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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