Thursday 15 August 2019

Zvezda 1/144th IL-2

Recently I seem to have been borrowing a lot of Tims 1/144th aircraft for games, and I thought it was about time I got some of my own rather than my ratty old 6mm ones. Amazingly, PSC had some of the vanishingly rare Zvezda Sturmoviks in stock so I ordered one. I wish I'd ordered two as now they are unobtainable again.


Anyway, here is the finished article. I haven't built a plastic aircraft kit since the early 1970s, so I was pleased how it came out. It was a lovely clean little model and went together beautifully.


I finished it in a khaki/green scheme lifted from one of my aviation books. I copied Tims method of painting over the canopy in light blue, and  don't think it looks too bad. The decals are OK,but the red centres are slightly offset. They are the only Russian stars I have though, so they will have to do.


The model comes with options for undercart down or up, I went for retracted. I did the underside in a light grey and didn't bother with underwing decals. Those stars may come in handy for something else.


Here it is in flight over the dining table looking for some fascist tanks to blow up. My only criticism is that some of the smaller plastic parts are a bit fragile (the gun barrels and radio antenna post). If they break off 'll replace them with wire. I snapped the prop blades off anyway to save my big fingered pals the trouble. I'm not up to making clear plastic discs for the prop, so just imagine the propeller is going really, really fast.

6 comments:

  1. Those Zvezda models are really rather nice. I must get around to my Fairey Battles.

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    1. Yes they are, very delicate, and being plastic, very easy to fiddle with.

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  2. Hello from Russia! Models "Zvezda" in our stores are sold freely. I can help with the order from the Russian online store or send the necessary models by mail.

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    1. Thanks. There are UK retailers who stock them, but the supplies are variable.

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  3. I always wanted a "flying tank" - I started but never completed one in 1/72 and I am pretty sure I have a 1/144 lurking around in a box .. or my search for one will begin as a cause and effect of your blog post!

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    1. I've got a bunch of 6mm Sturmoviks but I fancied something bigger. In most Tactical games you only need ground attack planes, but I'm going to invest in some fighters and bombers too.

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