What the...?

[warhawk]

I came across this boxart - It says It's a Yak-7, but I dont know... LaGG-3 anyone?  Is the model any good or is it bad like the boxart?

[John Thompson]

What box art? There's no image! I'm really curious to see this - please try again!

John

[John Thompson]

Okay - NOW I see it! I don't know what happened before. Anyway, I believe this is a reboxing of a very old Yak-7 kit (not a LaGG-3) that's been reissued numerous times in the past under different brand names, or even no name at all. The thing that makes me somewhat unsure is the "Modelist" logo on the right-hand lower corner - several Dakoplast kits (Il-2, Yak-9) were at one time released in different boxes with the Modelist brand name. A few months ago, I was trying hard to obtain one of this Maquette version, just because Maquette kits usually have really good decal sheets, printed by Anne & Co. in St. Petersburg, but I was not successful. If you know where I can get one, please let me know!

(And yes, if I'm right, the kit I'm thinking of is a BAD kit! If you're after a GOOD Yak-7 in 1/72 scale, the Valom Yak-7b is a reworked, upgraded version of the Dako kit, although it's much more expensive. NKR Models in Australia has the Valom Yak-7PVRD on sale on their "Clearance" page at a huge price reduction, by the way.)
http://www.nkrmodels.com.au/

John

[TISO]

I'm also unshure becouse of Modelist logo. I have Modelist Yak-7B with the decals mentioned by John. It is a good Dacoplast kit. I do recommend Valom. It is improved Daco kit with resin parts. BTW Part PE set made for Daco's Yak-9 fits very vell into this kit.

[John Thompson]

Just released, from the new releases update from Hannants, the Valom Yak-7A:
http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=VAL72025

As I hoped, it includes at least one "Komsomol" decal option!

John

[John Thompson]

Valom Yak-7A, in better detail at Modelimex; seems the Novosibirsk Komsomol markings is the *only* decal option you get:
http://www.modelimex.com/detail/aircraft/1-72/1-72-yak-7a

John

[Dark Green Man]

...and they got the camoflage pattern wrong again !

the correct one is figure 7 on page 157 of
Soviet Air Force Fighter Colors 1941-1945
by Erik Pilawskii
ISBN 1-903223-30-x
http://www.classic-books.co.uk

[Renato71]

...and they got the camoflage pattern wrong again !

lol, I can actually imagine you stamping with foot and turning into even darker shade of (reddish-)green 

[John Thompson]

...and they got the camoflage pattern wrong again !

the correct one is figure 7 on page 157 of
Soviet Air Force Fighter Colors 1941-1945
by Erik Pilawskii
ISBN 1-903223-30-x
http://www.classic-books.co.uk

Thanks for that, DGM! For some reason, they've also thrown in a white numeral 9 for the tail. That might or might not be correct; the only good photo I've seen (the "lineup photo", Khabarovsk, 1942; Squadron?Yak Fighters in Action", page 26, among others) has the tail of this aircraft cropped off. All (or most of) the other a/c in this photo have white numbers, so a white 9 is a possibility, but it would be good to see a photo that confirms it. The other image of this a/c (the one with the MiG-3 in the foreground, page 161 of Erik's book), which must have been the source for Erik's profile on page 145 showing a red "03" just behind the fuselage star, might be a later photo taken after the numeral markings were changed from white to red and relocated from the fin to the side of the fuselage, possibly? Or maybe the *red* markings came first?

Anyone who's interested in this subject can go here for some good information:
http://www.airwarfareforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=7210

John

[Dark Green Man]

...and they got the camoflage pattern wrong again !

