Zvezda 1/200 Li-2 Soviet transport plane

[Thomatchef]

I just bought 2 of these as I was looking for a model of a C47 Dakota. Thought it might be of interest to some of you.
Hasagawa has different models of the C47 but they cost about 13€ each (without delivery). Then I found the Zvezda ones. For less than 10€ I have 2 and they are deliverd. There seems to be less panel lines in the Zvezda model but in 1/200 I don't really care about that. The Zvezda model has clear windows where the Hasagawa ones are to be painted or decals.

My plan is to paint at least one of them like a british C47's to go along with my spitfires. That means the turret has to go and new decals will need to be found.

Attachment 35765

I'll leave one in the Russian configuration as it is a very interesting plane to use together with the Yak's that come in the first WOG airplane series. The Li-2 was also used as a bomber and had some defensive weaponry on board. On the link below I found a lot of usefull information.
http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/li-2...o/li2-camo.htm

When they are finished I'll post some pictures of course

[Marechallannes]

Looks interesting.

I'll wait for your model pictures.

[Thomatchef]

I guessed they arrived. The postman came today but wasn't home so I'll have to wait a bit...

[Blackronin]

I was also expecting these. I hope Zvezda keep doing these 1/200 models of bombers and transports. This would make my ww2 Wings of War collection much brighter.

[Thomatchef]

As I suspected they arrived. I'm already putting one together. My opinion is that the Ju52's are better kits that these are. The windows are real clear plastic but getting it smooth together requires some fitting and filing. Also the elevator section was not proper aligned and needed correction. The wing-fuselage connection also needs quit a lot of putty. Have a lot of filling an sanding to do for such small model. For the finished results you'll have to wait a bit as I working myself into my new job and some (read a lot) of my free time goes into studying.

[Marechallannes]

We stay tuned, Thomas.

[flyingryno]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[Mveeder]

Did they base/copy the LI-2 from the small flight of Douglas DC-3 that were "turned over" to the Soviets. It is almost an identical aircraft. I'm not familiar with Russian WWII aircraft. Are there anyother allied aircraft they produced in slight variation?

[Blackronin]

The B-29 for starts...

[Thomatchef]

The LI-2 was a license-built version of the DC-3. But in the end they made quit a lot of subtle and not so subtle changes. The turret on top, smaller wingspan, different engines, nose-mounted gun are just some examples. For the 1/200 scale these changes are nearly not visible so using this model for a C-47 Dakota is interesting. I'm now working on that version afterwards I'll make the LI-2. The only thing that I don't like are the engines. The LI-2 had engine cowlings which could be closed when flying in extreme cold. That means that in this model there is no engine visible as with the JU52's. I'm now thinking of drilling the engines out and then model one in...

[Thomatchef]

Some in progress pictures

The engines are drilled and carved out. It's not as detailed as with the JU52's but its at least more accurate than a completely closed cowling. I hope with some painting it will look nice.
Attachment 37050

The bomb racks have been removed and as you can see some putty was needed to make a smooth wing to fuselage transition.
Attachment 37051

Gun turret removed.
Attachment 37052

Now I have to sand it some little more with very fine sanding paper and then it can be painted with primer.

[Blackronin]

Excellent, Thomas. After your thread, it will be easier for me to make this bird.

[Thomatchef]

And the first color has been added. I'm painting it in Tamiya Dark Green 2 (RAF) (XF-81) and Medium Sea Gray 2 (RAF) (XF-83).
Attachment 37073

This is the paint-scheme I'm going for. The invasion stripes are very recognizable. I don't have decals for them so hopefully it's easy to airbrush them
Attachment 37074

[pbhawkin]

nice job.
Did you find the plastic it is made from soft or 'greasy' at all?
I have the 1/144 models and the plastic just seems a bit 'soft'

[Thomatchef]

@pbhawkin: The plastic is not soft and greasy at all. Most of my modeling experience I have with Tamiya kits and I dare to say that its about the same type of plastic. The plastic of the JU52's is somewhat softer and more greasy.

Found some time to begin with the build of the LI-2 version this evening and couldn't stop . Because I didn't build them at the same time, I could evade some of the problems I had with the first one. But I had to use some putty in exact the same places as the first one. So its definitely due to production that these problems exist.
Attachment 37352

Added exhaust pipes to both models. This way the engines look a lot nicer. They will be painted in a dark shade of rust.
Attachment 37351

The LI-2 version with gun turret and "closed" engines.
Attachment 37350

And this is the painting scheme I'm going for with the LI-2 version.
Attachment 37353

[Blackronin]

Very, very nice, your work.

[pbhawkin]

looking good.
I look forward to seeing the finished models.
You know you can get Black decals on clear background in different widths from Matt (Methusla on Ebay 144direct) and use those for your invasion stripes over a White background?

[Thomatchef]

Since all the pics are disappeared I'll post a new one.

This is the result so far. Now I'm a little bit hesitating about what to do next. The picture I have is a plane without letter or numbers on the fuselage. The pic I have also shows it like this but if I google around all the planes have extra markings on the fuselage.

Does somebody know if the planes have actually flown like this?



I now have to retouch the windows a bit, finish the propellors and give the model its final varnish layer.

[Blackronin]

Gorgeous!!

