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Request Build, Hobbycraft 1/48 La-5 FN


Stikpusher

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So last night I received a special request via my brother in law from his grandson, my great nephew, that he would like another plane from Uncle Carlos. I have given him several of of my older builds. Now how can I say no to such a lad? The only problem was, I only have a few days to get it done before our next trip to visit, so the build has to be quick and simple. After mulling over my stash last nite, I settled on this baby

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I’m going old school and high speed, so no add-ons, just straight OOB. I’ve built the related La-7 kit many years ago and recall it is simple and straight forward, if somewhat inaccurate kit. So no real surprises or speed bumps should delay this. 

Besides, this gives me an excuse to get the newer & better Zvezda 1/48 La-5 FN…

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My progress so far…

Built the cockpit and painted the base colors. Just gonna dry brush the instruments and then install it. No washes or weathering…

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And few of the sub assemblies that I can do so far- the main landing gear struts and the cowl & prop assemblies…

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more to come later on…

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That is awesome Carlos! Way to go taking care of your great nephew this way.

 

How old is the little tyke right now? Maybe when he gets old enough, you can take a model with you and build it with him before giving it to him, or give it to him to help you build it.

 

Looking forward to seeing this later. Maybe get a shot of him so we can all see his smiling face when you give it to him.

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Mark and Gil, thank you.

Mark, he is 7. Not sure if he’s gonna be there with his gramps when we are there. Perhaps one day I can teach him how to build, but I don’t think that’s too likely.

Well, this is as far as I’m going to go with this tonite. 

Fuselage assembled

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IP Drybrushed and cockpit installed

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Tomorrow I will get the seam clean up done and all the major assemblies added. It should be some serious construction progress.

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Thanks Mark! Yes, 7 is an ideal age to start modeling. Unfortunately I don’t see them very often. Especially now that we live in different states.

and now back to our regularly scheduled build program… 😉

This morning after the gym I sanded the fuselage seams after letting that dry overnite. Then I added the wings…

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And then I added the chin radiator, main gear well center plate, and the tail wheel mount. I also added some strip styrene shims at the rear of the wing to fill a gap there

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I had to putty some small openings in the wing front that are a carry over from the common La-5/La-7 molds that should only be present on the La-7. I’m letting those dry before I sand them and resume adding the last assemblies.

More to come later on…

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So basic construction is now done. All that’s left to glue in place are the usual breakables: landing gear, pitot tube, antenna mast, and the bombs…

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All ready to start painting later this evening…

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1 hour ago, ghodges said:

I see some bedroom flight time in that one's future! :smiley20:

 

Gil :cool:

Lol! That wouldn’t surprise me a bit. Isn’t that what little boys are supposed to do with their model airplanes?

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13 hours ago, Stikpusher said:

Lol! That wouldn’t surprise me a bit. Isn’t that what little boys are supposed to do with their model airplanes?

I know I sure did! LOL!

 

Looking forward to seeing this in paint.

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You and me both Mark! Although back then I never built any WWII Russkie planes. Only the postwar stuff, mostly Migs, that was in all the hobby shops back then…

 

Well, I’ve got the basic colors on now. Underside is Humbrol enamel 114, Russian Light Blue. My old bottle of Polly S Russian Underside Blue had dried out since my last Red Air Force build… Topside is Polly Scale USSR Light Topside Gray. That took two thinned coats hand brushed… I had painted the side exhaust panels with Testors square bottle Steel last night

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next up, the Dark Gray disruptive pattern…

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Thank you Chris. Yes, all the previous builds that I’ve given him became ceiling hangers.

And the basic camo colors are all on now

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decals tomorrow….
 

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Decals are now on. So many to apply… all 10 of them… lol! 6 Red stars, 2 Bort numbers, and the “boosted” stencils on the cowling. Amazingly the Hobbycraft decals worked very well!

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Just gotta add the final bits, do a sealing top coat, and this will be all finished…

Edited by Stikpusher
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So here it is, all finished in a bit over 80 hours. Hobbycraft’s 1/48 La-5FN built OOB. I did modify a few parts with files or filler here and there, but nothing beyond that. I also used the kit decals, which surprisingly worked very well. 

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Now it’s all packaged up for travel to my great nephew and delivery to him over the weekend

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Thanks Mark. A fun old school, no frills build. No AMS. No weathering. No Aftermarket. Use the kit decals. Plain ole fashioned plastic model building. What a concept! 😜

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Thank you Gil! Now he can protect his home in the motherland from fascist invaders 😉

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22 hours ago, Stikpusher said:

Thanks Mark. A fun old school, no frills build. No AMS. No weathering. No Aftermarket. Use the kit decals. Plain ole fashioned plastic model building. What a concept! 😜

Indeed, what a concept!🤣 Seems to be the best way to model to me!! 😜

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