Yak-23 Cockpit Set & Yak-23 Control Surfaces

RES-IM, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

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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). 

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Thumbnail panels:

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.

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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