Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => Red Star Soviet GB => Topic started by: Brian da Basher on June 11, 2017, 01:31:59 AM
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(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_001.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_001.jpg.html)
While both the Mikoyan-Gurevich and Yakovlev bureaus had noteworthy first generation jets
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/mig%209%20yak%2015.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/mig%209%20yak%2015.jpg.html)
Lavochkin's initial foray into jet power was somewhat less memorable.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_002.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_002.jpg.html)
Officially known as the La-13, the aircraft was comparable to other early Soviet jets since it was merely a production La-7 modified to accept a jet engine.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_003.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_003.jpg.html)
While far from an ideal aircraft, the La-13 was ground-breaking in being one of the first, if not the best, jet fighters.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_004.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_004.jpg.html)
Some might say the concept itself is wanting and this may be due to outside influences beyond the Lavochkin bureau's control.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/stolichnada%20-%20nada%20text.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/stolichnada%20-%20nada%20text.jpg.html)
Unfortunately, the La-13 had a propensity to catch fire in flight due to poor tailpipe placement.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_009.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_009.jpg.html)
This design fault would lead to its NATO reporting name Flambé.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/flambe.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/flambe.jpg.html)
Never fielded in any numbers, only 14 La-13s were ever built.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_005.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_005.jpg.html)
The example shown here, "White 75" was given that erroneuos Bort # in an attempt at deceiving the west into thinking there were over seventy of the things.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_006.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_006.jpg.html)
No La-13 Flambés survived past 1947. Those that didn't catch fire were destroyed by angry pilots and relatives of the barbequed.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_007.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_007.jpg.html)
The only kit of the La-13 was this 1/72 NoGo short-fun offering from 1991 of which only three were ever sold.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_008.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_008.jpg.html)
Practically nobody remembers the Flambé today and most aviation experts, citing a lack of documentary evidence, believe the type only to be the product of some flaming imagination.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_010.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_010.jpg.html)
Brian da Basher
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This all started with a rather vintage (and perhaps quite collectible!) 1/72 Novo Lavochkin La-7. Mine was bagged, so there's no box art as such, but the header card is rather nice.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_kitbag_front.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_kitbag_front.jpg.html)
It even comes with a helpful painting guide on the back that I once again totally ignored except for appreciating the drawings and surprising quality of collectivized printing.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_kitbag_back.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_kitbag_back.jpg.html)
The rest of the kit is simple like the packaging.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_sprues.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_sprues.jpg.html)
Just in case anyone doubts its commie credentials, this bit of sprue will put that to rest.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_tag_made_in_USSR.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_tag_made_in_USSR.jpg.html)
Of course there was no way I was going to build it straight. I wasn't sure what I was going to do and then I noticed a prop problem.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_prues_prop.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-7_Novo_prues_prop.jpg.html)
Probably not a hard fix, but it gave me the idea to convert this baby to jet power.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_01.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_01.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_04.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_04.jpg.html)
I started by swapping out the busted kit prop for a large spinner I found rattling around the spares box. Then I blanked off the fuselage exhaust carve-out with pieces of card.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_02.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_02.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_03.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_03.jpg.html)
Since the kit canopy fits a Monogram P-36 (with a bit of kludging), I replaced it with a drop tank half. A spare 1/144 U-2 nose was used for the tailpipe.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_05.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_05.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_06.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_06.jpg.html)
Here's how it all looked before paint.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_upper.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_upper.jpg.html)
I forgot to mention that I amputated a small belly radiator and covered it with another slice of card.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_under.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_xprog_under.jpg.html)
Speaking of paint, acrylics and the old hairy stick were used, Model Masters Medium Gray mostly.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_00_under.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_00_under.jpg.html)
The canopy was tinted with Flat Black and then a couple of coats of Liquitex Artists' Gloss Medium were used to get it nice and shiny.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_00_upper.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_00_upper.jpg.html)
A bit of Model Masters Aluminum was used on the fan blades up front.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_014.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_014.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_013.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_013.jpg.html)
Lastly the exhaust end was painted in Model Masters Jet Exhaust.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_011.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_011.jpg.html)
The decals were all swiped from an Encore Polikarpov R-5.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_012.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_012.jpg.html)
It only took me a week to build this model but it took a while to get it posted because things have been busy at work. I'd like to thank Bill for his kindness in sending me this little gem of a kit!
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_015.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_015.jpg.html)
I hope you enjoyed the Lavochkin La-13 Flambé and reading about yet another aircraft that ended up in the ash heap of history.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_016.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/La-13%20Flambe/La-13_016.jpg.html)
Brian da Basher
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I hope you enjoyed the Lavochkin La-13 Flambé and reading about yet another aircraft that ended up in the ash heap of history.
Brian da Basher
Definitely yes,great job Brian (http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/113.gif)
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Nice work! Looks like the pilot would get cooked sitting over that engine!
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Kerick, asbestos-lined stainless steel jockstrap for the pilot?
Beautiful piece of work, Brian.
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Heat shield for his heiny!
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So, thats how the thieving imperialist sky pirates got the idea for the Ryan Fireball!
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRg_1J-eLr3r9OkWJ-EZfC85twtRROot37DMWbvzjuU09moc8t5
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;)
Lovely!