1/48 Eduard Yakovlev Yak-3

Gallery Article by Michael Presley on July 9 2010

 

Yakovlev Yak-3, 'White 1' of Gen. Zakharow 

Yakovlev Yak-3,"White 1" , flown by Gen. Georgii N. Zakharow (23 kills), Hero of the Soviet Union, Commander of the 303rd Guards Fighter Division, East Prussia, 1945. 

 The Yakovlev Yak-3 (Russian language: Як-3) was one of the smallest and lightest major combat fighters fielded by any combatant during the war. It's high power-to-weight ratio gave it excellent performance, particularly below 13,000 feet, where most of the aerial combat on the Eastern Front was concentrated. It featured a very lightweight plywood airframe. 

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In 1991, the Museum of Flying, in Santa Monica, California, asked Yakovlev to produce a new series of Yak-3s to be built at Orenburg, Russia. The new Yak-3s were built using the plans, tools, dies and fixtures of the original. They were powered by American Allison engines, and given the designation Yak-3UA.

Although not military service veterans, these newer aircraft are considered to be 100% authentic Yak-3s. They are now available on the civilian market, with at least two operating in Europe, in addition to the U.S. registered examples.

The Yak-3UA models' powerplant, the American Allison V-12 engines, are very similar in size-performance to the unavailable, original engine.  The only external difference is the Allison's supercharger scoop being located on the top cowl, & the propeller rotating in the opposite direction.

This was a Profipack kit (#2028), with all the photo-etch, bells & whistles parts. Very nice, & nothing extra in the way of aftermarket needed. I added the gear down, indicator posts, & external fuel gauges (printed from a source online, that I can't remember) to the top of the wings. I also added the brake lines.

Testors Model Master paint, Pro Modeler wash, graphite, Marmo's Magic Dust were used for weathering.

Michael Presley

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Photos and text © by Michael Presley