LOL, I can actually imagine you stamping with foot and turning into even darker shade of (reddish-)green

LOL !? actually my reaction was not that strong.
more like hanging my head and uttering a sigh
but you are proving to have a very fun sense of humor
(what do we expect from a 'puddy tat')

John, since there are only 8 aircraft in this Eskadrilya (two Zvenos) how can there be a 9 ?
(you can just turn it upside-down to make a 6 as only the 4,5,7 and 8 machines seem to have tactical numbers on the fin)


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[John Thompson]

John, since there are only 8 aircraft in this Eskadrilya (two Zvenos) how can there be a 9 ?
(you can just turn it upside-down to make a 6 as only the 4,5,7 and 8 machines seem to have tactical numbers on the fin)


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Good thinking; I was considering the "6" option as a possibility, although without the logic that you have applied to the issue. Or, considering that the same aircraft (or one with the same inscription, at least) shows up in the other photo (and Erik's profile) with the red "03" marking, perhaps a white 3 would have been correct for the occasion of what I keep calling "the lineup photo" (I know - *both* photos are lineups - I mean the one with the a/c in question, "Novosibirskiy Komsomol", in the immediate foreground, with the fin/rudder not visible).

John

[John Thompson]

Well, I finally tracked down the kit that started this thread (the Maquette 1/72 Yak-7A) at Hannants, and placed an order. I *hope* they'll be able to deliver - it's listed as "Limited Availability". I haven't ordered from Hannants in ages - their 30 Pounds Sterling minimum order limit is kind of discouraging when most other on-line shops are happy just to have your business, big or small. Anyway, I added in enough other VVS odds and ends to drag the total value up to the limit, so I'll post a few comments on the Maquette kit when it arrives. The decals better be *good*, because I'm 99% sure that the kit itself is utter crap! 

John

[John Thompson]

My Hannants order arrived today; in it was the Maquette 1/72 Yak-7A kit which was the original topic of this thread. First of all, the kit itself is the old (pre-Glasnost) Russian kit mentioned elsewhere in this thread, not a reboxing of the Dakoplast Yak-7, so that's what I expected; however, I bought it hoping that the decals would be as good as the ones in some of the other Maquette reissues, and on this I was not disappointed! They are printed in three colours (red, white, and yellow); five options, four being Yak-7B's and only the fifth a Yak-7A, but it's a great one:

- Yak-7B, "White 29", A.A. Matveev, 29 GvIAP, Leningrad Front, spring 1943
- Yak-7B, "Red 65", no pilot, white camouflage, 1943; has extensive Russian slogan on both sides of fuselage (This option was included in the Dakoplast Yak-7B)
- Yak-7B, "White 28", no pilot, 3 GvIAP, 1943 (Could they mean 3 IAK? This aircraft has a nose emblem similar to the 812 IAP "Dragon's/Bird's Wing" emblem)
- Yak-7B, "White 14", A.V. Chirkov, 29 GvIAP, Leningrad Front, May 1943
- Yak-7A, "White 7, Komsomol Kuzbassa", Khabarovsk, spring 1942 (exactly what I was hoping for!!!)

I haven't checked anything to confirm the accuracy of any of these markings, but the decals are of high quality (printed by Anna & Co.), and if you're interested in this aircraft, I strongly recommend you track this kit down while it's still available - toss the kit, but use the decals on a Dako or Valom Yak-7!

John

[Dark Green Man]

- toss the kit, but use the decals on a Dako or Valom Yak-7!

we can always count on you for good advice !
you know, I just might do that as it is available through Squadron.com for next to nothing.
originally I was not going to buy it as I was also sure it was the "Velem" kit as I call it , but with excellent decals by Anna & Co. it would be worth it because I want to do A.V. Chirkov's plane.
(who do I have to kill to get these in 1/48th scale ?) *****just kidding*****
(I have one of these kits and it has "Velem" written on the box , sometimes it comes in a box with no name on it - that fits it perfectly)

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[John Thompson]

we can always count on you for good advice !
you know, I just might do that as it is available through Squadron.com for next to nothing.
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Heaven knows, I try...? ? Are you sure Squadron has it in stock? I tried there a few months ago, and at the time it was listed but not available. It seems to be a rather rare kit, so I didn't expect it to be restocked, especially now that Maquette is apparently out of business. Maybe I'll order a few more... 

John