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Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces

RES-IM, 1/48 scale

S u m m a r y :

Catalogue Number:

RES-IM Item Nos.:

4802 – Yak-23 cockpit set

4803 – Yak-23 control surfaces

Scale:

1/48

Contents & Media

4802 – seven grey resin parts, fold-out black and white instruction sheet

4803 – nine cream resin parts

Price:

Each set €10.18 available on-line from:

RES-IM Resin Improvement

 

Review Type:

First Look.

Advantages:

Well cast; offer clear advantages over equivalent kit parts.

Disadvantages:

None apparent.

Conclusion:

These well-produced sets will considerably improve the look of your 1/48 Bilek kit. They will require some work to install but should be within the capacity of modellers with one or two resin cockpits under their belts – within this context, highly recommended.

Reviewed by Brad Fallen


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FirstLook

 

The Yak-23 was a first generation jet fighter produced by the Soviet Union in 1949-50.  It was an important evolutionary step in Soviet jet development, but quickly surpassed by swept-wing designs such as the MiG-15.  Just over 300 Yak-23s were built and the type was used by a number of Eastern Bloc countries during the 1950s. 

The Yak-23 has not been well represented in model form.  Czech model company Bilek released the only readily available 1/48 scale kit in mid-2012.  This injection moulded kit makes up into a good-looking model – as Victor Scheuerman’s build on Plastic Pics shows – but it has been produced using short-run technology and requires additional effort by the modeller to look its best.  Cockpit detail is limited, and all control surfaces are moulded in neutral positions. 

Fortunately, Czech aftermarket company RES-IM Resin Improvements has produced two sets that specifically address these issues.

RES-IM’s 1/48 Yak-23 cockpit set contains four parts cast in light grey resin (the cockpit tub, cockpit sidewalls and seat) and three parts in a darker grey resin (the instrument panel, gunsight and control column). 

 

  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
  • RES-IM 1/48 scale Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces Review by Brad Fallen: Image
Thumbnail panels:
Now Loading

 

Unfortunately the control column was missing from the review sample; the instructions show it as cast on the same block as the gunsight, but it must have been detached and lost during packaging.

The remaining cockpit parts are all well produced.  Casting is not quite as crisp as that of the major aftermarket companies, but it’s still well done and after cleanup and painting the parts should look excellent.  There is a little flash present, particularly on the seat, but I can find no imperfections on the parts themselves.  Most are attached to casting blocks that will need to be carefully removed with a razor saw; the exception is the instrument panel that I was able to detach from its block with no more than cautious wiggling.

 

 

Compared to photos of their kit equivalents, the RES-IM parts all offer considerably improved levels of detail.  The seat is probably the highlight, with its delicately cast straps and textured padding.  The exception is again the instrument panel, which the kit provides as a multi-part, pre-painted photo-etched assembly, compared to the rather bland RES-IM item for which you will need to source instrument decals.  Both panels have different instrument patterns and the only Yak-23 cockpit photo I could find had a different layout again, so I don’t know if the kit or RES-IM panel is more accurate.

The cockpit set includes a fold out instruction sheet that identifies each part by number, and then shows they fit together.  A painting guide is also included, but is of limited utility given that the instructions are printed in black and white.  Fortunately some good colour images are available on the RES-IM website.

No instructions are included in the control surfaces set, as it is obvious where these parts need to be installed.  Casting is again good, and with most of the parts attached to their casting blocks by only a thin strip of resin, clean up should be straightforward.  The horizontal stabilisers were attached by a long wafer of resin along their leading edge, from which I simply snapped them off – preparation of resin parts doesn’t get much easier than this.  Most of the work needed to install this set will involve modifying the Bilek kit parts, which will require surgery to remove unwanted plastic.

 

 

Conclusion

 

These two RES-IM Yak-23 sets are well produced and will add considerably to the look of your 1/48 Bilek kit.  The sets will require some work to install but should be well within the capacity of modellers with one or two resin or etched cockpits under their belts; within this context they can be highly recommended.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Resin Improvement for the review samples.


Review Text and Images Copyright © 2014 by Brad Fallen
Page Created 24 July, 2014
Last updated 24 July, 2014

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