The Little World

I get to build a model of Clint Eastwood.

No, no, no…Not that at all – for one dollar more I get to build another Ilyushin IL-2 with the winter ski equipment on it. A chap arrived at the club selling kits for a dollar and this turned out to be the hi-tech version of the previous kit. Hi-tech in that it has a brass photo-etch panel.

This is no surprise – the parts for this version were in the other cheap box as well – but there was no builder’s diagram to show how they fit. This time I can see what goes and will do the plane as a skier. There is also a half-and-half winter camouflage scheme for the colour call-out.

It’s the old story of re-making what you’ve done before. Easier in many ways as the pitfalls of the previous kit are known and can be corrected before they are cemented in. The overall time to assembly is about 60% of the first effort. And this is even including some neat little brass PE bending.

The other advantage of building again is that the alternate bomb load can be attached. This time it is the big Soviet bombs instead of the little footballs and the outboard racks are empty of anti-personnel bombs.

Considering I am going to have two Sturmoviks for a total outlay of $ 1.00. I am pretty pleased with the project. The airfield diorama chewed up a bit of money in buildings and vehicles and a lot of new skills were learned with the acrylic artist’s medium that made snow – but this is a re-useable set for more ski=equipped planes. And the Soviets had a lot of ’em.