Hobby Boss' 1/48 scale
Yak-38A

by Roland Sachsenhofer

Yak-38A

HobbyBoss' 1/48 scale Yak-38 is available online from Squadron.com for only $20.69!

You would not expect to see an aircraft like the Yak-38 „Forger“, the only vertical lift off aircraft ever used by the former CCCP, produced as a mainstream modelkit. Hobby Boss did so and, even better, produced both the one- and the two seater version of that fascinating aircraft type.

After having encountered only minor challenges in building the two seater, I decided, that the coming build of the ForgerA should be spiced up a little bit: I used a resin-cockpit from Aires and two resin jet nozzles to get more details into these critical areas. As an further enhancement I exchanged the kit air inlets with a pair made of resin which show open auxilliary inlet flaps.

Finally Eduard offered exquisite resin and etched parts for the „Aphid“ AA missiles. These measures I can recommend even when the kit offers a rather complete cockpit out of the box.

The build itself was a rather rough affair. Especially the joining of bow section and fuselage was a an unpleasing experience. Nothing seemed to fit and I had to sand and fill a lot to come to a correct shape in the end. The Aires cockpit did not fit well between the two bow-halfes. In the end, I forced them together with cyanacrylat. I guess that added to the problem with a rather warped bow and a bad fit to the fuselage.

Antennas on top of the nose are made of stretched sprue, brake lines and further detailing of the wheel wells have been done with wire.

My model shows a Yak-38M/ ForgerA as seen on the aircraft carriers of the Kiev class in the 1970s and 80s.

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Thumbnail panels:

If you would like to have a look on the kit parts or the working progress, please follow this link to JAM:

http://www.razyboard.com/system/morethread-yak-38m-hobby-boss-148-raidenjack-2086023-6287526-0.html

As ever, remarks will be appreciated: ro.sachsenhofer@gmx.at

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2014 by Roland Sachsenhofer
Page Created 30 September, 2014
Last Updated 30 September, 2014

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