Rogozarski Ik-3 AZ model 1/72 scale

[samuraj77]

History introduction

The Rogožarski IK-3, a 1930s Yugoslav  low wing monoplane single seat interceptor fighter with retractable landing gear, was a product of the design team of Ljubomir Ilić and Kosta Sivčev as a successor to their IK-1/IK-2 fighter.

Assisted by Ing. Zrnić, the design team initiated the design of a single-wing fighter that would be a marked improvement over the biplane fighters then in use. They began work in 1936 under strict secrecy. Wind tunnel testing work was carried out in France, before they submitted the design to the Yugoslav Air Ministry, who then approved construction of a single prototype. Construction of the IK-3 was assigned to Rogožarski A. D. in Belgrade.

The prototype first flew in the spring of 1938.

The IK-3 prototype was powered by a Hispano-Suiza 12Y-29 liquid-cooled supercharged V12, rated at 890 hp (664 kW) for take-off and at 920 hp (686 kW) at 11,810 feet (3600 m) altitude. The prototype was armed with one 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS-404 cannon and two 7.92 mm FN-Browning machine guns mounted over the engine in the forward fuselage. The aircraft was of mixed steel tube, wood, and fabric construction with the retractable landing gear of Messier design. Its construction was similar to the British contemporary Hawker Hurricane fighter. Six test pilots flew the prototype in a mostly-successful test program (alterations were required to the retractable landing gear and to the engine installation) before the airplane was destroyed in a fatal crash. On January 19, 1939 the test pilot, Captain Pokorni, after a series of aerobatic maneuvers, entered a terminal velocity dive from which he did not recover. The subsequent accident investigation could not find an aircraft-related cause for the accident, and the Yugoslav Air Ministry ordered an initial production lot of twelve aircraft.

At the beginning of the April war, only 6 out of 12 IK-3 from the first production series were operational. One aircraft was lost in a fatal accident before the war (it dived into the Danube River under power; investigators concluded the pilot had blacked out), four were grounded for scheduled services and repairs and one aircraft was undergoing modification to Series II IK-3 standard in the Rogozarski airplane factory. The six remaining IK-3s were assigned to 161st and 162nd fighter squadron (3 IK-3 each) of the 51st Fighter group. The 51st fighter group was part of the 6th fighter regiment of Royal Yugoslav Air Force which was tasked to defend Yugoslav capital, Belgrade. Both fighter squadrons were stationed at Zemun airport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogozarski_IK-3

AZ model introduced this kit at the end of February 2010. There are two boxes available on the market and both available at AZ model web http://www.legatokits.cz/
Basicly it is the same kit, and the only difference is boxart and decal sheet. Plastic looks very nice, and the level of details is great.
This model is now the only available plastic injected kit on the market.

[samuraj77]

And the second box preview...
let's start building these kits 

[Profa]

Although I have 12 models on the bench, I'm joining in with '2158' (the one from the second box), starting tomorrow morning
The end is scheduled for this year, that's the best I could predict right now...

[No.1]

First at all I hope that you have visit download section of the site and that you have download zip file with pack of the archive images in hi resolution where you could note many of details, starting from construction details of the airplane elements like landing gear, middle flaps, engine close ups as well images of the operational machines. Maybe you have note that material inside zip is quite new...

I get some time to start this build some times ago when we have received pack of the models from AZ Models and I would like to grant special thanks to the company owner who have arrange this material for us. Impression about the kit is really hight- very simple products, all plastic parts on one fret (and one for transparent parts), machinery works on the molds are at very good level and surface details are crisp and good.

Images in attach:

01. no matter which kit you will open, note above post of our moderator, they are same in many aspects and main difference is the decal sheet. Instruction is very good and simply to follow.

02. vertical tail is a little off shape but this is very possible result of the shrinkage, which is common in the injection molding method.

03. fuselage match fine into the overall shape and only point to be note is that lower edge are too sharp on kit and it have to be rounded with sand paper.

04. wings also fit excellent to shape, with minor difference in the shape of the sleeve but as well this will be later cement with fuselage, new sleeve panel could be scribed

05. horizontal tail good shaped

06. small detail on the panel behind the pilot head, note panel which have to be engraved

07. basic coat of all of the interior is the aluminum color with various level of the polishing

08. IK-3 actually have no real floor and dominant bottom area elements are two long surfaces, I left them in metal color and paint around in back, this is fine solution as well I plan to make kit with the closed cockpit and this detail would not be seen through.

Work will be progress later... 

[tenk]

impressive most impressive,my young jedi master! work on my kit will begin probably tomorrow!bloody stomach virus 

[No.1]

Hope that virus will be gone soon

From my side here you are more images of the model in work. No specific point there, all steps show here are just regular work step, like in many other kits. Maybe on simple note that chanel which take air under the nose, should be a little bit deeper and if you more prefer you could close the rear side with the mesh.

[No.1]

Here you are some surface sanding details, actually filler sanding. For the first time ever I have try Gunze Sangyo Mr. Surfacer 1200 and it is excellent spray model filler! Cover all scratches and very good to prepare surface for the further preparation like engraving and later painting.

 

[No.1]

Here you are official review of the kit:

http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/2010/03/21/ik-3-az-models/

Cheers

[No.1]

More images of the kit assembly. First image show new material for me, this is automotive tape, dedicated for the acrylic protection and it perform excellent on the same kit. Adhere excellent and I did not have any issue until now. Second image show few of the panels that should be engraved, as you seen I used thin cardboard as template, I cut the with razor blade. Most of you recognize White base and the next two images show the kit with the paint over, mixed from primary colors, in the similar manner as done on real airplanes. As you seen there is bottle of that paint made for other modelers who will going to make the kit build. Next image show my protection of the tail- I really prefer all grey scheme as well it is best fighter scheme we have. So this mean wide flag on tail.

Last two images show main landing gear leg fitted inside undercarriage bay. Two point- first you should cut original leg and again cement it in reverse position. Oleo cylinder was in upper position! Second- cement it on the same edge of the bay. I keep it in proper angle with BlueTack.

 

[tenk]

Samurai has already written everything about the plane and the model which arrived to me courtesy of the Letletlet website , and I decided, while taking a break from the Klostermann campaign, to start making this model! It is quite obvious that the left half of the fuselage lacks some of the ribs, which have been erased due to bad casting, and this is a shame for a beautiful model of an even more beuatiful airplane, so I embarked on an adventure... I sanded off all the ribs along the entire fuselage and made new ribs from heated sprue according to the technical drawings (gratitude to our mate, No.1! ), everything has subsequently been sanded and brought to the scale. I have already assembled the cockpit, and as for interventions, I decided to add the seatbelts which I made out of Tamiya's cut tape since I didn't have any etched belts. The halves were glued on together, and after the glue dried, they were filled up with super glue. I did not have to resort to the heavy artillery since everything fitted perfectly! Here are some photos of my progress... 

[No.1]

Well... much cleaner build then mine Congratulation for this very nice start

[samuraj77]

Great start mate... Hope that I will post some work on mine sample soon...

[tenk]

little progres...

[samuraj77]

It looks great so far 

[No.1]

Yes