Modeling the VVS: The First Of the Nines

At the time of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union the VVS (Red Army Air Force) found its self it what must be for any fighting force a nightmare situation, the Attack coincided with the modernization of its fighting equipment. Large elements of the VVS were still flying bi-planes, while the units, which had been supplied with the next generation of high-speed monoplanes, were still sorting out the faults. The factories producing the new aircraft were still coming to grips with the change in technology, quality left a lot to be desired and production levels had fallen.

Before the Spanish Civil War the Soviet Union had lead the way in fighter aircraft design, being the first nation to introduce a monoplane fighter with retractable undercarriage, the Polikapov I-16. The Soviets then appeared to sit on their laurels and while a great deal of work was carried out in respect of weapons for aircraft (While the VVS was the second Air force to arm its aircraft with cannons- France being the first, it is worthy of mention that the VVS had some of, if not the best Machine Guns and Cannons of the period) little was done with the view to maintaining the lead in aircraft design.

With the arrival of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 at the end of the Spanish conflict and the Nazi re-arming programme, the Soviet Union began to wake up. The attack on Poland followed up with the Blitzkrieg offensive in the west proved to be the warning they required. The Soviet leadership introduced a modernization programme to address the balance. Three aircraft designs were chosen for production with a view to supplying the VVS with an up to date fighter force.

These were the MIG-3, LAGG-3 and the YAK-1, other aircraft designs were also ordered into production to fill other roles. One of these was the YAK-7UTI, which was intended to provide the VVS with a high performance conversion/trainer. It is with this Aircraft that the YAK-9 story begins.

The YAK-7UTI as it was known in its trainer role was by all accounts a joy to fly, it performance was close to that of a front line fighter, it maneuvered well and was difficult to spin, the pilot had to engineer a spin and recovery was a simple task.

Although he could not foresee the losses that that the VVS would suffer in the opening days of the German attack, one of the engineers at the production plant started work on a fighter version of the YAK-7.

The conversion was quite simple, fit the second cockpit area with armour plate, replace the fuel tanks with self sealing units and finally increase the armament to one 20mm cannon and two machine guns. In this version (YAK-7) there was very little external difference from the trainer as the two-seat canopy was retained. The fact that the aircraft was already in production when the Nazi attack took place would help the VVS in the coming months when every thing that could fly was pressed into service.

This was the first of many modifications that the 7 would undergo and resulted eventually in the YAK-9, numerically the most important fighter type to see war time service with the VVS. This process of development eventually resulted in the YAK-7DI. At this time the shortage of materials such as Duralumin had been overcome by deliveries from both Great Britain and the United States. This allowed Yak to introduce a twin metal spar wing on this model, at the same time the wing tip shape was altered and this is the easiest way of telling a 7 from a 9 (the wing tip on a 7 is round, the wing tip on most models of 9 has a straight leading edge while the trailing edge curves round to meet it). Ordered into production, the YAK-7DI rapidly gave way to YAK-9 (a direct development); this would be the only -9 model not to have a suffix, i.e. 9B, 9DD.

The YAK-9 was powered by a Klimov M-105PF engine, which produced 1180hp and was armed with 1X 20mm cannon and 1 x 12.7 mm machine gun (late YAK-7`s having 2 x 12.7mm machine guns). The cannon was mounted so that it fired through the propeller spinner while the single machine gun was mounted on top of the engine and fired through the propeller arc. The speed range of the aircraft varied, from 520km/h at ground level, to 599 km/h at 4300 metres altitude. In the hands of a skilled VVS pilot the YAK-9 could easily better the Me109F.

The YAK-9 was produced between October 1942 and August 1943, during this period the YAK-9T also entered production and this aircraft along with other variants would replace the 9 and stay in production till and after the end of the war.

The ICM Kit

Included with the kit is a decal sheet which gives you 4 options, but to be honest I can only identify one of these as being a YAK-9 (White 930) of the remaining three I believe one to be a YAK-9B while the remaining two I am at present unsure of, if any reader can positively identify these aircraft I would be very grateful.

I decided to complete the model with the engine cowling in place so I was able to place all of the parts required to make the engine in the spares box. If you wish to make use of these parts and require references to allow you to detail the engine, I would recommend the A. J. Press Aircraft Monograph number 14 YAK-7 & 9, available from Pol Models.

