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Hi Le_Steph40. You are more than welcome! Sorry that I wasn't able to post the remaining two translations. Here they are incase you still need them:I would like to thank you for your translation regarding Evstigneev's mounts.
I know exactly what you mean Steph!So, the words "possibly" or "propably" will be used when I'll decide to start this model, basing my sources on the camo-scheme "very probably" used for the period and some other points as unit markings for instance...
Sounds good StephThe only positive thing (if I may say so) is the number "19" and the period. Most of the infos I found refer to this number 19 flown during December 1943.
I think that's better, but personally I would make the shaft of the arrow the same thickness throughout. Currently your arrow is thinner at the front and becomes gradually thicker towards the end(the back). In my opinion it should be the same thickness everywhere except for the very end of it, which has a thick tail, like an arrow(feathers) . The arrow of plane number 34 which you have attached, confirms that the shaft of the arrow was the same thickness. Bellow is a rough sketch to show what I mean.here is another option for "19" flown by Skomorokhov late in 1943.
I agree. Especially judging by the camo on the wing, it's definitely the grey/grey pattern template. The fuselage is less obvious however. Especially the part behind the number where it looks like the dark grey extends all the way to the bottom of the plane, which is non-standard for the grey/grey camo template.Have you notice that the La-5 "34" visible at 164 IAP, in the middle of the page is an La-5F with grey/grey camo ?
I reckon that's betterHere is the last version of the "probable" La-5F flown by Skomorokhov
Awesome, thanks so much for those sources, I'll check them outAnton, the sources are infos found on the Web and magazines: French Magazine Avions N°214, British Magazine FlyPast 07-2017, articles and infos by Aleksander Medved.
Interesting point. Yea, they could have been another colour. But because in most cases the victory starlets were painted red, it's highly likely that the ones on Skomorohov's plane were red also. Judging by how aged and chipped the paint is on the victory starlets in the first photo, it is likely that the red paint has faded and became lighter, which is why the stars appear to be so light.I just noticed that the stars of victory markings are probably not red
Good spotting!look at the bar of the windscreen, it's horizontal as seen on the La-5Fs and FNs
Makes sense. I agree.This encourages to think that the factory painting was black and green, but it could have been repainted grey later. The star is in forward position, so the numbers have to be big.
I don't know about the exhaust panel. As you pointed out, it does indeed appear to be the same color as the camouflage. But since it seems almost established that this plane would have been repainted in grey/grey camo, there is a "probability" that the ground personnel, either did not bother to bypass properly the panel, or to pass copiously on it...Steph, do you think the exhaust panel might have been painted grey too? it looks quite dark in the photo, might have been painted grey.
I would also make the white of the star a little darker, maybe more yellowed. It looks darker than the lightning.
I forgot a source: a profile sent to me by A. Stankov. This profile represents Skomorokhov's mount (La-5F) with number "19", victory markings and outline of the red star in silver, and aircraft entirely in green...Awesome, thanks so much for those sources, I'll check them out. I was just curious because if I'll create a profile page for this plane it will be good to know who made the claims that the number was '19'.
AgreedInteresting point. Yea, they could have been another colour. But because in most cases the victory starlets were painted red, it's highly likely that the ones on Skomorohov's plane were red also. Judging by how aged and chipped the paint is on the victory starlets in the first photo, it is likely that the red paint has faded and became lighter, which is why the stars appear to be so light.
I wouldn't trust the second photo for the colour of the stars, I think this photo has been retouched by an artist.
Agree againMakes sense. I agree.
Might be worth noting that the large star doesn't seem to have an outer red outline which is another clue in suggesting that maybe the plane was repainted. If it was repainted then this would have been done after the mid-summer of 1943 most likely, by which time the airplanes were required to be grey/grey.
Also, it doesn't look like the plane has the camo pattern consistent with the green/black template, again suggesting that the original paintwork (if it was green/black originally) was probably painted over.
Yep, I agree. It makes sense to presume that the darker white is simply older/more yellowed white.It would be a difference between a worn white paint and a new white paint. Maybe the same with Skomorokhov's mount...?
haha. very cheeky of him to cut the starlets out and to add extra starlets there, lolSkomorokhov himself who cut out the little victory stars on the original photo so that we can see them better... But he took the opportunity to add some
This website was one of the first sources I found regarding Evstigneev's mounts there is a longtime ago; the result was this one, that was over 10 years ago...The website with the victory list including a/c flown, a/c shot down and date etc. Евстигнеев Кирилл Алексеевич
Hi Jamoliva, good to have you participating in the thread and thanks for those links!The section on Evstigneev Kirill Alekseevich. Евстигнеев Кирилл Алексеевич. Советские асы. Очерки о советских летчиках (See the section where white 95 became black 95 with a patchy camo due to an accident)
Basically, the two links above have almost the same text in that one paragraph. But in one link the author says that Evstigneev's plane was a La-5FN number 95, and in another the author says that it was a La-5F number 96. I have to agree with the latter claim. Evstigneev's plane in which he scored most of his victories was probably a La-5F number 96, or so it seems.You could find here: Был достоин стать трижды Героем almost the same story as the 2nd link you posted but a modification in the text (the 4th paragraph with text in red): the La-5FN "95" became the La-5F "96"... Hard to understand...
I am not sure how correct or not this information is. This information is found not in the book by Evstigneev, but in the foreword to the book, written by N.G. Bodrihin.However, apparently Evstigneev Kirill Alekseevich wrote a book called "Winged Guard" in 1982. According to this book, he flew in a La-5FN, tail number 95
I agree with Steph. Though, It might not definitively clarify what type of a plane number 96 was, it will at least make more sense to think that it might have been a La-5FN if it'll turn out that 240th IAP received La-5FNs in the summer of 1943. But for now we can only guess and speculate it seems.I think the only thing to be certain to know if it's a La-5F or FN is to know exactly the date of deliveries of the first FNs to the 240 IAP; hence the first post of my thread
So true Jamoliva! I wish we had a photo or a better description of what the paintwork looked like on Evstigneev's plane after it was repainted.Thank you both for the information! Yes, I believe you are both right. I was able to find the text of the book and here it is it says number 96. I wonder also how the intricate camo on the port side was like. Wow, such a mystery!