AZKevin Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 Hello Everyone, As a History Ph.D. candidate I am always looking for 'hidden history'. Soviet women in combat during the Great Patriotic War (W.W.II) being one such area. Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak (Lylia Litvyak), was called the "White Lily of Stalingrad" in Soviet press releases and the "White Rose of Stalingrad" in Europe and North America after reports of her exploits were first published in English. She flew 66 combat missions and is credited with 12 solo victories and as many as 4 shared victories. Lydia failed to return from a mission on August 1, 1943 and was presumed KIA, she was 21 years old. Litvyak was awarded tthe Order of the Red Banner, Order of the Red Star, and was twice decorated with the Order of the Patriotic War. On May 6, 1990, USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev posthumously awarded Litvyak Hero of the Soviet Union. Lydia Litvyak and Katya Budanova (11 victories) are the worlds only two female aces. My model is the Accurate Minatures Yak-1b. It is built straight from the box. It is painted using a mix of Testor's Model Master enamels, Tamiya acrylics, and Polly Scale acrylics . Decals are kit decals. I have not yet confirmed whether her airplane was equipped with a radio or not. I am also not sure if her Yak 1b was equipped with the underwing rockets. Anyway the kit was a pleasure to build as there were no serious fit issues (FOLLOW THE KIT DIRECTIONS !!). As always comments, questions, suggestions are always welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Montgomery Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 I have a recollection of reading a story about German combat units flying in the area where a female Russian pilot was operating. The book stated that the Russian pilot would fly overhead taunting the German men to come and fight her. One such German, new to the area took off aganist the advice of his peers. She shot him down. I mention this because the Russian may have been your female Ace in question. And if it was, and if the story is creditable then she did, indeed, have a radio. Unfortunately I can't remember which book this was in, which Russian pilot was involved, and I certainly wouldn't rely on such a flimsy memory to verify my "radio" assumption. Anyway.....I happen to have one of these Accurate Mini kits and, yes, one does need to read and follow the instructions! These are great little kits with a very low tolerance for slight errors in part placement. Good job on the Yak! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamsof51 Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 A great kit, fine modeler and a bit of history, whats not to like? Nice work. Thats why I love this hobby. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonL Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Nice build & cool story. Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedeater Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 (edited) - And Lydia was only 21 years of age when she accomplished all of this. That's pretty remarkable. I'd be curious to know if the Russians ever figured out what became of her. Hopefully she met a glorious and dignified end. - Kevin, do these Yak-1's ailerons "sag" (both of them drooping down) when at rest? Or did they serve as "flaps" in addition to their role of ailerons? If not, this might be an opportunity to re-position one of them up. The rockets look "righteous". Overall, this is a fine build. Thanks for posting the pics and for the interesting History lesson. Model on, Brother of the Sprue. Edited July 5, 2011 by Weedeater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Very nice work on a plane you don't see too often Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Deliduka Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Brilliant! I love it. Awesome job on that plane. She sounds like my kind of woman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghodges Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Great looking build! GIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZKevin Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 - And Lydia was only 21 years of age when she accomplished all of this. That's pretty remarkable. I'd be curious to know if the Russians ever figured out what became of her. Hopefully she met a glorious and dignified end. - Kevin, do these Yak-1's ailerons "sag" (both of them drooping down) when at rest? Or did they serve as "flaps" in addition to their role of ailerons? If not, this might be an opportunity to re-position one of them up. The rockets look "righteous". Overall, this is a fine build. Thanks for posting the pics and for the interesting History lesson. Model on, Brother of the Sprue. Hi Ken, First of all I do not think anyone knows for sure what happened to Lydia. There are some rumors that she 'disappeared', 'was taken captive - and remained in Germany after the war', 'defected with a German lover', etc. None of which appear credible in the least. I did copy the following from Wikipedia ; "In an attempt to prove that Litvyak had not been taken captive, Pasportnikova embarked on a 36 year search for the Yakovlev Yak-1 crash site assisted by the public and the media. For three years she was joined by relatives who together combed the most likely areas with a metal detector. In 1979, after uncovering more than 90 other crash sites, 30 aircraftand many lost pilots killed in action, "the searchers discovered that an unidentified woman pilot had been buried in the village of Dmitrievka... in Shakhterski district." It was then assumed that it was Litvyak and that she had been killed in action after sustaining a mortal head wound. Pasportnikova said that a specialist commission was formed to inspect the exhumed body and it concluded the remains were those of Litvyak." This finding, I beleive, is the reason she was finally awarded Hero of the Soviet Union because if she'd been captured she would not be eligible for that award. Second of all I'm not at all sure about the position of the ailerons. This was also pointed out by a member of my local IPMS chapter (Ernest A. Love in Prescott AZ). The kit ailerons both had 'tabs' that mount in holes in the back of the wing and produce the sag. I know Accurate Miniatures is/was pretty well known for their research so I figured during the build that they knew what they were doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedeater Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) Kevin, - Both points (the additional info on Litvyak and the info on the A-M Yak kit) are very interesting. Now ya got me wondering about the Yak's mechanical features. Read ya later. Edited July 6, 2011 by Weedeater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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