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Decal Sheet Review: Aeromaster 48-642 "The Russians Are Here!" Part II Yakovlev YAK-1B, 3, 7B, 9P &9T Fighters of the VVS 1943-47 By Roger Kelly

1. Yak-7B, flown by Captain Viktor Yakovlevich, the deputy Commander of 1 AE, 271 IAP, 274 IAD, Kalinin front, late 1942-43. Camouflage is AMT-6 black and AMT-4 dark green over AMT-7 underside blue with a red spinner. Markings consist of:

• A red-outlined white scroll scoreboard with 10 swastikas crossed out in red for the left hand side of the fuselage
• Yellow 3 aircraft in squadron number
• Yellow band around the rear fuselage - supplied in two parts
• Yellow stripe for the fin
• Red star national insignia without a border for the fin/rudder and undersides of the wings

2. Yak-3, flown by Major Nikolai Fedorovich Denchik 1 AE Commander, Guards Red Banner "Orshanskii", Order of Aleksandr Nevskii IAP, 4 GIAD, 1st Baltic front, winter 1944. The aircraft was donation from the Manchenkovskii Rural Soviet of Kharkov Region. Camouflage is AMT-11 grey-blue and AMT-12 dark grey upper surfaces, over AMT-7 blue undersurfaces with a red spinner. Markings comprise:

• White 1 plane in squadron number
• White donation inscription for the fuselage
• Twin white stripes for the fin and rudder
• National insignia consisting of white bordered red stars in six places - fuselage, fin/rudder and undersides of the wings
  

3. Yak-7B, of Major Aleksandr Nikolaevich Kilaberidze, 1 AE Squadron Commander, 65 Guards Red Banner "Orshanskii", Order of Suvorov IIIrd Degree IAP, 4 GIAD, 1st Baltic front, October 1944. Camouflage is AMT-4 dark green AMT-6 black over AMT-7 underside blue with a red spinner and diagonal white stripes on the fin/rudder. Markings consist of:

• A large fierce looking dog's head on a red-bordered white triangle with eight red stars
• Red bordered white arrow with the inscription "Towards the West"
• "For brother Shota" patriotic slogan in white with a thin red border
• White 45 plane in squadron number
• Thin white diagonal lines for the fin/rudder
• A small black and white painting of Shota for the nose
• National insignia consisting of white bordered red stars in six places
  
  

4. Yak-9P, of an unknown pilot of 4 AE, 66 Guards Red Banner "Vilenskii", Order of Suvorov IIIrd Degree IAP 4 GIAD, Perleberg Aerodrome, Germany in 1946. Camouflage is AMT-11 grey-blue and AMT-12 dark grey over AMT-7 underside blue with a white spinner/forward fuselage, diagonal white stripes on the fin/rudder and band around the rear fuselage. Markings consist of:

• The White band around the rear fuselage
• White 59 plane in squadron numbers
• The white diagonal lines for the fin/rudder
• The white forward fuselage markings - these have a thin black border and are supplied in four separate pieces to ease placement
• National insignia consisting of white bordered (thick) red stars in six places

5. Yak-9, of Senior Lieutenant Nikolai Fedorich Denchik, the Deputy Commander of 1 AE 64 GuardsGIAD at Perlegberg aerodrome, Germany during December 1943. Camouflage is AMT-11 grey-blue and AMT-12 dark grey over AMT-7 underside blue with a red spinner and forward fuselage as well as red diagonal stripes on the fin/rudder and a white bordered and darker red arrow on the nose. Markings consist of:

• White 3 with a thin red outline plane in squadron numbers for the fuselage
• The white diagonal stripes for the fin/rudder
• A red with white bordered "for the motherland" patriotic slogan for the fuselage
• A scoreboard consisting of 13 red stars with white borders
• White bordered national insignia in six places
  

The decals have been printed by Cartograf, and there are sufficient markings provided on the sheet to build each and every option. The printing is superb with even the white borders to the tiny red stars on the last option being in perfect register.

The placement guide is in the form of AeroMaster's normal A-4 size sheet with colour side profiles of each option and appropriate top views to show the camouflage pattern. There is short note on VVS camouflage and paint shades that advises you that, prior to 1943, most of the VVS camouflage schemes followed no 'official' templates or pattens, and that each aircraft manufacturing factory evolved its own style. Post 1943 the industry was regulated and followed basic 'rules' but variations were widespread. I guess that this is sound advice and AeroMaster's way of telling you to check your references before you subject your latest masterpiece to the airbrush! The placement sheet and the decal sheet are packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag.

The suggested kits are the Accurate Miniatures Yak-1B, the Eduard Yak-3 'Normandie-Nieman', the ICM Yak-9T, and the Airwaves Yak-7B conversion for the ICM kit.

Recommended.