Jon's Eduard Limited Edition 1/48 Yak-1b
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 5:00 am
Here's a newer release from Eduard using an original Accurate Miniature kit and upgraded it with PE and masks.
INTRO (Taken from the instruction's front page)
The Yak-1 has its roots in the I-26 design. Formal specifications were issued on July 29, 1939, calling for two prototypes. The first had to fulfill requirements such as a top speed of 620 km/hr at 6,000 m, a combat range of 600 km, and a climb rate to 10,000 m of under 11 minutes. The armament was to consist of two 7.612 mm ShKAS machine guns and one 12.7 mm Berezin BS heavy machine gun. The second prototype was to be powered by a turbocharged M-106 engine and was to reach a top speed of 650 km/hr at 10,000 m, and the armament was to be reduced to two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns.
The development of the M-106 engine was not finished in time and Yakovlev's design bureau decided to use the Klimov M-105P engine, with a 20 mm ShKAS cannon mounted in the engine block.
The first prototype I-26-I made its maiden flight on January 13, 1940. It suffered from oil overheating problems which were never completely resolved. On April 27, 1940, this prototype crashed, killing its test pilot.
The oil overheating was a problem for the second prototype as well and many defects caused the second prototype to fail government testing in 1940. Its competitors, the I-200 (the future Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3) and the I-301 (which became the LaGG-3) also failed testing. The testing procedures generated a list of requested improvements. These were incorporated into the third I-26 which was ready for testing on October 13, 1940.
Despite all the troubles, the Soviet officials ordered the production of the I-26 on February 19, 1940. The new fighter aircraft was manufactured under the designation Yak-1. The Soviet official leadership chose this non-standard designation method to reduce the time necessary to set up serial production a new aircraft. As a backup, series production of both the I-200 and the I-301 were ordered. Despite the fact that the I-200 was faster and the I-301 was more heavily armed, the Yak-1 was still the favored design. The good relationship between Stalin and Yakovlev likely played significant role.
As mentioned already, series production was launched prior to a full evaluation of the prototypes being completed. This precipitated almost 8,000 changes that had to be made to the aircraft's design by 1941, with an additional 7,000 implemented the following year and another 5,000 coming 1943. Production was affected by shortages of various sub-assemblies including engines, propellers, radiators, wheels, and cannons. Moreover, on June 23, 1943, German bombers heavily damaged Factory No. 292 which delivered the majority of Yak-1s. Six days later the assembly line was running again.
More difficulties were met during combat deployment. Low level of material quality resulted in plywood being torn off wings.
Production of the Yak-1 ended in July 1944 with a total of roughly 8,700 examples built.
The subvariant that was unofficially designated the Yak-1b had a new bubble canopy with a cut down rear fuselage. Armor was increased and the fuselage ShKAS machine guns were replaced with a single 12.7 mm Berezin UBS machine gun. The new variant was powered by a Klimov M-105PF engine with better low-altitude performance and an improved cooling system. The first flight took place in June 1942 and a series production was launched in August. A total of 4,188 Yak-1b aircraft were built.
I decided to go crazy and add the recently released upgrade PE set that means eventual surgery on the wings....you'll see, it will all work out.
Really nice, these Eduard Limited Edition kits. They take a regular good kit, add color PE and masks, sometimes resin, and make it a great kit.
Decent detail, crisp molding, little to no flash.
The etched part - painted zoom etch that is, plus the masks.
Plenty of choices here too.
Had to get some World War II Soviet aircraft colors of course. I chose AKAN.
Remember the surgery I spoke about earlier? Well, here goes. In order for the PE open flaps to be displayed and fit properly, some plastic needed to be removed per the instructions.
That is some fancy cutting...if I do say so myself.
The flaps have two parts - the part within the wing and the part that extends downward for take off and landing primarily.
This is the part that fits into the surgically removed areas within the wing.
This 1/48 scale PE is insanely small in places....Crazy!
There, maybe you can even see it now. Lol
Rudder pedal foot stirrups. Yikes that is small.
Test fitting...omg, lots of test fitting.
Not without its share of issues. PE will break if handled too roughly. Doh!
Looking pretty good I think.
And then there was the second part of the flaps. Did I tell you this 1/48 scale PE is nuts?
Yep - those things will be flaps.
One folded, one not.
Oh yea...there are these things called stringers (I think) within each of the flaps.
Fun fun fun
A little better contrast on the black background.
The one on the left is 100% completed. The one on the right with all its parts - to be done.
For now - I will leave this string at this point. I have to complete the cockpit -- very nice details indeed, install the wings, as well as more PE, of course. So until next time, thanks for looking and happy modeling!
