Yakovlev Yak 3 SMER 1/72

Guy Rump
A few firsts for me, this one being my first Russian WW2 aeroplane. The version I intend to portray is an aircraft from the French Normandie-Niemen Group which flew in 1945. The model as can be seen from the photos is white plastic which is quite soft and malleable.
The Yakovlev Yak-3 (Russian: Яковлев Як-3) was a single-engine single-seat World War II Soviet front line fighter aircraft. Robust and easy to maintain, it was much liked by pilots and ground crew alike.[2] It was one of the smallest and lightest major combat fighters fielded by any combatant during the war. Its high power-to-weight ratio gave it excellent performance.[3] It proved a formidable dogfighter. Marcel Albert, World War II French ace, who flew the Yak-3 in USSR with the Normandie-Niémen Group, considered it a superior aircraft when compared to the P-51D Mustang and the Supermarine Spitfire.

Guy Rump
Originally, a Heller 1975 kit.
Pilot: Roger Sauvage Normandie Regiment (Free French) Soviet Air Force 1944
Complete: Used Hataka acrylic paints on top of fuselage and Vallejo Model Air on bottom. I had issues getting the right consistency for the Hataka paints but believe I have learned from this!

Guy Rump
Many thanks mate for your interest and like from 4 years ago, Martin N. 👍

Guy Rump
Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Mark dB, Pavlo Y & Cuajete. 👍

Guy Rump
Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Duster_d & 1 other mate. 👍

Guy Rump
Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Noel B, Christian, John E, Gary K, Franck D & 1 other mate. 👍

Guy Rump
Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Neil, Franck G, Matti T & Bernd G. 👍

Guy Rump
Many thanks mate for your interest and like Micky. 👍

Живко Джаков
He did well. I like the model. The thing to note about the Yak-3 is that it was very light for novice pilots to fly. It was also very close to the Dewoitine D.520. That is why the French choose this plane for their squadron. It was a low-altitude fighter, as were the main battles on the Russian front. It can hardly match the Mustang and Spitfire.

Guy Rump
Many thanks Живко Джаков for the kind comment and extra information. 👍

Many thanks mates for your interest and likes Живко Джаков, Robert P, Rando D, William J & Rui. 👍

Guy Rump
Many thanks mate for your interest and like David C. 👍