Quick! What was the most produced Allied fighter...

Quick! What was the most produced Allied fighter of WW2? Since this is an article on Yaks, I guess I gave the answer away already. Yep, Aleksandr Yakovlev's Yak series, about 35,700 being put together by 6 factories. Now 2000 or so were built post-war, so this may be very close to the Messerschmitt 109 series numbers, for the overall title. Anyway 33 seven is a LOT of Yaks by any account, this alone would lend it fame if it was not a War winner already. So when I think about it, I am a little surprised at how under-represented the Yak is in model form. Yes there are some, from the old Airfix Yak 9 to Acc min's 1/48 yak 1's to ICM's series. In 1/32 there are even less, Special Hobby's Yak-3 and Silver Wings resin Yak 9 being it. Now we have ICM's 1/32 Yak 9, big gun fighters, Yak 9T and K.

When I first spied this Yak at the LHS I was like, Wow. Looking at it I saw it was a Yak 9T. What is that? It seems the T and K were big gun cannon armed versions, the T packing a 37 mm and the K a monster 45mm. Well looks like ICM is doing what a lot of these outfits do, and releasing the "lesser" versions first, before the main versions. I was going to get it anyway and glanced at the price tag. Wow again, 119 smackers. No way no how, so back on the shelf it went. I imagined this had something to do with the war going on over there, but this was out of my financial arena, it's not a Tamiya after all.

So home I went and looked thru my liberry, and remembered I had a nice big tome on "The Yakovlev Fighters" I had got at a show years back, from my buddy and iModeller Kevin Batterman. Here was a trove of info on these beauties.

The Russkies were interested in making a tank buster out of something to deal with those pesky panzers, and had on hand a design team to make one. The Nudelman-Suranov NS-37 was an excellent weapon with a high rate of fire and muzzle velocity. To drop it into a Yak-9 required moving the whole cockpit and canopy back to make room for the weapon and it's ammo, giving this version a distinctive look. It also necessitated strengthening all the gas and oil and coolant connections as these tended to shake loose when the blaster went off! The lash-up turned out to be a success and about 3200 were made up till war's end. Even though carrying only 32 rounds, they were popular, as the Yak's excellent handling was little effected, and one hit was enough to whack down an opponent. Oh, and it could knock out a Panzer, if hit in the hind quarters. The standard 12.7 mm machine gun was still carried also. My interest was now cemented, and I found a kit online for half the LHS price and had it sent along.

ICM's new 1/32 series has been good. I have done the Polikarpov I-153 and I-16 before this one. They are quality well molded items, along the lines of the Hasegawa 1/32's, but a step below Tamiya. Interiors are simplified, and surface detail also, no tons of rivets here, although the wooden winged Yaks were kind of smooth except for the gas tanks underneath. There is plenty of room for super-detailers and aftermarket suppliers, if they are interested. I had to order etched seat belts, but basically did the rest Out of box. I used RLM 02 grey for the basic interior color. There is a selection of control wheels and handles, which I painted according to that definitive source, the IL-2 computer game. Yellow and red details spiced up the pit. I had to scratch my own gunsight as the kit part tweezer launched into the

cosmos. Fit on most parts is very good, I can't recall having fit trouble with anything. Highly unusual.

For paint, I ordered the Hataka orange line (lacquer base) paint set for Soviet fighters, early war, as I wanted to do a black/green one. 3 other decal options are provided for later gray/grey Yak T's. The B/G option was an early T used at Kursk by the 812 IAP (fighter regiment) which used as a unit device a "speedbird" marking which I find snazzy. Also temporarily in my possession is another reference, "Soviet fighter colors 1940-45." stolen from my Kid, which is a very detailed look at paint types and camo patterns for all the Russian WW2 fighters. According to this, the Yak 9 T's used a pattern from very early Yak 7's for some reason, which I copied slavishly, including the cool "double ramp" underside line for the blue. I am always playing with new glosscoats and this time I used Tamiya XF-22 thinned with Mr. Color self levelling thinner.. I even bought a 0.5 nozzle and needle for my Iwata Neo, trying to get a bigger spray pattern to avoid any "orange peel". I was only partially successful. The search goes on. Decals went on very well, helped by the fact they were going on nice smooth surfaces. Most pics I see have Yaks sporting a semi-glossy sheen, so that was my basic overcoat finish.

Talk about good fit, the fer God sake clear parts even gave no trouble! There is a front windshield armor glass part, and a rear also, that fit just so. I did NOT use any liquid glue on these you can bet on that. Lessons learned...Good old Elmer's did just fine. The sliding hood even fit perfectly over the rear glass. Wonders never cease. Oh, guess what I'm wrong-there was a fit issue, that being the landing gear legs. They attach with a weird side tab and a pin on one side of the gear bay. Not very sturdy, but I did get it sorted out. The wheels look crook'd but the books show them to be toed out and over, sort of like a Hurricane. I added some thin wire brake lines to put a stop to things.

ICM also put out a Soviet pilot set, one seated, and a little vignette with a leather coated pilot and Officer, discussing a mission. This is available separate or in a set with the I-16 type 24.

One thing I learned from all my readings on Yaks, is that they were subject to constant improvement and modifications all through their career. Some of this involved small changes to details like streamlining air scoops, some to boosting the engine, wingtip mods, armament mods as we see here, hundreds of items. In the end, they had a blistering fast, highly maneuverable low altitude fighter, that could stay with anybody's. This despite the Soviet motto of "Do not touch the production line". In the meantime I really got into this aircraft, never realizing how really good-looking they are. That pointy nose, tapered wings slanted-forward rudder hinge, this bird is hot. I really hope ICM can get round to doing a Yak 7, which is my fave, with it's hurricane "humpback".

11 additional images. Click to enlarge.