Sovietwarplanes

Just for information.  I don't suppose anyone on this forum would wish to be in the same room as an Airfix Il.2, and if they did it would be only to snaffle the Mongolian option for themselves.  So there's no point in asking for a spare set, is there?

my copy only has markings for Chapaevtsi

Is that the new re-release? My information may be wrong.  Looking at the website, there are clearly two options, but the lower one isn't clear.

It's a long time since I've had an Airfix Il. 2, which was lost with the rest of my early kits when I left home.  Just how unsalvageable is it, really?

my copy says 'Airfix-72' 1/72 scale kit series 2.
on the side of the box it says 'Pattern no. 293'
does that help any? I know very little about the production of Airfix kits.
this one has Chapaevtsi in Green/Dark Green camo with yellow-bordered stars and check this out the decal sheet says 'Ilyushin Il-3 Stormovik' and the box says Il-2M3.
I have looked on the kit parts,instruction sheet, decal sheet and box and can find no date whatsoever.
I did see photos of a completed kit on the 'net a while back but , I can't recall the URL right now.
aircraft resource center ?

If you didn't buy it very recently, it can't be the re-release. I suspect from the number and the description that it is the old one.  The alternative in the re-release is a white-tailed Soviet aircraft.

based on the description it sounds like 'the old one' to me.
and I found that review I was talking about-it seems to be the re-issue.
if you look past the garish paint scheme you will see the flaws in the kit.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal8/7701-7800/gal7712-Sturmovik-Aire/00.shtm

I've been thinking about getting that "IL-2" kit just for the purpose of obtaining the Mongolian markings.  The box art included on Hannants clearly shows the Mongolian version.  Since the kit is reasonably cheap (and rightfully so!), I may just buy it for the decals.  Has anyone seen the decals in question, and are they worth buying the kit for?  By the way, nice to see some familiar names on this site like Graham Boak, marluc, DGM, John Thompson, mholly, KL, etc.

Regards,

Learstang

OK, I gave in and bought it for the transfers, Toko-bound.  Now can anyone confirm the colour scheme of dark green over light blue?

It is about 50 years since I last looked at the Airfix kit, so I decided to consider it as a challenge, and see what actually could be done with it.  The fuselage is workable - it's only a little too round and too deep.  Had the plastic parts been as thick as the new Airfix Hurricane that wouldn't have mattered at all, but it is livable with - the depth, that is.  The cockpit's too short but I've a Falcon canopy set spare, so the most diffficult part would be beefing up the nose.  OK, done that plenty of times on Hurricanes.  Spinner's not too bad but prop is awful - spare from Revell Hurricane should do.  Wheels too small - OK, I've a couple from the SMER Ski variant.  Plenty of spare weapons. 

Then I turned to the flying surfaces - oh dear!  about 30% short on chord of wings and tailplanes.  I suspect that kills any idea of bodging it.

My apologies to those to whom this is familiar, but as i said, I haven't seen the kit for 50 years.  I knew it was bad, but not the details.

It's brave of you, Graham, to even consider trying to rescue the Airfix kit!  I'm afraid that unlike the Mikro/Plastyk/Mastercraft kit, it is totally irredeemable.  I've seen one picture of the Mongolian Shturmoviks, and they do appear to be green over blue.  At least, that's the safe way to go.  Here's a link to a couple of profiles on Wings Palette - http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/a/264/34/0 (note that one of the profiles has our old friend brown and green as the topsides colours - I wouldn't go by that).  I'll be interested to hear how the decals work out, before I go and buy the Airfix kit.  Good luck with it, and post some pictures when you have it done (or even as you're building it)!

Regards,

Learstang

By the time I get around to making it and putting the transfers on, the Airfix kit will have been long gone from the shelves!  Long term project, I'm afraid.

If you are good enough and work hard enough, no kit is beyond redemption

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234916059-airfix-il-2-sturmovik-the-hard-way/

I'd seen that.  Pretty amazing what that chap did.  It actually ends up looking like a proper Shturmovik!

