I-1 (IL 400b) ECM 1:72
Some 20+ years ago, I was a teenager walking his first steps alone in Santiago, capital city. I had built a Revell F15-E I bought in a school trip to Arica, full of mistakes but you know, what you build as a teen you love forever. Somehow I got to this new store, Mirax, which had a one meter long RC Airwolf helicopter hanging from the roof. Inside, rows of models. I bought there this ECM I-1 (IL 400b) just for buying something, because I really didn't have too much money. Some years later I spent there my first salary full buying a 2 meter RC glider "Sophisticated Lady" which I still have (broken). Anyway, I wasn't really excited about this I-1, so I store it at home and very soon forgot it.
The last year, sorting my kit stash, I jumped on this one. I though on giving it away to a dear friend, but then I though "what the heck, let's do this d**n thing".
Let me say that if the kit felt old, the result was beautiful, much more than I though. Was very easy to do and allowed me to try techniques to weather the engine area. Also, as this one should have to work in very rustic airfields, I added some mud to the undercarriage. I hope you like it.
Don't think I've ever seen one of those...doesn't look like something I'd wanna fly in, though. LOL
Neither did the russian testers. The IL 400a wasn't properly balanced.
This is the first monoplane build by the Soviets in the early 20-ies and one of the first successful projects of the young Polikarpov.
Therefore it is certainly a subject to model, especially for those interested in the history of aviation in its "booming" stage, when people started to use metal instead of wood or fabric and airplanes get a new, futuristic, shining look.
Yes, and the IL 400a was actually unable to fly because had too much weight in the tail and the first takeoff attemt ended in a quick jump and stall that destroyed the prototype.
Just the same that happened to my Sophisticated Lady 🙁
I wish I could remember/still had some of the kits I bought when I was a teenager, maybe some Bandai/Tamiya 1/12 F1 kits... anyway great memories, and a great build.
Looks very nice. Well done!
Love that early 20s "modern" looking stuff! We're a long way from there, all the more reason to model them. "You can't send that kid up in that crate!"