Yak-9T 117 Giap. #81.

[barneybolac]

Any thoughts on colours and possible missing tail appearance & any other information on this aircraft?



http://afirsov.livejournal.com/8869.html?thread=30629

[Massimo Tessitori]

It has some vague resemblance to planes at pag.189 of SAFFC, but it's not the same.
I wonder if the central zig-sag darker line was intentional or made for accident during a repainting. I suppose it's in shades of grey. Some of the dark grey bands seem overpainted with medium grey-blue.
The line on the tail seems white with thin red contour. The part of the tail above it seems camouflaged. The numbers are plain white without any contour.
I suppose that victory stars and the circles around the spinner are white.
Regards
Massimo

[warhawk]

Hello,

This aircrfat was featured in a decal sheet made by Lift Here
724-LH ?Yakz 9″, Soviet Fighters in Yugoslavia, part 3 in 1/72



It is stated to have been stationed in Yugoslavia
https://lifthereserbia.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/724-lh-yakz-9-soviet-fighters-in-yugoslavia-part-3-in-172/

Although the profile represents a standard sheme, I believe I can see traces of over-painting on the photo you have posted
Maybe the original AMT-11 and -12 colors have faded, and the darker Gray was resprayed, but not covering all of the previous dark Grey.

Regards,
Aleksandar

[barneybolac]

Thank you all this is very helpful.
What caught my eye was the possibility of a third colour on the fuselage. So is this a Yugoslav squadron or Russian stationed there in the Balkans during the war?

[barneybolac]

Turns out this is not the first time this aircraft has been on the forums here. Also looks like the identification in the first link is wrong for the squadron based off the information below.

http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1267.0

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi,
this photo doesn't show the disuniformities in camouflage. Probably they are due to mere repaintings, and there are more glossy parts due to the newer or thicker layer of paint.
I'm in doubt for the spiral, it doesn't seem identical between photo and drawings. If it is a spiral, it is rotating in the other way, and don't seem extended to all the spinner.
Regards
Massimo

[barneybolac]

Hi,
this photo doesn't show the disuniformities in camouflage. Probably they are due to mere repaintings, and there are more glossy parts due to the newer or thicker layer of paint.

Regards
Massimo

I think I can explain the first photo with the strange mirror effect of the camo for the lack of a better term. I actually seen a painter at work today cause the same appearance that is on the aircraft.

The area on the aircraft that is darker in colour under the cockpit the edge was probably done with a hand held stencil or with tape and paper. Then when it was painted the painter was not careful & accidentally over sprayed the stencil/paper. When the paper/stencil was taken off it created a mirror image of the edge he wanted alongside the correct edge.

Also explains the lighter colour due to the fact it was not deliberately painted as heavy as it should have. I think in the second photo it is a darker image & is not showing the lighter wrongly sprayed area. You can still see the almost white looking splotch around the top of the star on the fuselage that are seen in both photos & just barely the white area on the right portion of the star in the darker photo .

[xan]

I would change yellow 81 by silver 81...
Xan

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi,
I don't think that the explanation of the mask is right. All the lines have the same degree of blending, it would be different if they used a mask. I think it's a question of how the paint is thick and glossy.
The idea of a silver number looks credible to explain the different look on the photos.
I suppose that the repaintings under the number were light blue. The one over the stars... who knows, maybe they hadn't time to clean and reload the air brush.
Regards
Massimo

[barneybolac]

Found a link on this unit with some other photos.

http://zaika70.livejournal.com/3069.html