The model is delivered on a CD in PDF format which prints on three sheets. Pages one and three were printed on 20 lb. paper with page two printed on 67 lb. Hammermill cover stock using a HP G85 OfficeJet. For a fixer to prevent smudging, 2nd page was sprayed with Krylon Acrylic Clear.
Page three has patterns to be glued onto cardboard such as bulk heads, wing and tail spars and wheels. A small wire pattern diagram for gear and prop blade support outlined in red. Parts #22 (landing gear struts) are also on this page and should not be glued onto card board. The rest of the page gives a six paragraph history.
I penciled the corresponding numbers on the backside of each part for speed in identifying parts should they become scattered in during construction. Normally I would build sub assemblies first but since this is only one and a half page of parts I decided to cut them all out.
I scored where necessary using the back of the Xacto blade.
All cut edges were darkened with a black Sharpie pen.
A quick study reveals a filled in red circle next to the part means that part gets rolled tight. A red curve means to curve the part in the direction shown. An open red circle lets us know that is an open barrel such as the front cannon part #27.
PROPELLER HUB and SPINNER:
I started with the propeller hub part number 25A and 25B rounding
off the edges with a sanding stick and glued them together. The
propeller blades (part number 28) were cut from the sheet. Notice
the green line with what looks like a green number 11 on page
one. This is the indication for a wire support. Its length is
shown in the red dashed outlined box on page three. Snip three
lengths. The wire pattern shown next to it is for the landing
gear struts.
I slid my thumb nail along the length of each prop blade during
the gluing process to give each blade a slight curve.
Insert completed blades with wires into part #25. I cut out an
additional disc to press down into part #25 to help hold and glue
the propeller wires in position. Did the engine turn left or
right? I’m guessing clockwise as seen from the pilot’s
seat.
Press and work spinner part # 26 around the end of a sharpened pencil
to aid in shaping and then glue it together. Glue #26 to disc
25C. Blacken the inside and edges of the cannon (part #27) with a
Sharpie, roll it, glue it and insert into spinner part # 26.
FUSELAGE and RUDDER:
Curve fuselage parts around the barrel of the Sharpie pen. Curve
canopy part #12 around smooth barrel of an Xacto knife handle.
Notice each part along the edge has an alignment tick mark at top
center. I started with part #4 glued it to reinforced parts C and D. For
some reason I like starting fuselages in the middle and work
outward. Part #5 glued to D and E. I was tempted to add a paper strip
along inside of bottom edge for support. It wasn’t
necessary. Glued Rudder part # 6 to reinforced 6A. Glued Rudder to fuselage
part #5. Slice the cut marks on fairing part #7 and glue fairing
to vertical fin as shown. Glued Part #4 to Part #5.
Front and back of Part # 3 glued to reinforced C bulkheads. Glued #3 to #4.
Glued Part #2 to reinforced B (gun slots on top) and C. Glued #2 to #3. Glued Fuselage Part 1 To reinforced A and B. Glued #1 to #2.
Glued Windshield #12 to Canopy #13 then glued canopy to fuselage.
This was done in the wee hours. The following day I noticed the
windshield did not have the tick marks aligned. Rather than
rip it apart I printed another parts sheet onto 20lb paper, cut
out another windshield and glued it over the first one this time
making certain the tick marks were in line.
WING:
I then attached reinforced ribs #14B to reinforced wing spar
#14A. After manipulating the spar assembly to where I
thought it belonged I glued #14C onto the bottom wing
inside as shown in the assembly line drawing.
Before double checking I glued the root edges of the upper wing surface
part #14 to the rib tops thereby canting the two ribs. The
wing ribs should be parallel to each other. I thought about
printing another wing assembly and starting over but continued
forward. You should locate the main spar so that
it will add support for the landing gear to brace against it.
Notice the white circles for main gear location on the wing
underside. Part 14A is the main spar. Part 14a (lowercase a) is
for attaching 14b at the top forward wing roots. Glue the
trailing edges and wing tips. Glue 14a to the wing at the
opening.
WING TO FUSELAGE:
Glue wing to fuselage. Glue 14b in place covering the front wing openings. I
waited to install the very small leading edge air intakes 14d.
Slice through the short black cut lines along the fairing #15 edge. Installed
(glued) wing root fairings part # 15 in place. With the wing
installed slice the white vertical locators for reinforced part
9A horizontal tail spar checking for alignment with the wing.
