I've received this kit and book a few days ago, then started familiarization with the kit immediately.
First nice impression is the surface itself. Not the usual smooth as glass Tamiya surface, but a barely sensable textured. This picture published on Hyperscale make the effect quite visable:
The panel lines are somewhat different than the usual Tamiya type deep and narrow channels, in this case very fine but definite lines. the rivets and hinges are simply gorgeous, almost forcing the modeler not to cover all these with a dull single tone paintwork, instead during the finishing steps make the final apperance more detailed.
The loctaion of the ejector pins are very well thought over. A fine example of this is the lower wing area:
the areas marked with an arrow are extra sprues that don't connect to the parts, instead the function of these is to facilitate the sprues leave the mould spotlessly by accommodating four ejector pins.
Dry fit test
We've pretty much got used to Tamiya parts are not splitting when removing off the sprues, but here there is another invention. On the major parts (fuelage,wings etc.) the attachment points are rectangular shaped instead of the old round type, and what is more important: these don't connect to the exterior surfaces of the model only to the glueing edges thus making it impossible to ruin the visible surfaces. The positioning pins are also rectangular shaped instead of the formerly used round ones.
The fit is fabulous. This particulary true when looking at the combined air intake + nose cover part:
This is a very difficult shaped part and connects to other kit part at several places, however it looks like the Philippine company done their homwework just perfect.
ArmamentI was very curious of the gunners machine gun, in my opinion in deed nicely detailed, especially built together with the holder and and ammunition:
This is supposed to be a 12.7mm UBT machine gun, but what the heck is the extra rod on top of the gas drainer chamber? Me personally never saw anything like this on any photo before, for example:
There are two different wing mounted guns included in the kit, that surprised me quiet much.
You can see on the left is the late type Il-2 specific, wing mounted Volkov-Yartsev 23mm machine gun, to right is the ShVAK machine gun. At this point I've started to became very curious, since this type gun was used in the early type straight wing Il-2s. And what even more interesting is the large fairing, that I've never seen before.
Paint & marking optionsTamiya offer 3 painting options for the kit:
First aircraft bearing a Kremlin type (two tone) red star, pilot is the Kazakh origin Ivan Pavlov, two times Hero of the Soviet Union (HSU) decorated, flown 237 mission. The aircraft was donated by the people of his native village together with 3 other airplanes. This states the script on the starboard of fuselage. This a/c is well documentated and photographed. The kit box art depicts the same.
The camouflage pattern reflects the #2 pattern, described in 1943.
The second option is also a famous aircraft:
Pilot was Vasiliy Michlik squadron leader, 309 mission flown, 2xHSU decorated. The fuselage script says: "Revenge for Krishtenko" and with "Za Leningrad" (for Leningrad) badge. More curiosty of this a/c is the 20mm ShVAK wing gun.
This camouflage pattern reflects the #1 pattern. In my opinion the fuselage pattern could be questioned, usually behind the gunner position used to be a larger dark grey (AMT-12) patch, that is shown as brown by Tamiya:
You can find this a/c in many publications (for example 4+), but me personally can not distungish the ShVAK guns nor the camouflage pattern clearly
Third option:
This is also based on #1 camouflage pattern.
The ID number on the wings and white markings on the tail fin makes are remarkable, but that's all. There hundred times more interesting options in this matter.
Decals and othersOverall the markings are looking all right, the red could have been a little more orangish in my opinion. Finally there is a canopy mask included in the box that is a worthy extra to me!
to be continued..
