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SuperScale Decals 1/72nd "Russian A.F. Aces, LaG-5 and LaG-7" (72345)

By Erik Pilawskii
 [All decal sheet scans have been deliberately skewed and distorted at random angles to dissuade illegal reproduction or Copyright infringement by any such parties. The precise line and measurement of any specific marking, therefore, should not be taken literally from these illustrations.]

SuperScale International Sheet No.72-345 "Russian A.F. Aces, LaG-5 and LaG-7"

    Well, the title alone of this old and classic sheet gives away its age, and the level of VVS understanding common at the time. Still, and despite that, the sheet is really quite good-- and considering when it appeared, rather excellent in fact. The quality of the decals themselves is fine, being somewhat thin and tending to sit down fairly well, and over several copies the registrations seem to be well executed. The painting and color guide should be discarded at once, however, and attention to detail will be required in several cases, as we shall see.

Schemes

    Five schemes are provided on this sheet, including complete national markings for each aircraft.

  1. La-5 "White 15", Georgi Kostylev, 3 GIAP KBF, 1945:    As usual, this scheme is based on the appearance of Kostylev's machine as it was photographed in the Leningrad Defence Forces Museum in 1945; the actual appearance of "White 15" in 1944 is unknown, but several authors have described the machine as being finished in a solid Blue-Grey Winter finish during that year. The fuselage and tail stars should be yellow-bordered types. The spinner is yellow, while the rudder appears to be painted white. The shark-mouth decals in this set are rather nice.

  2. La-7 "White 27", Ivan Kozhedub, 176 GIAP, 1945:    A basically useable set of decals for this machine, though the fin flash can be ignored here. The scheme shoud be solid Blue-Grey uppers with a white fin flash.

  3. La-5FN "White 14", Ivan Kozhedub, 240 IAP, 1944:    This set has some potential, but it is missing the starboard side inscription altogether. The stars should be white-bordered or Victory types, depending on the permutation of this aircraft one wishes to model. [It is now thought that "White 14" was finished in both a solid- Blue-Grey Winter, then a standard two-tone Grey/Blue-Grey Summer finish. Also, G.Petrov has located photos of this aircraft appearing to wear white-border stars in its Winter scheme, these views being superior to the sharp angled and close up view pictures usually used to describe this machine.]

  4. La-5FN "Yellow 01", Vitaly Popkov, 5 GIAP, Winter 1944-45:    A very fine decal set for Popkov's famous La-5FN. Excellent.

  5. La-7 "White 14", unknown:    I have yet to figure out what machine this decal set represents, but I suspect it is an aircraft of the 176 GIAP during 1944. From the single and somewhat poor photograph of this La-7, it appears to wear a standard Grey/Blue-Grey 1944 scheme. The numerals as provided on the sheet are much too thick and should be replaced (or trimmed perhaps), while the fuselage and tail stars appear to be white-bordered types.

       Overall, the sheet is certainly useable, and frankly it contains my favorite set of decals for Popkov's La-5FN. That, alone, is worth the cost of the sheet, but there is more here besides that. Recommended.