White paper showed on the wing leading edge fold. I tried to hide it
with a swipe of my Sharpie pen and slipped leaving a black
line on the left wing. This was corrected later with acrylic
paint.
UNDERSIDE:
Slice the cut marks and curl intake part #17. Glue intake screen
part #16 centering it on the tick mark of #17. Glue #17 assembly
to the fuselage bottom. Slice the cut marks and curl intake part
#18. Glue #18 to the fuselage bottom.
ELEVATORS:
Score, fold and glue the little white tabs on the elevators part
#9 then glue the trailing edges and tips. Slide the
elevators onto the reinforced spar #9A at rear of fuselage. Check
for alignment with wings and fuselage. Remove the elevators, add
glue to the spar, reinstall and glue the horizontal stabilizers
part #9 again checking the alignment. Slice the cut marks on fairings part #10
and install as shown.
NOSE GUNS:
I waited until the fuselage to wing construction was completed
(manhandling) before working with these small items. This was
just preference. I cut out the white gun locators on top of parts
#1 and #2. Using a small file, clean out debris from the gun
groves in both reinforced bulkheads B. Curl part # 2a along the
length of a round toothpick and then glue #2 in place. Curl part
# 2c and glue in place. Blacken the inside of both part 2b guns,
roll, glue and place into rear of gun ports. Tweezers helped
here. Before the glue sets clean out the gun barrels with a fine
wire. I used the landing gear wire.
EXHAUST:
I used a brown felt tip pen on the edges
of each exhaust. The ink bled into the paper and this added to
the appearance of rusted exhaust stacks. With the help of a round
jewelers file I curled each stack. The file helped grip the paper
pieces. Glued the stacks part #21 to the fuselage.
TAIL WHEEL:
Score, fold, and glue part #20. (I used 24 pound paper for part
#20.) Cut out tail wheel part #19. Glue outside printed tail
wheels to center blank. Glue the tiny blue pieces to the white
locators on each side of the tail wheel strut. Glue tail wheel
assembly into white locator dot on underside at rear of fuselage.
Cut out part #20 gear doors, ink edges, and glue in place.
WHEELS:
Cut out six wheel discs part #23A, sandwich three each in between
wheels part #23. Clamp and set aside to dry. When dry, sand round, coat with a black
Sharpie pen or acrylic paint for gray used appearance.
Drill axle hole for the landing gear wire.
LANDING GEAR:
What an experience. A front view would have saved a bunch of time. Rolling part #22 and trying to bend it around the wheel as I pictured it should be just wasn't working. This would be correct if I was building the Yakovlev Yak-1. Frustrated I dove into my reference books. On page 196 of The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft 1914 -1980 by Enzo Angelucci there is a colored illustration of the Lavochkin LaGG-3 showing straight legs. Problem solved. Yes it looks straight on the side view but a front view would have quickly removed all doubt.
Roll part #22 landing gear struts and glue around bent wire support made from pattern in red dashed box on page three. Score, fold, and glue gear doors part #24.
Cut around blue image. Glue gear assembly part #22 onto gray side
of gear doors part #24. Glue wheels part #23 to gear wires part
#22. Cut white top off of both gear strut assemblies part #22 and
test fit into bottom of wing at the white circle dots. Open the
white dots enlarging with a round file for the landing gear
assemblies. The wing spar should help support the gear by
providing more gluing surface inside the wing.
Check wing tip measurement from surface to assure the model is level. Adjust
landing gear and glue. If you wish, add a short upper retraction strut to both sides commonly found on Russian fighter aircraft of this period.
ANTENNA:
Cut a length of wire to fit through fuselage leaving enough for the mast part
# 5a to support antenna wires. Score mast #5a, fold and glue to
wire. Insert into fuselage at point indicated at fuselage forward
top edge of part #5. Cut, coat edges, score and fold antenna
connector Part #8. I wasn’t certain how this attached to the
upper vertical fin so I used it as a spacer for the two antenna
wires connecting at the leading edge of the vertical fin. For
antenna wires I used 2 lb test monofilament fishing line. Roll
and glue the pitot tube part #14c to the right wing at the black
location dot.
A final check including touching up with acrylic paints finished this neat little model.
This model is available from Models by Marek at http://www.teuton.org/~dbarnett