I started by fixing the interior frames (parts C1 & C34) to the fuselage sides, there are no guides as to were to fix these parts but if you fix the front edge 10mm forward of the rear of the cowling cut out you should be in the right place.

The side consoles are a bit plane so having studied my reference material I busied them up with items from the spares box, the parts used coming from the Revell Junkers 88 kit (Throttle levers, as this kit contains more than you require) and an Eduard YAK-3 (I had a complete cockpit spare as I had used the Neomega resin set on the last one I had built).

To this I added wiring looms made from lead wire, upper consuls from plastic card, trim wheels from an etched gun sight set and finally an oxygen bottle from plastic rod. The seat was replaced with the spare item from the YAK-3 kit, as were the rudder pedals, control column and the cannon- cocking device. Minor details such as the rudder pedal heel boards and front bulkhead were made from plastic card. As the engine was not used the exhaust pipe openings were blanked off from the inside, the exhaust pipes would be fixed to this blank later from the outside.

All of the interior parts were then given a coat of Halfords Grey Primer followed by my interpretation of Metal Use Primer (this being one of the two most commonly used interior colours found on VVS aircraft, for more information on these and other colours used by the VVS I would recommend you visit the “Modeling The VVS” web site) a Blue, Green, Grey colour. Having dry brushed the whole lot to bring out the raised detail I carried out local detail painting of items such as throttle lever knobs. The Radio shelf was fitted just before the fuselage halves were put together, the instrument panel would be put in later via the open engine cowling the rear landing wheel assembly was also left out at this stage. When the fuselage had dried the instrument panel was fixed into place via the engine cowling opening, use the engine cowling (part A3) to ensure that it is in the correct place as it forms part of the canopy aperture. The engine cowling was then fixed into place by applying liquid cement from the inside via the open wing aperture; this part is a lovely fit. Any joint lines being clean up at this stage.

The wing assembly was next on my list. Although the kit states it is of a YAK-7DI/Early 9 the wing tip shape is incorrect, but more of this later, do not panic it is very easy to correct. The first thing I did was drill out the fuel tank gauges; these are moulded on the wing upper surface as circles. Then with my punch set I punched out a couple of circles from clear plastic card, these should just fit into the holes drilled in the wing, so remember this when selecting the drill before you make the holes. The clear card I used was quite thick, this allowed me to pop the circles into the pre-drilled hole and leave it standing proud, liquid cement was then run around the clear circle on the outside of the wing. When this had dried I punched out a circle of 40 thou plastic card and applied a gauge from the RE-Heat range of decals, this was then inserted under the clear lens from underneath and again liquid cement was applied followed by a little Super Glue. The wing halves were then stuck together and when dry the clear lens was sanded down flush with various grades of Wet & Dry, finally being polished clear with an old piece of denim and polish.

Before modifying the wing tips I poured Super Glue into the wings inner area, being very careful not to allow it to run out of any holes. I do this for the reason that it strengthens the joint and helps prevent the wing joint splitting during a later stage, it has the added advantage that as you do it one side at a time you stand the wing on its tip to allow the glue to set, this creates a solid wing tip area. To correct the tip shape you will have to straighten the leading edge close to the tip. To do this I filed into the leading edge and stuck a piece of 60 thou card in place, see photo, the joint being strengthen with Super Glue. The template that is included with this article was then used to draw round to indicate the correct shape, it then becomes a simple task of filing and sanding till the correct shape is achieved.

One last thing to alter on the wing before you can fix it into place, the YAK-9/7DI does not appear to have had the landing light supplied in the kit fitted, this appears to be a feature of the YAK-7, so simply fix it into place fill any joint line with Super Glue and again sand down. Finally drill out the under carriage indicator holes that are represented by small indents in the wing upper surface. The wing assembly can then be fixed into place. Very little filling/ sanding / cleaning up is required as the fit is near to perfect.

The chin-mounted oil cooler (Part C2) is moulded as a separate item, I would think this is to allow ICM to produce later versions of the YAK-9; the cooler shape differs on later marks. This part will require some patience and a little sanding to get a good fit, but if I can do it so can you. The under belly radiator had mesh added to represent the radiator, the mesh I used is available from E. D. Models under their Airwaves brand of photo etched accessories. This was then fixed in place.

The gun site mount was replaced with an item made from copper wire and the gun site was fixed to this, the rear-armoured glass was also fixed into place at this stage.