[Thomatchef]

The C-47 Skytrain is finished. I'm very pleased with the result. It's not 100% historical correct but I'm fine with that.










I'm now working to finish the LI-2 version. I'm having doubts on how to paint this one. I wanted the green/black camo scheme but I'm not that sure anymore and thinking about going for an simple green finish.

[Blackronin]

It is absolutely beautiful.

[Rat of Vengence]

Wow, that has a fantastic finish on it! Very nice work!

Dave

[Marechallannes]

Fantastic, Tomtchef!

Absolutely high quality.

[Doug]

Well done that is a very nice model, can you post where you got them from. Thankyou

[Thomatchef]

Bought them on e-bay from a guy called "treadhead2004". Can't complain about service and price.

[Linz]

Very nice finish well done
Linz

[Thomatchef]

And the LI-2 version is finished as well. Below is the painting scheme I went for. First I wanted to add a black camouflage pattern. But I didn't like this 100% and preferred this.



The pictures aren't very good. Like it looks now the airplane shine's a bit, but its a matt finish. I'll try to make some better and also some together with the C-47

[Thomatchef]

Gave the LI-2 model an extra layer of matt varnish and the result is much better now.



Found some time to make extra pictures of them both together.





Now comes the second part and that's making some cards for the planes. For the C-47 I can use the card of MAX but what to do with the LI-2? In total the plane had four 7.62 mm guns. One fixed in the nose (rarely used and not very effective), 1 in the turret and two firing from the sides. What damage should be taken for a 7.62mm gun? Is that one A token?

The card for the C-47 uses the XA movement deck and the JU-52 uses and I*-deck. Could an I* deck also be used for the C-47 and the LI-2 as I guess these are more appropriate if I look at the max speeds of the aircraft

C-47 = 360km/h (224 mph) @ 10000 ft
Ju52 = 265km/h (165mph) @ 0 ft
Ju87 = 390km/h (242mph) @ 13000 ft

[Thomatchef]

For some reason I wasn't 100% pleased with the result of the LI-2. The overall green finish just did not jump into the eye (or how do you say it in english). Than MAX HEADROOM showed the card he made for the airplane. It was a green/desert yellow finish and I really liked it. So I decided to paint my model in the same colors. This is the result...

[Blackronin]

Very nice repaint of your previous painting.

[Whiskysierra]

These aren't to the same standards as Thomas's but I've had a go at the same kit to make a couple of RAAF Dakotas.


All hand painted, including markings. I just have to put them on stands I have coming.

[Baldrick62]

Congratulations on a fine looking pair of Daks!

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Well done Wayne, a couple of great looking 'Biscuit Bombers'. I can see some New Guinea escort scenarios coming up - P-40's and C-47's intercepted by Zeros.

I have done some research on the Douglas Dakota Mk.IV, several examples of which were supplied to the RAAF by the USAAF in early 1943. Powered by two of the ubiquitous 1200hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines, their maximum speed was 368kmh and cruising speed 280kmh. Climb rate was 5.9m/s and service ceiling was 7315 metres. Translated to WGS stats the maximum altitude is 8 and the climb rate 6. I would give the aircraft fewer damage points than a Heinkel or a B-25, maybe 26 given the C-47 was a structurally strong aircraft but had no cockpit armour or self-sealing fuel tanks. Its maximum speed however is substantially slower than existing multi-engined aircraft, which makes the manouver deck an issue. As an interim measure perhaps just use the I deck with slow only manouvers.

[Whiskysierra]

Thanks guys, they should be fun to play with.

[Thomatchef]

Indeed a good looking set of aircraft! Well done!

[flyingryno]

Very nics ah pair. don't get say that very much.Very nice ah pair. or that!

[cartas]

My first attempts:

[Blackronin]

Excellent everybody!

[pbhawkin]

@Thomas
How did you end up doing your invasion stripes? They look superb!
All the models look great, superb effort everyone.

[Thomatchef]

@Thomas
How did you end up doing your invasion stripes? They look superb!
All the models look great, superb effort everyone.

They are painted. First black then tape and a layer of white....

[Flying Officer Kyte]

They are painted. First black then tape and a layer of white....

What tape do you use Thomas. I often find that it pulls the paint off when you remove it, so I gave up using tape.
Rob.

[Thomatchef]

What tape do you use Thomas. I often find that it pulls the paint off when you remove it, so I gave up using tape.
Rob.

Tamiya has some specialized modelling tape. I use that and another brand I don't remember the name of. You can find it in widths ranging from 1mm to 10mm. Most of all its very important to prepare a model very well and degrease it so the paint sticks on it very well.
Don't use DIY painters tape you use to paint your home with as this tends to stick to well.
Another tip is to first tape it on you pants or t-shirt and then on the model. This tends to weaken the sticking power of the tape.

[Nightbomber]

Yes, Tamiya is the brand I use as well with good results. Another tip (for airbrushing) is to place the tape onto a plasteline, some 1-2 mm above the painting surface to obtain soft edges of the painted surface.

[Flying Officer Kyte]

Thanks for the info Thomas.
I'll get me some of that next time I visit our model shop.
I knew about the trousers trick as we used it in the Drawing Office, but this new stuff is much worse than the old masking tape, and airbrush masking film is so expensive.
Rob.