LaGG-3
early version - 1-3 series
 

Vector, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

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The LaGG-3 was born of the urgent requirement to build a fighter from non-essential materials such as wood. Within a remarkably short period, the design team of Lavochkin, Gorbunov, and Goudkov (hence the LaGG acronym) delivered a prototype which was immediately ordered into production.

The first LaGG-3s to enter service suffered from being overweight and underpowered, poor manufacturing standards and slow climb performance. Its pilots were also endangered by a deadly high stall speed. The first versions of the LaGG-3 were inferior to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F in every aspect of dogfighting except in the horizontal plane, and even then the Bf 109 could simply break off combat and climb to safety. The LaGG was so mistrusted that its pilots dubbed it the "lakirovanny garantirovanny grob ("guaranteed varnished coffin").

Despite these shortcomings, the LaGG-3 showed promise thanks to its very heavy armament and robust survivability. Even after being shot to pieces, a LaGG could often limp home to its base.

Later versions of the LaGG-3 were far superior machines with more more powerful engines, leading edge slats (eliminating the high stall speed), lighter weight and overall performance superior to a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G. Later still, the airframe was further streamlined with measures including retractable tail wheel, and stripped of additional weight.

Vector has now expanded their LaGG family with this early version LaGG-3, which may be built as the 1-3 series. This offering is every bit as nice as the Vector 66 Series LaGG-3 reviewed and built on HyperScale earlier this year.

Vector's LaGG-3 Series 1-3 kit comprises 71 parts in grey-green coloured resin; 2 clear vacform parts; printed acetate sheet (instruments); and markings for six aircraft.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The resin is perfectly cast and beautifully detailed. It is amongst the most impressive casting that I have seen.

Being a largely wooden aircraft, surface detail is minimal but it is subtle and appropriate where present. The recessed rivet detail on the engine cowl is incredibly fine. Fabric detail on control surfaces is convincingly restrained.

The larger parts (wings and fuselage) are supplied almost ready to use, with no casting blocks or strips to remove. There are a couple of raised attachment points on the mating surfaces of the fuselage halves that will only take a few minutes to remove. A few swipes of the fuselage halves against some medium grade abrasive paper, and these major parts will be ready to assemble.

Lovely, deep sidewall detail is cast onto the insides of the fuselage halves.

The wing is supplied as a single part with the wheel well detail cast in place. The ailerons, elevators and rudder are all provided separately and may be posed either neutral or deflected as desired.

A separate fuselage floor with structural detail is supplied, as is a very nice pilot's seat with the harness cast in place. The instrument panel is resin too, with a separate sheet supplied with printed acetate instruments. Options include alternate exhaust stacks.

Based on my experience with the late LaGG-3 earlier this year, construction should be very straightforward. Once the cockpit is painted and installed, construction should really fly.

This time, Vector has supplied two vacform canopies - one and a spare in case of slip ups. This canopy is well presented, being very clear and thin with well-defined frames. The rear quarter windows are still a DIY affair though - you will have to measure and cut the pieces yourself..

Vector includes markings for six aircraft finished in either green and black or winter whitewash camouflage. Decals are in register and fairly crisply printed.

Instructions are supplied on a single sheet with a parts layout and construction diagrams. Considering the simplicity of parts breakdown, they are adequate.
 

Resin casting technology has reached a level of sophistication in 2007 that has seen some very ambitious full kits hitting the marketplace. In the best of these releases, cleanup of parts before assembly is easier, the main parts are thinner and less prone to warpage, and detail is world-class.

Vector's 1/48 scale early version LaGG-3 meets this high standard.

If you are a modeller with limited experience, but you have dabbled with resin accessories and are considering your first full-resin kit, Vector's 1/48 scale early LaGG-3 will be an ideal choice.

Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Buffie's Best for the review sample

Review and Images Copyright © 2007 by Brett Green
Page Created 12 September, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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