Zvezda 1/72 Yak-130 x 2 - A pair of Mittens!

[Guest]

Looking very good and what a pace!
I've never seen these before, but that's maybe because I don't look very hard at anything Russian. I have to say they are pretty useful looking things.

Keep up the good work Dave!

[Dave Ward]

Well, if I can't go to my local coffee shop for my latte caffeine fix, then I may as well sit at my bench, with a poor instant coffee substitute!
The other guys I regularly meet ( all older than me ) are of a like mind and are cutting down on public appearances.
The Russians are worth looking at - knowing your liking for sea borne wingy things.................
Or even the Revell boxing of this model

Dave

[Dave Ward]

Painted & detailed painted the cockpit tubs, ejector seats & pilots, then fitted the tubs to the fuselage assemblies. The upper wing surfaces added - just cemented at the rear at the moment, I want to dry fit the lower wing surfaces, and see what sort of fit I have, before fully glueing.

The pilots ( angle of photo makes them look heads down! ) - 2 in workaday green for the trainer, 2 in orange for the display crew
I've added two BB in each nose & secured with PVA. I'll stuff the cockpit with tissue, so I can spray overall primer - the cockpit coamings, instrument panels & seated crew can be added much further on in the assembly
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Lower wings, lower engine cowls & tail planes added The step by the rudder is the recess for the large air brake, which you can show open/closed. I realise I've missed out a transparent part, on the centreline in front of the airbrake -it can only be fitted from inside, it's only a tiny beacon, so I'm sure I can make a sub.


No problem with fit - TET wicked into the joints. Those tail planes are really thin, like little razors.
I have to add the flaps, and pylons ( only on the trainer ) then I can think about masking/stuffing for primercoats
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Al last, I've covered up that red plastic & I now have a pair of grey mittens!

Luckily I did notice that the trainer aircraft & display aircraft have different flaps - something to do with the pylons, I think.
I have to decide what colour to do the trainer version. There is a Belorussian 4-colour camo, but on such a small aircraft that looks a little 'fussy'. The Russian AF variant is overall dark grey, and I think that will look good, when alongside the red/white version
Dave

[Dave Ward]

After letting the primer really dry overnight - the trainer was sprayed overall dark grey, and the display aircraft had the lower fuselage sprayed white.

I'll let the white harden off overnight, then mask up & spray the red, which could be a tricky business!
The Yak-130 is around the same size as the BAE Hawk, with similar characteristics for performance, albeit with the safety of twin engines.
Dave

[Dave Ward]

I masked up the display aircraft & sprayed Revell Acrylic 'fiery red' - the only gloss red paint I have in my paintbox

My habit of decanting paint into a plastic shot glass, before thinning & airbrushing saved me a lot of hassle. I added IPA to thin - and the whole mix coagulated in a matter of seconds! Luckily I had enough paint to ditch this & try again, this time thinning with tap water,
which worked well. Another mental warning - this time about Revell paint ( originally bought for a Ferrari F1 car ). A bit of tidying up before moving on - undercarriage next, for both models.
Dave

[JR]

Looking good Dave, and a new mat ! hope you didn't pay full price for it :smiling2:

[Dave Ward]

A3 AK Cutting mat - £4.99 from John at SMS - heavy duty - good quality - I was buying some paints, so added that, as my old one was a bit shabby.
That red paint - a real pig to spray, and you have to take extra care in cleaning your airbrush, or it will either clog the brush, or taint your next colour!
Dave

[stillp]

That's a useful warning about Revell and IPA, thanks Dave.
Pete

[Dave Ward]

Peter,
It's the Revell Aqua Acrylic in the square containers. The reaction was almost instant - just imagine that happening in the cup & nozzle of your airbrush! :worried:
Dave

[Dave Ward]

These have taken a back seat whilst I have been fighting the Master Box figure, but I've managed to get the pilots installed & first pass of canopy paint. ( only dry fitted! )

I did find I had to cut down the base of the backseaters' ejector seat, the canopy wouldn't close over it.
Dave