Normandy Niémen Yak-3

Made a start on Airwaves’ PE cockpit which went together well. Some levers have spares as inevitably you’ll lose them. The actual insertion of the PE onto the kit is another matter and requires some work to sort out how to marry it all up. 

After around 2 hours, we’re here. There was quite a bit of grinding out of the plastic floor to allow the PE ‘cage’ in. Dry fitting suggests we’re okay with the fuselage when it comes together. 

The air cooler and air intakes in the wings have PE grills - neat little piece of detailing missing from the original
 

After a morning’s work we have the fuselage and wings readied for attaching. The kit maybe old, but Hasegawa’s moulds are pretty tight. 

I scratch built the wires from the radio receiver having seen a larger scale build doing the same. 

The instrument panel has been inserted and Milliput fills the back of it for strength. You cannot attach the panel in the correct place in the fuselage without shortening the cockpit’s cage (see next photo). 

Note: gingerly I chopped the forward pieces of the side walls off to allow for the instrument panel. Not clear in Airwaves’ instructions on how to mate these two parts of the build. Pragmatism for me. 

The fuselage mated to the wings went well. No filler and all PE (once manipulated) fell into line. I hope the kit runs true to scale. It is by far the smallest single seat WWII fighter I’ve built- even smaller than the Bf109! 

A challenge- the tricoleur spinner. That’s the easy one done. How to get the blue tip done so that all looks equidistant?… 

Airwaves provided the torque links/plates for the oleos- nice and detailed  

The kit gives no gunsight- so I scratch one 

The Achilles’ heel- nothing in the wheel wells. So again, I’ll think about how I add some details. End of the 2nd day. 

scratch built gunsight now in situ, going to use Hasegawa's open canopy option (rather than Rob Taurus) as its pretty clear and allows the main shield to be withdrawn backwards. 

well, I went 'old school'...cracked open a 30 year-plus Humbrol 109 enamel, a paintbrush, held my breath and painted the 'bleu', et voila!, think I got away with it? 

spinner <<comme le tricoleur, n'est pas?>> 

2nd full day of work on this. Having to decide the Soviet colours, without resorting to buying any official shades. I'm going with Vallejo's 71.258 (Grey-Green) and 71.307 (BS Medium Sea Grey) for the uppers. 71.255 Hellblau for the lowers. (the three left to right on the stick).
Pitot is my signature guitar string aftermarket!
It looks the tiniest of things, this Yak-3. I have measured it, multiplied by 72 and it is pretty much to scale. [To my eyes looks 1/76th, but no.] 

canopy masked freehand with Tamiya tape. 

Well, every so often one tries to up ones game. This is mine. The scratch building of the wheel wells. I couldn't see any aftermarkets, so out with a piece of plasticard and away we go... 

wells in position, some filler required to emulate the side walls. 

they don't look too bad?...end of day 2 (and a half) 

I discovered on a walk-around that the doors have an “H” hinge. PE raided, and a suitable piece found and attached. It then prompted me to finish the legs (unusually) to see if we’ve got the right sort of look. 

The PE “Y” struts are from the Airwaves ‘boost’ and fit well against the kit’s legs. I assume the undercarriage was a little “knock-kneed”! 

Corrected the gait. 

First pass of tri-camouflage- Vallejos’ performed better here.  

First pass of tri-camouflage- Vallejos’ performed better here. 

Underside will need a tidy up around the meeting of the uppers  

We’re decal'd and almost ready for washes. 

We’re decal'd and almost ready for washes. 

Front undercarriage all done now. 

Landed.
For me a quick build. Hasegawa's 1990s moulds still pass the muster, and this builds into a little fighter- probably the smallest I've made so far. 

Landed.
For myself, a quick build. Hasegawa's 1990s moulds still pass the muster, and this builds into a little fighter- probably the smallest I've made so far. 

Landed.
For myself, a quick build. Hasegawa's 1990's moulds still pass the muster, and this builds into a little fighter- probably the smallest I've made so far. 

Top side I 

Top side II 

Underside I 

Top side III 

Underside II 

NB didn't use the Rob Taurus canopy. Hasegawa allows you an open or closed version, and it isn't too bad.  

That's all, folks!, on this one.....(another one to be built, someday)