Zvezda Yak-3s
Pain-free. Go slow, enjoy the build and mind the gunsight glass so the carpet monster doesn't eat it.
The blue decal for the spinner is poorly sized and if you use it, the decal won't conform no matter what decal setting solution you use. I just couldn't bear to spoil the Yak's sleek lines and build it with the engine exposed. I've still got the parts, though. I will probably build it up and display it separately if I'm bored.
Lt Marcel Albert, Normandie Niemen regiment.
The kit-supplied paint scheme for Savely Nosov's aircraft is apparently incorrect; I consulted this drawing from Savely Nosov himself and painted it thusly.
Weathering was, well, everything I had in my box! oils, tamiya panel line wash, sakura .05 drafting pens, pastels, MiG mud, abteilung pigments, watercolors... I think I even used a silver welding pencil! Gloss coating is Krylon workable fixatif, which, in addition to providing a nice not-too-shiny coat, also kills any bugs you have in your garage or wherever it is you spray it. It's pretty foul, make sure you use a heavy duty respirator if you can't spray it outside.
A pair of great builds, Wes.
I built one of a pair of the Eduard kits years ago and still have the other to do. If I didn’t have that one, I’d buy the Zevda kit.
I’d like to do a Normandie Niemen aircraft like yours.
Hiw did you come across the pilot’s diagram for the other one?
Liked x 2!
That was on Massimo Tessitori's website, from this article, specifically:
https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/yak3/misos/nosov/nosov.htm
There are some obvious discrepancies, like my kill marks are black and my fuselage number is white, versus the red kill marks and red fuselage number there, but such is the way with relaxing builds-- I just wanted a nice looking final product with hot red nose! 🙂
What a beautiful build. Well researched, and the weathering is just so spot on IMHO.
A beautiful pair of Yaks, Wes, great research and painstaking attention to detail have really paid off, definitely liked.
Two beautiful Yaks, Wes!
I had built two identical Col. Delfino's Eduards 15 years ago (one for a friend, one for me) and found them to be a pleasant experience (the prop hub was painted).
I've heard that the Zvezdas are the better kits.
They are, absolutely. If you don't bother with the engine you will be astonished how fast you're done with them. Use some fast-drying paint and you can easily bang one out in a weekend or less.
Fantastic builds, Wes.
As said by the above gentlemen, the builds are spot on.
Nice clean builds, Wes. What paints did you use for the camouflage on them?
Vallejo air arcylics. The red nose is on top of a white basecoat, and I achieved the scalloped bits by putting down some tamiya tape on the fuselage, drawing the scallop out on the tape with a soft artist's pencil, then inking in the "best line." Cut the scallop out with a fresh blade and spray.
Presto!
Typically 'Yakety-Yak' is not a good thing but this pair = Double thumbs up!
Both builds look excellent.
Love the red on the Savely Nosov Yak.
Great builds. Really like the head-on shot, really captures how sleek that airplane is. Liked.
Beautiful Yak-3's. I was just rereading some material about the potency of this Yak version last night, and reminiscing that the -3 I built is one of my first builds (an Airfix kit), and was thinking about stepping it up with a new build. These are both nice "research" options for a future build!
Two beautiful models of one of my favorite subjects. I really like these and definitely agree that the Zvezda kit is wonderful.
Two elegantly simple and straight forward kits in outline and design and two lovely ladies with two great paint jobs and both being tight, smart builds.
Two thumbs up Wes.
Like and appreciate the drawing and info provided by Savely Nosov. How often can you get historical info from the patriotic war from a direct source these days? Not very often given the passing of years.