The Toss Up: First Soviet Jets, MiG-9 and Yak-15

On April 24, 1946, both the MiG-9 and Yak-15 were ready to become the USSR's first jet aircraft. The MiG-9 flew first, allegedly on account of a lucky coin toss.

Both jets made use of salvaged German engines; while the MiG-9 was a new body, the Yak-15 repurposed the frame of the Yak-3. Both suffered from hot engine exhaust melting the underside of the rear fuselage, and both emplaced heat shields to deal with it. Neither jet saw much action: the MiG-9 participated in the blockade of Berlin in 1948, even though firing its cannon would tend to cause engine flameout. The Yak-15, meanwhile, found a cushy gig as a trainer: it handled much like the Yak-3, providing an easy transition from piston to jet aircraft for new pilots.

The Amodel kits are short-run and require a bit of care and patience. The MiG-9 needs considerable ballast, but not the Yak-15, which is a tail dragger. Rather than suffocate on enamel fumes, I matched colors to Vallejo and Tamiya acrylics. I had some fun layering Alclad metallics on the MiG-9 heat shield. Weathering involved enamel washes and oils, and some pigments. Thanks for looking!