In Box Review of Alfa 1/72nd Scale
Soviet Lagg-3
No Kit Number
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1980
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 1980
Out of production
HISTORY:
The Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 (Лавочкин-Горбунов-Гудков ЛаГГ-3) was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. It was a refinement of the earlier LaGG-1 and was one of the most modern aircraft available to the Soviet Air Force at the time of Germany's invasion in 1941.
Despite its wooden construction, it was both overweight and underpowered. At one point in the war, on average, 12 LaGG-3s were being completed daily and 6,528 had been built in total when Factory 31 in Tbilisi switched production to the Yak-3 in 1944.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
National origin: Soviet Union
Design group: Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov
Designer: V. P. Gorbunov
Builtby:21(Gorky),31(Taganrog/Tbilisi),23/153(Leningrad/Novosibirsk)
First flight: 28 March 1940
Introduction to service: early 1941
Retired: 1944
Primary user: Soviet Union
Produced: 1941–1944
Number built: 6,528
Developed into: Lavochkin La-5
The Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 (Лавочкин-Горбунов-Гудков ЛаГГ-3) was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. It was a refinement of the earlier LaGG-1 and was one of the most modern aircraft available to the Soviet Air Force at the time of Germany's invasion in 1941.
Despite its wooden construction, it was both overweight and underpowered. At one point in the war, on average, 12 LaGG-3s were being completed daily and 6,528 had been built in total when Factory 31 in Tbilisi switched production to the Yak-3 in 1944.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
National origin: Soviet Union
Design group: Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov
Designer: V. P. Gorbunov
Builtby:21(Gorky),31(Taganrog/Tbilisi),23/153(Leningrad/Novosibirsk)
First flight: 28 March 1940
Introduction to service: early 1941
Retired: 1944
Primary user: Soviet Union
Produced: 1941–1944
Number built: 6,528
Developed into: Lavochkin La-5
THE KIT:
Alfa was located in Russia. I believe they have gone out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. My kit is badly crushed, because it was near the bottom of my pile of kit in my stash.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
Alfa was located in Russia. I believe they have gone out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped end-opening type box. My kit is badly crushed, because it was near the bottom of my pile of kit in my stash.
I am no fan of this type of box, because invariably parts or the decal sheet will find their way past one of the end flaps to become lost forever. Give me a tray and lid type box any day of the week.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains one dark green tree, a clear canopy and the decal sheet in a sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consists of a single sheet printed on one side all in Russian. It is 8 ½” x 11 ¾” format, folded in the center to fit the box,
It begins, all in Russian, with what I believe is the history of the Lagg-3 over 3 exploded line drawings to use for assembly. These line drawings are printed in a very light colored ink and the sheet is poor quality paper.
The cover art of the box shows a Lagg-3 shooting down a German Ju-88 that is going down in flames.
The Lagg-4 is in a wave pattern camouflage of green and black, over a light-blue under-carriage. It carries the Soviet AF red stars on the fuselage sides, under the wings and on the sides of the rudder. No other marks are shown,.
The Ju-88 is light grey (not a color I’ve ever seen this aircraft in before). It has a white fuselage band and black fuselage code F6 + AT.
One side panel has a small color side view of a Lagg-3 in the box art color scheme, but with a large fuselage no. 35, followed by a lot of Russian text.
The other side panel is all in Russian also.
The bottom of the box serves as the painting and marking guide.
The kit contains one dark green tree, a clear canopy and the decal sheet in a sealed clear cello bag.
The instructions consists of a single sheet printed on one side all in Russian. It is 8 ½” x 11 ¾” format, folded in the center to fit the box,
It begins, all in Russian, with what I believe is the history of the Lagg-3 over 3 exploded line drawings to use for assembly. These line drawings are printed in a very light colored ink and the sheet is poor quality paper.
The cover art of the box shows a Lagg-3 shooting down a German Ju-88 that is going down in flames.
The Lagg-4 is in a wave pattern camouflage of green and black, over a light-blue under-carriage. It carries the Soviet AF red stars on the fuselage sides, under the wings and on the sides of the rudder. No other marks are shown,.
The Ju-88 is light grey (not a color I’ve ever seen this aircraft in before). It has a white fuselage band and black fuselage code F6 + AT.
One side panel has a small color side view of a Lagg-3 in the box art color scheme, but with a large fuselage no. 35, followed by a lot of Russian text.
The other side panel is all in Russian also.
The bottom of the box serves as the painting and marking guide.
A modeling buddy of mine in Krakow, Poland traded me this kit years ago and he translated what the colors are on it.
It shows a top and bottom view and 3 side views of the Lagg-3.
The top one is overall silver with a red fuselage no. 36 and red stars in the usual 5 locations
The one below it is in the cover art scheme a large white fuselage no. 44 and red stars in the usual 5 locations.
The bottom one is also in the cover art scheme with a large white fuselage no. 53 and the red stars in the usual 5 locations.
The lone dark green parts tree is not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions and does not have part number tabs next to the parts on the tree. Bad move Alfa!
The tree holds: the fuselage, wings, landing gear legs, main wheels, gear doors, tail wheel, seat, rudder flap, elevators, tail wheel, propeller, cockpit floor, seat backrest and pilot figure (24 parts).
It shows a top and bottom view and 3 side views of the Lagg-3.
The top one is overall silver with a red fuselage no. 36 and red stars in the usual 5 locations
The one below it is in the cover art scheme a large white fuselage no. 44 and red stars in the usual 5 locations.
The bottom one is also in the cover art scheme with a large white fuselage no. 53 and the red stars in the usual 5 locations.
The lone dark green parts tree is not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions and does not have part number tabs next to the parts on the tree. Bad move Alfa!
The tree holds: the fuselage, wings, landing gear legs, main wheels, gear doors, tail wheel, seat, rudder flap, elevators, tail wheel, propeller, cockpit floor, seat backrest and pilot figure (24 parts).
The clear canopy is one part.
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
Recommended.