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Last Updated: Aug 21st, 2020 - 13:06:35 |
This is a rare occurence of a kit for an aircraft of which only one example ever existed. True, other airframes in the 'I-1/IL-400' series were built, but they differed considerably from the aircraft depicted by this kit. ICMís latest release makes up into a rather nice model of the second prototype, the IL-400b, which featured duralumin-skinned wings and tailplane, complete with Junkers-style corrugations. The first, unsuccessful, I-400 had wooden wings with a quite different planform, and the small series of production machines again had wooden wings, presumably similar in shape to the metal wings of the second prototype. As the only photos Iíve ever seen of the I-400 series are of the second prototype, itís hard to be sure what the later aircraft looked like!
The actual kit is very neat, with reasonable surface detail (including those corrugations!) and good quality moulding. Itís a simple kit of a small aircraft, and goes together with few problems - except for the wings. The breakdown of these is rather unusual, and produces a major joint line at 2/3 chord. No problem - except when you come to fill it, and realise you are going to have to rescribe the corrugations! Take GREAT care in trimming and aligning the parts, and the problem is reduced, but it is still tricky.
Interior detail is extremely basic, but you are on your own when it comes to adding more - I know of no helpful references! At least there is a basic seat, control column, crude rudder pedals, and an instrument panel. The interior fits onto a span-wise 'spar', which helps align the fuselage halves and wings. Otherwise everything is straightforward, and the flying surfaces have commendably thin trailing edges (thankfully - thinning down corrugated wings is a nightmare!).
Decals are minimal, just the two badges/slogans for the fuselage sides, as the aircraft carried no national markings. Colour scheme is suggested as aluminium (in various shades) all over, and certainly b&w photos show a simple, apparently single shade, scheme on the real aircraft. My GUESS is that the flying surfaces were unpainted duralumin, dull silvery-grey like a Junkers F13 or Ju52, with aluminium doped wooden (plywood skinned) fuselage and natural metal engine cowlings and undercarriage. Mind you, its also possible the whole aircraft (or parts of it) were light grey. Your choice!
Nice kit, obscure aircraft. I really liked it (apart from the wings!), but then I'm a sucker for weird Soviet aircraft. Recommended to the similarly afflicted.
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