Yak-3 Yakimenko

[Audrius]

hello
it is nice pictures of Yak-3 indeed!!

Particularly this Yak-3 of Yakimenko depicts the colors of a special avia group "Metch" (Sword) formed in the 150 GIAP at the outcome of the Kursk battle. However originally group "Metch" has consist not of Yak-3 but Yak-9.

Most probably this particularly picture of Yak-3 with the so nice camo was taken in end of summer 1944 when Yakimenko already was a commander of 151 GIAP during the battle Yasy.

The cowling was painted in red that is for sure. I was happy to talk to a pilot of 150 GIAP that time as well a member of group "Metch" : Muratov Vladimir.
So he confirmed to me that the cowling was in red of all 13 fighters of the group. The color of the spinner in the group "Metch" and in particularly the one of Yakimenko Yak-3 most probably is red as well. However Muratov told me that the colors of spinner were different from esquadrille to esquadrille inside 150 GIAP:

1st wing: white (under question as Muratov was not completely sure)
2nd wing: red
3rd wing: yellow

My conversation with Muratov has happened in 2005/2006 , so would be grateful if any could sure more updated info on this subject!

Happy New Year!
Audrius

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Audrius, 
happy to have your news!
About this Yak: is it possible that there are two shades of red, a usual red and a cherry red? I've found a profile that depicts a kremlin star on the tail, so the use of a second darker red is possible.
Besides, the profile showed a kremlin star on the tail, where the photo shows a plain red star, while the one on the fuselage looks darker (for what one can see); isn't it possible that the kremlin star was on fuselage instead of on the tail, and the profile was traced on a vague textual description?
Massimo

[Dark Green Man]

Thank You Audrius for this additional information.
when I get around to my model of this plane I am glad that the nose is red.
that will look good!
this would also seem to indicate the photo was taken using a green filter.

I think Massimo's theory also has some merit , although I think that A-13 Red and AII Red are the more likely options.

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi, DGM

I think Massimo's theory also has some merit , although I think that A-13 Red and AII Red are the more likely options.

I wasn't thinking to A-13 and AII reds, that are nearly identical. None would make the work to paint a kremlin star with nearly identical colors.
I think to some cherry red as that seen on the tail number of the MiG-3 preserved in Veesiveehma depot, or on pieces of the Moskva plane preserved in America or, probably, on the prototypes of I-26 and LaGG-1.
It's unclear if such color was standardized (maybe for non-aviation purposes) or made by mixing red and black.
I hope that further photos of those planes will be published, allowing to clarify this interesting point.
Have an Happy New Year
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi,
here is my interpretation of red-nose Yak-3. This was my little side "project" together with other 3 kits in 1:48.



It started with this my kit:

It is original 1:72 kit from Kovozavody Prostejov I built some 25 years ago. It was painted dark green/dark brown (what a wonder ) and later served as a basement for weathering experiments.

Influenced enough by sovietwarplanes.com I decided to update it a bit and this picture was my inspiration:


There are different "hardware" imperfections (shape of the spinner, exhaust pipes...) and mistakes (legs of the main landing gears have wrong propensity...)
I broke away covers of landing gears and replaced them by PE parts.
I tried also to correct legs of the main landing gears but they started to break in different positions than I wanted. Final correction would require a lot more effort than intended so I left them as they were.

Old decals were removed, kit was sanded and sprayed with Mr. Gunze surfacer. Then AKAN acrylics AMT11/AMT12 grey + AMT7 blue were sprayed according to the "splinter" NKAP scheme.

I masked front fuselage and sprayed Revell 31 Red. It was quite similar to AKAN AII red.
Then I masked a star on the spinner and front fuselage sprayed with mixture of Revell 31 and Black. Mixed in bottle in the evening the final color looked quite good (dark red), even very similar to dark red flag decal on the tail. Next day morning fuselage unmasked and star on the spinner was very nice. But the color during the day light looked completely different - it was not dark red but brown.

So I masked it again and sprayed with Revell 34, which is a bit darker than Revell 31.


AML Decal were applied and all kit sprayed with mixture of Matt and semi gloss coat. Red front fuselage, red stars and red flag on the tail were polished a bit with floor wax.

Red star on the spinner is not so apparent now but still visible.



The final result is far from perfect but it looks much better on the shelf among other planes 







Regards,
     66misos

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos,
where are the decals from?
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,

decals are from AML Decals:


at http://www.aml.cz/index.php/en/decals-veterans-in-1-72-scale

They are very thin and require very carefull application. As you can see on my photos I was not carefull enough with the flag on the right side of the tail  However they cover well. And they exists also in 1:48 scale.

regards,
     66misos

[learstang]

Nice job redoing an old model!  I'm finishing up (I hope) redoing an old KP La-5FN that I originally painted in green/brown (redone now in the proper green/black).  It always feels good when you "save" an old model.

Regards,

Jason

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Misos, hi Jason,
if I don't miss, there is a product of Microscale to streghten the decals on the sheet. I wonder if any trasparent paint could do the same work.
Regards
Massimo

[66misos]

Hi Massimo,
I have no experience with strengthening decals. I take them as they are.
I like AML Decals although they require a very careful work. Even they are so thin white color covers very well. And because they are so thin they copy kit surface very well and even the smallest details (rivets, panel lines...) are visible through them.

regards,
     66misos

[learstang]

Massimo and 66misos, I use Model Masters Sealer for Metalizer by Testors.  It's a gloss clear coat that serves to strengthen thin decals like AML's, which I have used and I think are good decals.  I've also used this clear coat to strengthen Authentic Decals (by Olimp), which are also nicely-done, but rather fragile.

Regards,

Jason