Polikarpov I-185 with M-71 Shvetsov engine
Third prototype, Novosibirsk, 1940

Starting from the very poor Eastern Express kit, adding the various external parts available at the time. The internal open cockpit was completely scratch built from my sources. The colours were from the VVS faithful Akan range, but rather difficult to airbrush... The powerful M-71 engine was "simulated' from the resin P&W 2800 (Pavla) since the number of cylinders was the same... First time I was fitting an engine in a kit... But I think it was worth it!