned series were, or the influence of the plant of building.
I think that, in spite of the doubts, being this classification widely accepted and sintetic, it is useful all the same for our purposes.
Massimo

it amuses me to see that some seem to think they can determine a series (or better yet-factory)
from the size and shape of the exhaust baffle plates.
it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it changed size or shape within a series , and certainly would be different from factory to factory.
I simply know of no way to conclusively determine a specific series or factory from such a detail.

the wing root intakes are another area of amusement.
maybe there is a way to determine series or factory from such details , but how can you be sure?

these are features of a LaGG-3 that have very little importance to me so I don't worry if it is 'right' or not. I have more important things to think about.
(finding correct decals for interesting machines is a whole other nightmare.)
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A modeller (don?t remember the article,sorry) achieved a good result giving a coat of barnish to the decal sheet.
Greetings:

Martin