Arma Hobby 70028 - 1:72 Yakovlev Yak-1B Model Kit

Plastic model kit of the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-1b fighter aircraft in 1:72 scale – Model Kit

The aircraft of Lydia Litvyak, one of the best-known female fighter pilots in history, and the 1st Fighter Regiment machine that ended up in the Polish Army Museum – both are covered by this boxing. Model Kit 70028 uses the same tooling as release 70027, offering the essential contents in a simpler, more accessible package.

The plastic sprue holds 44 parts and faithfully renders the features of the "b" version: the cut-down rear decking behind the cockpit and the bubble canopy that improved the pilot's rearward view. The airframe surfaces distinguish between the metal-skinned and fabric-covered areas, which makes a realistic finish easier to achieve.

The decals cover three marking options: aircraft no. 23 of the 73rd GIAP flown by Lt Lydia Litvyak, Krasny Luch, July 1943 – the pilot's last aircraft, lost on 1 August 1943; aircraft no. 107 of the 1st Fighter Regiment after its late-1945 overhaul, subsequently handed over to the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw; and aircraft no. 44 of Marcel Albert of GC3 "Normandie", March 1943.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprue with the airframe parts (44 parts)
• Sprue with the transparent parts
• Decals for three marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 70028
• Manufacturer: Arma Hobby
• Model length when assembled: approx. 118 mm
• Model wingspan: approx. 139 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (low parts count, small details)

Please note: glue, paints and modelling tools are not included. The model requires assembly.

Building the model:

The modest parts count and a well-thought-out breakdown of the sprues make this kit a good starting point for anyone wanting to try a more detailed 1:72 subject. It is worth painting and finishing the cockpit before joining the fuselage halves, as the bubble canopy leaves it clearly visible. Since no masks are supplied, we suggest protecting the glazing with narrow strips of masking tape or with ready-made masks available separately.

Lydia Litvyak's aircraft and the 1943 "Normandie" machine wear the grey-blue and dark grey camouflage (AMT-11 and AMT-12) over light blue undersides (AMT-7), while the post-war aircraft no. 107 calls for the scheme given in the instructions. For the cockpit interior we recommend the Soviet grey-blue interior shade. A panel line wash is best restricted to the metal areas, since much of the fuselage was fabric and plywood covered. The decals go on best over a gloss coat, with a matt or satin varnish to finish the model.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers for the small parts
• Brushes in various sizes or an airbrush
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• A wash to emphasise panel lines and details
• Gloss varnish under the decals and a matt or satin coat for the final finish
• Masking tape for the canopy glazing and the camouflage demarcations

About the aircraft – Yakovlev Yak-1b:

The Yak-1 was the first fighter designed by Alexander Yakovlev's bureau and the starting point of the entire family of Soviet wartime fighters – from the Yak-7 and Yak-9 through to the Yak-3. It was created in the second half of the 1930s in response to a competition for a modern fighter and entered series production in 1940. The aircraft used mixed construction: the fuselage was built around a welded steel tube frame covered with fabric and plywood, while the wing was wooden. This approach reflected the shortage of light alloys in Soviet industry, but it also made mass production and field repairs easier under front-line conditions.

The Yak-1b version, introduced at the end of 1942, was the result of combat experience gathered during the first two years of the war. The most obvious change was the cut-down rear fuselage decking behind the cockpit combined with a bubble canopy, which dramatically improved the pilot's rearward view – previously one of the type's most serious shortcomings. The armament was revised as well: instead of two 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, a single 12.7 mm Berezin UBS heavy machine gun was fitted, while the 20 mm ShVAK cannon firing through the propeller hub was retained. The Klimov M-105PF engine of around 1,180 hp gave good performance at low and medium altitudes – exactly where most of the fighting on the Eastern Front took place.

The Yak-1b fought at Stalingrad, over the Kuban and in the Kursk salient. Its pilots included the airmen of the French "Normandie" regiment, leading Soviet aces and the women fighter pilots of the 586th and 73rd fighter regiments – among them Lydia Litvyak, one of the best-known female fighter pilots in history. The type also equipped the 1st "Warsaw" Fighter Regiment, formed in the USSR in 1943 and fighting alongside the Red Army all the way to Berlin. More than 8,700 Yak-1s of all versions were built in total, with the "b" variant accounting for close to half of them.

Original aircraft specifications (Yakovlev Yak-1b):

• Length: 8.48 m
• Wingspan: 10.00 m
• Height: approx. 2.64 m
• Wing area: approx. 17.15 m²
• Empty weight: approx. 2,394 kg
• Take-off weight: approx. 2,880 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: Klimov M-105PF inline engine of approx. 1,180 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 590 km/h at approx. 4,300 m
• Service ceiling: approx. 10,000 m
• Range: approx. 700 km
• Armament: one 20 mm ShVAK cannon firing through the propeller hub and one 12.7 mm Berezin UBS heavy machine gun
• Structure: mixed – welded steel tube frame covered with fabric and plywood, wooden wing
• Production: 1940–1944, over 8,700 Yak-1s of all versions built

About the manufacturer – Arma Hobby:

The Arma Hobby story begins in 2016, when the Warsaw company previously known as Attack Squadron – a maker of resin aftermarket parts – launched its own injection-moulded kits. The whole process, from CAD design to mould making, is carried out in Poland, supported by scans of surviving aircraft. Kits from this brand are recognisable by their very fine skin texture with rendered rivets, thin wing trailing edges and neatly produced clear parts. The range covers 1:72 and 1:48 scales, built around Polish aviation subjects – the PZL P.7a, PZL P.11c and TS-11 Iskra – and Allied types of the Second World War. The decals supplied in the boxes are of a high standard and normally include a complete set of stencils. Arma Hobby models have earned awards in industry polls, among them a Model of the Year title at the Nuremberg trade fair. The company consistently expands its use of 3D printing, both as finished parts in the box and as downloadable files for modellers to print themselves.