INTRO (Taken from the instruction's front page)
The Yak-1 has its roots in the I-26 design. Formal specifications were issued on July 29, 1939, calling for two prototypes. The first had to fulfill requirements such as a top speed of 620 km/hr at 6,000 m, a combat range of 600 km, and a climb rate to 10,000 m of under 11 minutes. The armament was to consist of two 7.612 mm ShKAS machine guns and one 12.7 mm Berezin BS heavy machine gun. The second prototype was to be powered by a turbocharged M-106 engine and was to reach a top speed of 650 km/hr at 10,000 m, and the armament was to be reduced to two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns.
The development of the M-106 engine was not finished in time and Yakovlev's design bureau decided to use the Klimov M-105P engine, with a 20 mm ShKAS cannon mounted in the engine block.
The first prototype I-26-I made its maiden flight on January 13, 1940. It suffered from oil overheating problems which were never completely resolved. On April 27, 1940, this prototype crashed, killing its test pilot.
The oil overheating was a problem for the second prototype as well and many defects caused the second prototype to fail government testing in 1940. Its competitors, the I-200 (the future Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3) and the I-301 (which became the LaGG-3) also failed testing. The testing procedures generated a list of requested improvements. These were incorporated into the third I-26 which was ready for testing on October 13, 1940.
Despite all the troubles, the Soviet officials ordered the production of the I-26 on February 19, 1940. The new fighter aircraft was manufactured under the designation Yak-1. The Soviet official leadership chose this non-standard designation method to reduce the time necessary to set up serial production a new aircraft. As a backup, series production of both the I-200 and the I-301 were ordered. Despite the fact that the I-200 was faster and the I-301 was more heavily armed, the Yak-1 was still the favored design. The good relationship between Stalin and Yakovlev likely played significant role.
As mentioned already, series production was launched prior to a full evaluation of the prototypes being completed. This precipitated almost 8,000 changes that had to be made to the aircraft's design by 1941, with an additional 7,000 implemented the following year and another 5,000 coming 1943. Production was affected by shortages of various sub-assemblies including engines, propellers, radiators, wheels, and cannons. Moreover, on June 23, 1943, German bombers heavily damaged Factory No. 292 which delivered the majority of Yak-1s. Six days later the assembly line was running again.
More difficulties were met during combat deployment. Low level of material quality resulted in plywood being torn off wings.
Production of the Yak-1 ended in July 1944 with a total of roughly 8,700 examples built.
The subvariant that was unofficially designated the Yak-1b had a new bubble canopy with a cut down rear fuselage. Armor was increased and the fuselage ShKAS machine guns were replaced with a single 12.7 mm Berezin UBS machine gun. The new variant was powered by a Klimov M-105PF engine with better low-altitude performance and an improved cooling system. The first flight took place in June 1942 and a series production was launched in August. A total of 4,188 Yak-1b aircraft were built.
I decided to go crazy and add the recently released upgrade PE set that means eventual surgery on the wings....you'll see, it will all work out.
Really nice, these Eduard Limited Edition kits. They take a regular good kit, add color PE and masks, sometimes resin, and make it a great kit.
Decent detail, crisp molding, little to no flash.
The etched part - painted zoom etch that is, plus the masks.
Plenty of choices here too.
Had to get some World War II Soviet aircraft colors of course. I chose AKAN.
Remember the surgery I spoke about earlier? Well, here goes. In order for the PE open flaps to be displayed and fit properly, some plastic needed to be removed per the instructions.
That is some fancy cutting...if I do say so myself.
The flaps have two parts - the part within the wing and the part that extends downward for take off and landing primarily.
This is the part that fits into the surgically removed areas within the wing.
This 1/48 scale PE is insanely small in places....Crazy!
There, maybe you can even see it now. Lol
Rudder pedal foot stirrups. Yikes that is small.
Test fitting...omg, lots of test fitting.
Not without its share of issues. PE will break if handled too roughly. Doh!
Looking pretty good I think.
And then there was the second part of the flaps. Did I tell you this 1/48 scale PE is nuts?
Yep - those things will be flaps.
One folded, one not.
Oh yea...there are these things called stringers (I think) within each of the flaps.
Fun fun fun
A little better contrast on the black background.
The one on the left is 100% completed. The one on the right with all its parts - to be done.
For now - I will leave this string at this point. I have to complete the cockpit -- very nice details indeed, install the wings, as well as more PE, of course. So until next time, thanks for looking and happy modeling!
Cool build I will be following this closley, Is that CA or solder I cant tell, super clean build jon, nic. 