Now I don't know how you do it but I always attach the fixed sections of the canopy into place before I prime the model, in fact I mask the canopy and spray the interior colour onto it before I prime. This is where my only bit of a lack of planning kicked in; the kit canopy is really the only thing that needs to be replaced, as it is a very heavily moulded item. I tried to sand it down but by the time I had gotten rid of the frame- work I had reduced it in size so much it would not fit. No problem I said, use a canopy from the Falcon Clear-Vax set number 37. Due to the difference in the ICM mouldings they will not fit. I got round this in the following manner. The forward section of a Falcon YAK-7 canopy will fit and having built up the rear canopy sill I was able to use a spare Eduard YAK-3 rear section (cut from the closed canopy that is in every YAK-3 kit), the sliding section being from the Falcon YAK-7.

(I must really get a life one of these days). Having masked the canopy and cockpit this area was sprayed with my version of MUP. The whole model was then primed with Halfords Grey Primer, any imperfections being rectified at this time and re-primed.

All remaining parts were then removed from their sprue and cleaned up for priming and painting. At this stage I made replacement doors for the tail wheel as my references show the YAK-9 with two doors mounted either side of the tail wheel and not the single YAK-7 type door supplied with the kit, these are simply made from plastic card.

The under-surface blue was applied first using my remaining stock of Aero-Master Russian Blue; I hope some one produces an alternative supply of VVS colours soon. This was weathered in my usual way; lighter and darker shades of the base colour being used on different panels to bring life to what would be a monotone scheme.

I then place post it notes along panel lines and spray a black glaze along the line. At the same time I use this black glaze to darken some areas, such as between the ribs on fabric-covered elevators. This has the effect of highlighting the raised rib. Applying a glaze of the base colour finally blends in the whole effect.

The upper-surface colours were again from the now defunct Aero-Master range, Dark Top-side Grey and light Topside grey. The lighter shade being applied first and the camouflage pattern being marked out with rolled out Blue Tac, the paint is then sprayed at 90 degrees to the Blue Tac, which produces a very soft edge for this scale.

The same method of weathering being used as described when painting the underside, this time the black glaze being applied between the longerons on the fabric covered section of the fuselage as well as along panel lines. I also apply streaks here and there in line with the airflow just to bring life to what I think would be a plane finish, stains and blow back from air intakes, gun and fuel filler points are also applied (for the latter I use a brown shade) and again the whole lot is blended together with a glaze over spray of the lighter of the two greys. When all is dry I applied a coat or two of Halfords Gloss varnish to form the base on which to apply the decals.

The decals supplied with the kit seemed to be rather thick but I decided to give them a try. They will benefit from you taking the time to trim the excess decal film from around the edges. To be honest I was quite surprised, they took the decal solvent well and dried down skin tight, the finish is totally matt.

At this stage I apply thinned black paint to any panel line or hinge joint that I want to stand out that little bit more, elevators, rudder etc. Any finally assembly work still left to do is carried out, fitting undercarriage legs, doors, tail wheel, undercarriage indicators (Small red painted rods) and the like (having pre-painted these parts).

I then washed the complete model and left it to dry before applying a coat of Micro-Sol matt varnish. When this first matt coat was totally dry I checked the model over for any silvering of the decals (non found) and whether any of the sprayed effects require touching up. When I was happy that no more was required I applied the second coat of matt varnish, once this was dry I fitted the radio aerial leads into the pre-drill locations and last of all the sliding section of the canopy was put in place.

In conclusion, the conversion/correction work required is quite easy to carry out and will result in the maker being

able to add a YAK-9 to their collection. With a little work (Addition of a second Machine gun slot on the top cowling, although I suspect that someone may make a replacement resin cowling and hopefully a cockpit detail set-- hint, hint) you can make a late YAK-7 from this kit.

The value is beyond question; the general fit of parts is very good, the only real area that ICM need to work on are their canopies. The decals as stated dry down very well and are totally matt in finish. I enjoyed making this little beauty and have since returned to Antics to purchase a second one, which I intend to build as a lateYAK-7.

My only hope is that ICM continue to release models of VVS aircraft and that this will lead some of the other major manufactures to consider doing like wise. How about a Lagg-3 then someone or one of the bomber types.

The First Of the Nines
YAK-7DI (Early YAK-9) by ICM

by Peter Vill

The ICM Kit

The First Of the Nines YAK-7DI (Early YAK-9) by ICM

by Peter Vill

The ICM Kit

The First Of the Nines
YAK-7DI (Early YAK-9) by ICM