In Box Review of Croco 1/72nd Scale
Yakovlev UT-3 (2nd Version)
By Ray Mehlberger
Kit no. CMD 7225
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $73.75
Kit no. CMD 7225
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $73.75
HISTORY:
The UT-3 was to serve as a training aircraft for pilots of multi-engine aircraft and for training air gunners, bomb aimers, navigators and radio operators. The airframe was constructed largely of wood and fabric-covered mild steel tubing. The prototype was powered by imported French Renault 6Q-01 220 hp (160 kW) six-cylinder inline engines but production aircraft may have used the Voronezh MV-6 (Soviet-built Bengali 6 copy).
Testing was undertaken in 1938 and the aircraft was approved for construction as the UT-3. While the prototype had been fitted with 2x 7.62 mm (0.300 in) ShKAS machine guns and racks for four FAB 50 bombs, the production model was unarmed and more austere.
Production was ordered in 1940 at two factories, No. 135 in Leningrad and No. 272 in Kazan. Only around thirty aircraft were built before orders were cancelled as the VVS high command decided to use multi-engine combat aircraft, modified for dual control, in place of dedicated training types.
Specifications (UT-3 2MV6A):
Data from OKB Yakovlev, Yakovlev aircraft since 1924.
General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 10.83 m (35 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 15 m (49 ft 3 in)
Wing area: 33.42 m2 (359.7 sq ft)
Empty weight: 2,042 kg (4,502 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 2,627 kg (5,792 lb)
Fuel capacity: 350 kg (770 lb) fuel, 32 kg (71 lb) oil
Powerplant: 2 × Voronezh MV-6 6-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engines, 160 kW (220 hp) each
Propellers: 2-bladed AV-3
Maximum speed: 260 km/h (160 mph, 140 kn) *Landing speed: 95 km/h (59 mph; 51 kn)
Range: 1,050 km (650 mi, 570 nmi)
Service ceiling: 6,200 m (20,300 ft)
Take-off run: 245 m (804 ft)
Landing run: 115 m (377 ft)
The UT-3 was to serve as a training aircraft for pilots of multi-engine aircraft and for training air gunners, bomb aimers, navigators and radio operators. The airframe was constructed largely of wood and fabric-covered mild steel tubing. The prototype was powered by imported French Renault 6Q-01 220 hp (160 kW) six-cylinder inline engines but production aircraft may have used the Voronezh MV-6 (Soviet-built Bengali 6 copy).
Testing was undertaken in 1938 and the aircraft was approved for construction as the UT-3. While the prototype had been fitted with 2x 7.62 mm (0.300 in) ShKAS machine guns and racks for four FAB 50 bombs, the production model was unarmed and more austere.
Production was ordered in 1940 at two factories, No. 135 in Leningrad and No. 272 in Kazan. Only around thirty aircraft were built before orders were cancelled as the VVS high command decided to use multi-engine combat aircraft, modified for dual control, in place of dedicated training types.
Specifications (UT-3 2MV6A):
Data from OKB Yakovlev, Yakovlev aircraft since 1924.
General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 10.83 m (35 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 15 m (49 ft 3 in)
Wing area: 33.42 m2 (359.7 sq ft)
Empty weight: 2,042 kg (4,502 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 2,627 kg (5,792 lb)
Fuel capacity: 350 kg (770 lb) fuel, 32 kg (71 lb) oil
Powerplant: 2 × Voronezh MV-6 6-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engines, 160 kW (220 hp) each
Propellers: 2-bladed AV-3
Maximum speed: 260 km/h (160 mph, 140 kn) *Landing speed: 95 km/h (59 mph; 51 kn)
Range: 1,050 km (650 mi, 570 nmi)
Service ceiling: 6,200 m (20,300 ft)
Take-off run: 245 m (804 ft)
Landing run: 115 m (377 ft)
THE KIT:
Croco Models is located in Riga, Latvia. Their kits are created by Leonid Shilin (author) & Mike Dolgov (master). This kit comes in a generic brown-box,that has a hinged-lid with locking tabs. The box art is on a sheet glued to the lid.
It shows a Yakovlev UT-3 (2nd Version) in flight as a color side-view illustration. It is olive drab over a light-blue undercarriage, with red Soviet AF stars on the wings and fuselage and it has a horizontally striped rudder flap of white and red bars.
Croco Models is located in Riga, Latvia. Their kits are created by Leonid Shilin (author) & Mike Dolgov (master). This kit comes in a generic brown-box,that has a hinged-lid with locking tabs. The box art is on a sheet glued to the lid.
It shows a Yakovlev UT-3 (2nd Version) in flight as a color side-view illustration. It is olive drab over a light-blue undercarriage, with red Soviet AF stars on the wings and fuselage and it has a horizontally striped rudder flap of white and red bars.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
Croco does all their models in tan resin with vacuformed clear canopies and decal sheets, packed in this kit in 3 zip-locked type cello bags.
The kit includes a spare canopy, in case you mess one up. Nice touch!
Croco does all their models in tan resin with vacuformed clear canopies and decal sheets, packed in this kit in 3 zip-locked type cello bags.
The kit includes a spare canopy, in case you mess one up. Nice touch!
The instructions are a single sheet printed on both sides in 6” x 8 ¼” format, folded in half to fit the box.
One side has an exploded line drawing of the fuselage, its interior, rudder, elevators, cockpit cabin details and fuselage spine assemblies.
The cockpit includes the dashboard, floor, foot pedals, joystick and 2 seats. Very nice!
One side has an exploded line drawing of the fuselage, its interior, rudder, elevators, cockpit cabin details and fuselage spine assemblies.
The cockpit includes the dashboard, floor, foot pedals, joystick and 2 seats. Very nice!
The reverse side has assembly instructions as another exploded line drawing, that shows the landing gear, nacelles, propellers, air intakes, boarding steps, antenna and wing flaps.
The tan resin parts.
Detail is both raised and engraved.
The decal sheet does not include the stripes for the rudder flap. Too bad.
This kit looks like it will make up very nicely in the right hands. Some small parts are attached to pour lugs and will need to be carefully removed.
It definitely is not for the novice or beginning modeler and would not be a weekend project. Also, plastic adhesive does not work on resin. So, go out and buy some super-glue and don’t cement your fingers together using it.
I recommend it. Detail is crisp and good., with only a few pour lugs to remove.
I want to thank Leonid Shilin of Croco for this review sample.
He can be reached at his Email address:
Sniff23/inbox.Iv
He does not have a web site.
This kit is listed on the web several times for the same price.
It definitely is not for the novice or beginning modeler and would not be a weekend project. Also, plastic adhesive does not work on resin. So, go out and buy some super-glue and don’t cement your fingers together using it.
I recommend it. Detail is crisp and good., with only a few pour lugs to remove.
I want to thank Leonid Shilin of Croco for this review sample.
He can be reached at his Email address:
Sniff23/inbox.Iv
He does not have a web site.
This kit is listed on the web several times for the same price.
Highly Recommended.