Aero L-29/L-29A Delfin, L-29R/RS “Oko” & Accessories

Mark I Models, 1/144 scale

Reviewed by Mark Davies

Valom's 1/48 scale An-2 Colt is available online from Squadron.com

Background

In the late 1950s, the Soviet Air Force was seeking a jet-powered replacement for its fleet of piston-engined trainers, and this requirement was soon broadened to finding a trainer aircraft that could be adopted in common by Eastern Bloc air forces. Aero's response, the prototype XL-29 designed by Z. Rublic and K. Tomas first flew on 5 April 1959, powered by a British Bristol Siddeley Viper engine. The second prototype was powered by the Czech-designed M701 engine, which was used in all subsequent aircraft.

The basic design concept was to produce a straightforward, easy-to-build and operate aircraft. Simplicity and ruggedness were stressed with manual flight controls, large flaps and the incorporation of perforated airbrakes on the fuselage sides providing stable and docile flight characteristics, leading to an enviable safety record for the type. The sturdy L-29 was able to operate from grass, sand or unprepared fields. Both student pilot and instructor had ejection seats, and were positioned in tandem, under separate canopies with a slightly raised instructor position.

In 1961, the L-29 was evaluated against the PZL TS-11 Iskra and Yakovlev Yak-30 and emerged the winner.

oland chose to pursue the development of the TS-11 Iskra anyway, but all other Warsaw Pact countries adopted the Delfin under the agreements of COMECON.

Production began April 1963 and continued for 11 years, with 3,600 eventually built until 1974. A dedicated, single-seat, aerobatic version was developed as the L-29A Akrobat. A reconnaissance version with nose-mounted cameras was built as the L-29R.

Source: Wikepedia

Mark I Ltd offers a range of products; perhaps the best known being their publications consisting of the 4+ range of aircraft monographs and the Mark I Dozen Sets (markings guides with 12 decal options and walk-around images). They also produce the superb CMR range of resin kits, and acquired the Attack Hobbies 1/144-scale range of jet aircraft, which Mark I has re-boxed and released with new decals. Mark I has recently begun to develop and realise its own new tool 1/144-scale kits using electro-plated metal moulds.

The L-29 kits reviewed here are the third new tool release for the company (after the Westland Wessex and Heinkel He 219). I understand that this is the first time the Delfin has been kitted in 1/144th, and so is sure to be welcomed by fans of this small scale.

The Kits

The kits come packed in a good quality end-opening box. Each has nice artwork on the front, and profiles of the four decal options on its rear. All parts are sealed in a zip-lock plastic bag, and the decals are loose with the kit sprues. Two of the releases, are twin-kit boxings, whilst the reconnaissance and special schemes boxings are single packages.

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Thumbnail panels:

The instructions include a parts map and assembly diagrams that are easy to follow. All text is in English. The instructions include a four-view coloured painting and markings guide for each option, with generic paint names included for the main colours and detail call-outs. The instructions also mention the Mark I Dozen Set booklet on the L-29 Delfin, which I reviewed here on HyperScale in February 2010. It did not include 1/144-scale decals (there being not kit in this scale at the time), but it is a handy reference nonetheless.

The kit captures the lines of the real aircraft and high degree of moulding finesse. In theory, panel lines in 1/144-scale are going to be overdone no matter how fine the moulding, but most people would want something there to add interest to the model. Mark I Models have done a very good job in this regard. The canopy is reasonably thin and very clear. The overall quality is generally equal to 1/144-scale kits by Platz, for those familiar with this Japanese brand.

The same two grey sprues and clear canopy are common to all four boxings. Depending on version these provide two choices of drop-tank, two small bombs, a pair of gun pods (the barrels for these must be scratch-built), and a camera pack. The parts appear crisp and flash-free.

Cockpit detail consists of a tub, seats, and instrument panels; for which there are decals depicting the instruments. There are no control columns. The kit is broken down in a logical manner, and has closed-in surrounds for the wheel-wells and blanked off air intakes. Detail is within the limits of what can be achieved with injection moulding, but Mark I offer PE and resin detail sets for those who want more. I shall describe these a little further down.

Colours & Markings

The colour schemes offered with the various kits are illustrated below:

• MKM14429 – Aero L-29 Delfin (Warpac Trainer):

• MKM14430 – Aero L-29 Delfin (Foreign Users):

• MKM14431 – Aero L-29R/RS “Oko”(Recce Delfin):

• MKM14432 – Aero L-29/L-29A (Special Schemes):

The decals appear to be of excellent quality.

I should mention that I only received the box for MKM14432, instead of a kit it contained the detail and accessory sets reviewed below. However I feel confident that the decals for this boxing will be equal in quality to those of the other three kits. However, I see from a retail listing I checked that the Tiger Scheme stripes are not provided. I feel this is a pity and a perhaps a missed opportunity to make this boxing more appealing. However, it may be that stripe decals would have to effectively “skin” the entire airframe, and given its size and shape this may not have been considered practicable. Likewise, supplying the stripes individually would be fraught with problems stemming from identification and placement, plus carrier film overlap issues. Despite this, they would be nice to have to at least give the modeller the option to try.

Detailing Set

The detailing set comes in a small zip-lock bag containing instructions, a PE fret (produced by Eduard), two small resin pitots, and a colour printed card display base. Much of the PE is devoted to garnishing the cockpit, but it also adds detail and refinement in the form of undercarriage doors, boarding steps, various antennae, and two air intake covers. There is also a rear fuselage panel specific to the reconnaissance version.

The kit canopy is very good for the scale, but a vac-form canopy would make the most of what this detail set has to offer. It seems Mark I plan tp release a vac-form canopy with mask as an accessory in the near future (MKA14415).

Canopy Mask

Produced by Eduard and supplied in a zip-lock plastic bag with instructions, the pre-cut canopy mask is a very handy accessory to aid finishing.

Weapon Set

My first tip concerning the weapons set is to remove the resin parts before attempting to access the instructions. I managed to break the fins off a rocket by doing the reverse of this. The resin parts provide:

• 2 x SSR-55 rocket launchers, and
• 2 x LR-130 rockets.

Straight out of the box, Mark I Models’ L-29’s are potentially a little gems, and very undemanding on display space. They have sufficient moulding finesse that I think the eye will be drawn away from any unavoidable slightly over-scale elements that tend to accompany 1/144 models.  The kit should be easy to build, but skill will be needed when painting given the subject’s small size.

My only negative note is that I think the lack of tiger stripe decals with the Special Schemes boxing (MKM14432) is a pity, but I am inclined to think they may be impracticable in this small scale.

For those who went more detail and finesse there is the detailing set with some very fine parts indeed, along with the card display base. If more payload variety appeals then there is of course the resin weapons set; again with some very small pieces. And finally, the canopy mask has the potential to make life just that bit easier, and a boon for those who don’t like masking.  

I am happy to recommend all four kit boxings and the accessory and detail sets reviewed here.

Thanks to Mark I Ltd for the review sample

Text and Images Copyright © 2014 by Mark Davies
Page Created 24 November, 2014
Last updated 24 November, 2014

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