Regards,

Jason

Funny

this was a topic on Britmodeller today
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234935930-any-pictures-of-mongolian-il-2s-out-there/

Here's an edit of my post

I have seen various profiles, with fanciful coloured markings.  The pics looks like a single colour behind the mongolian symbols are in white of a soild colour background, red would be a good guess.

The two profiles I know of are
(http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/264/pics/34_1.jpg)

(http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/264/pics/34_1_b1.jpg)

Neither of which I'd trust. 

the pic is taken from the side port side, as in the top profile.  These are based on the photo, or Bort 24 BTW.

Done at 300 dpi, but then had some gaussian blur added to take out the dot screening.  In the book the contrast a a little better.

(http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu181/hurricanebuild/Il-2Mongolian_zpsd4c5b80d.jpg)

Remember NEVER trust a profile without the photo!

I'd suggest a standard VVS scheme,

eg this one, but it's hard to tell due to the shadow on the cowling of the prop blade and mechanic!

(http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/il-2/il2-camo/il-2m/template2c.jpg)

with red patches like the top profile, and white symbols number like the 2nd profile. 
The reason, was not the Mongolian AF essentially a Soviet puppet force? So all equipment would be basically Soviet?

I'll not looked at the IL-2 pages here properly to see if I can work out what factory/details, but this may get done by someone else.

I'm not sure from the pic if it's a straight or arrow wing Il-2. 
From the wing shadow,  I'd suggest arrow wing [Jason, opinion?]

I'd suggest a standard VVS scheme, note camouflage on nose, with red patches like the top profile, and white symbols number like the 2nd profile.

I can see no evidence of the blue/red.  The spinner could well be in the underside colour.  There may be stripes on the rudder, or they could be repairs. Or remains of VVS markings.

Should this be here, or a new thread?

cheers
T

Actually, Troy, Massimo has done a profile of a Mongolian Il-2 with the standard VVS three-colour scheme.  Since they were supplied at the end of or slightly after the war, they were undoubtedly arrows.

Regards,

Jason

(http://i768.photobucket.com/albums/xx323/Learstang/il2m3-bp-fl-am-3view-mongolian_zpsf6423c0f.jpg)

DOH! how did i miss that!

Where on the site is this? 

thanks
T

To be honest, Troy, I don't think it is.  Massimo made it for my book.  Since it's not VVS, it looks like he has not posted it on any of his Il-2 research pages.

Regards,

Jason

Hi Troy and Jason,
the plane was certainly an arrow built in Z.18 because the flushed fairing of the gun is recognizable.
This is not the latest version of the drawing: the marks on the fuselage should have a narrow division part. Jason, I have to send to you the latest version.
By the way, when will your book be published?
Regards
Massimo

That's very exotic.
I like that one.
Another for your book Jason. :D

Massimo, I'm still waiting on the Tamiya 1/72nd scale model to review.  After that, it's some tidying up and re-reading and proofing and it's ready.  I've just received some very nice photographs of the flyable Il-2 (Flying Heritage Musuem), so I have all my photographs of the still existing Shturmoviks.  By the end of June it will be available in e-book format, at least.

Regards,

Jason

Here is the latest release.
(http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/il-2/il2-camo/postwar/il2m3-bp-fl-am-3view-mongolian.jpg)
Jason, I'm sending the updated file.
Note that it has the ring aerial characteristic of metal rear fuselages, and the same style of flushed tail wheel fairing characteristic of Z.1.
Regards
Massimo

Hi Massimo

Neat work.   
Any reason you went for underwing stars as opposed to the Mongolian insignia?

 I has a search earlier to see if I could fine photos of other WW2 era Mongolian planes [Yak-9, I-16] to see if any idea about marking practices in general but nothing turned up.

This was asked about on the thread on Britmodeller.  Anyone know more?

thanks
T

Hi Troy,
I've read some page (I don't remember well now) that at that time Mongolian planes preserved the red stars on the wings.
Regards
Massimo

Troy, if I squint really hard at the photograph you provided, I can just about convince myself I see a faint star.  Anyone else see anything, or are my medications wearing off (or kicking in, as the case may be)?

Regards,

Jason