One of three Accurate Miniatures Yakovlev Yak-1's that I obtained through an Internet Sale at Squadron.com, or Great Models, or some such, I don't recall exactly who. It was a long wait to get them shipped but here they are. Even with shipping they cost less than the GBP Price in the UK. This is the Yak-1b version which had the cut down rear fuselage. Some of the many accessories you can buy for this kit include:
Aeromaster Decals AMD48505 Yak-1, 7 and 9 (5) White 5 CO Sword Gp red nose; White 47 with white arrow; Both green camo; White 29 Lt Kizim; White 38 Lt Shokurov; White 32 Maj Chirkov yellow rudder. Grey camo
Aeromaster Decals AMD48525 Yak-1/7 Pt 2 (5) Yak 1-B Red 12 white a/c; White 28 green/blue; Yak 9 White 17; Red 04; Red 22 all in grey/blue camo
This is the underside of the box whereas the picture top-right is the box-top itself.
Accurate Miniatures supply a cardboard divider in the box that separates the Instructions, Decals and Clear Parts.
Sprue set 1 with all the Fuselage parts.
Sprue set 2 with the wings.
Aftermarket Extras
The Eduard detail set in Photoetch that doesn't have the flaps - of which I have two sets
The other Eduard Photoetch set that is the same as that pictured left but also contains a set of flaps.
Moskit Blast Tubes for 12.7mm UB Machine Guns. These go under the engine cowling so if you want to use these you need to display the engine. Hence I only have one of these sets.
Moskit again but these are five sets of the Yak-1 Exhaust Pipes. This set is shared with the Yak-7 Razorback and includes a small cooling air outlet.
Falcon Clear Vax Canopy Set Number 37.
Decals
The Aeromaster Set 48-423 Yak-1b Fighters offers plenty of choice.
Six aircraft are offered.
It is nice to get detailed data on the Camo scheme.
The decal sheet for 48-423
SuperScale set 48-640 from which the Great Models set is also derived.
Superscale label their Yak-1b's as "Yak-1M" although this is spurious. Yak-1M was a Yak-3 prototype and these aircraft definitely do not depict the Yak-3.
One of the aircraft depicted duplicates the Accurate Miniatures Decals. One of the others also appears on the Great Models sheet. Two are original to this sheet as far as I can tell.
The Great Models set for the Yak-1 & 1b features two B's: 73rd IAP and Normandie-Niemen.
One of the aircraft depicted has an Inscription "The railway workers of Rtishchevko" which is also on the SuperScale sheet above although mislabelled as "Yak-1M".
The Great Models set is produced for them by Superscale and has strong similarity to SS48640 (above)!
The Aeromaster set 48-505 "Falcons of the Red Star" Part 1 includes two Yak-1B or three if the dubious "Yak-1M" is included.
The 'M' shows a different under-fuselage radiator bath - but that is all. Other models include a Yak-9U and 7B.
The 48-505 Decal sheet in full.
The usual effort from Aeromaster which suggest only Aeromaster Warbird Colours in Acrylic or Enamel.
The Aeromaster decal set 48-525 "Falcons of the Red Star" Part 2.
As usual Aeromaster are quite good at suggesting the camo pattern if not the paint. I recommend the White Ensign Enamels always for VVS subjects.
The set includes two Yak-1b's, a "Yak-9" (probably a late Yak-7/early Yak-9?), a Yak-9T and 9U.
The Aeromaster Decal sheet itself.
The Aeromaster decal set 48-622 "The Russians are Here" Part 1. The first Aeromaster set to properly refer to "AMT colours rather than FS numbers.
The set includes Yak-1b, Yak-3, Yak-7B, Yak-9P and Yak-9T. This set includes the masks for the Yak-1b "white 13" nose.
This final featured set is probably the pick of the bunch for the sake of accuracy. However I am still tempted by the SuperScale set for 18th IAP for Pilot Sergei Luganski (HSU) with inscription reading "From the youth and young communists of Alma Ata". Alma Ata is now Almaty - the capital of Kazakhstan. It is where my dear lady wife was born.
This is the first Aeromaster set to use the work of Erik A Pilawskii (see "The Aircraft and Markings of the Soviet Air Forces of the Great Patriotic War 1941-45") hence it is probably the most accurate set of all those featured here.
