1/72 Yakovlev OKB I-26-1  

by Ioaea

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The I-26 was the Yak 1 prototype. Along with its companion prototypes the I-301 (LaGG 3) and I-200 (MiG 3) these aircraft were to begin to slowly turn the tide over the Eastern front -the Yaks in particular representing 40% or thereabouts of all soviet fighters manufactured during the Great Patriotic War. The I-26-1 and 2 were the first of this pedigree, ending the reciprocating engined warbirds with the pretty beefy Yak 3s and 9s of the mid to late 40's.

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The Amodel Yak 1 was the basis for this conversion, my first model in years. Apart from the lousy spar detail on the fuselage with this kit, the planform is accurate for a Yak 1. To enable the I-26, all that was required was to hack/saw things off the business end, modify the tail and rudder almost imperceptibly to its correct shape, drill for wing
fuel gauges and other minor details.

There is some controversy over the coloration of the early I-26s.  Scarlet, maroon...take your pick. The colour here is a half-way house, kind of scarlet-maroon, just to spite! The sliding canopy is missing, but hey ho --soviet test pilots sometimes flew without, as in the Mig 3 and so forth.

Weathering was kept to a minimum, save light scuffing here and there, and it's true I went a little overboard with the Klear/Future, but I'm happy with my first model. The rudder and prop stripes drove me bonkers, as it goes, and as for regular markings...well there weren't any, as on the I-301, Sukhoi Su-1 etc etc.

Ioaea

Photos and text © by Ioaea