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Depends. They've gotten better over time. Stuff from 15 years ago is pretty rough. Soft detail, approximate fit... sort of like Dragon from 1990 or so. I haven't actually held them in my hand, but some of their new airliners look awesome in pictures.

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make the most accurate BF109 in any scale. Only 109 that runs with them is the Dragon / Cyberhobby 109E's. Their twin engine Russian WWII bombers seem to be very nice. Really liked their single engine Russian WWII fighters (all of them). Their SU27 in 1/72 is very nice, and have heard their MIG29 is equal. I wish they'd move into 1/32 scale. 

gary

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Their 1/48 Yak-3, La-5 and La-5FN kits are all very nice, especially the Yak-3. I mostly enjoyed their Bf 109F-4, but thought it was unnecessarily complicated in places. Their kits tend to have a lot of parts; many of them, like the interior frame pieces, are not visible once the model is assembled. Instructions are at least adequate. Decals look rough, but work pretty well.

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Their kits don't "fall together" by any means. The kits require a lot of work, but to me, that's more fun. (Sand, test fit, sand...)

Kinda like a Kopro or similar kit from Poland 20 something years ago. ..slightly better, but definitely a "skill level 4".

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Just finishing up their Pe-2 and I found it to every bit as nice as a Tamiya or Hasegawa kit.  Overall fit was excellent and the interior is as completer as one could ask for.  Overall, very enjoyable and a great value.  Their La-5 kits are very nice, if a little over engineered as is the Bf 109F kits.  The newer releases are definitely worth looking at.

 

Cheers, Dave

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Zvezda's 1/48 109 series, from molding point of view, are strangely inconsistent ( many sink marks, warpage....especially clear canopies, unusable in various boxes ).

 

Very nice models can be done out of them, but be prepared for hours of clean-up on parts and other extra works, more usually seen on short-run products....especially compared to Eduard's or Tamiya's offers.

 

Thankfully, their 1/48 La-5 and Yak-3 are fine kits and the Pe-2 is another step forward, with good level of details, minute engraving and top quality molding; if you like this plane, Eduard's re-edition with new resin parts and other goodies.... makes a fine "all in one" choice ( even if standard Zvezda's box is already excellent, as it is ).

 

Also hope for a step in 1/32.

 

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22 hours ago, Griffin said:

Zvezda's 1/48 109 series, from molding point of view, are strangely inconsistent ( many sink marks, warpage....especially clear canopies, unusable in various boxes ).

 

Very nice models can be done out of them, but be prepared for hours of clean-up on parts and other extra works, more usually seen on short-run products....especially compared to Eduard's or Tamiya's offers.

 

Thankfully, their 1/48 La-5 and Yak-3 are fine kits and the Pe-2 is another step forward, with good level of details, minute engraving and top quality molding; if you like this plane, Eduard's re-edition with new resin parts and other goodies.... makes a fine "all in one" choice ( even if standard Zvezda's box is already excellent, as it is ).

 

Also hope for a step in 1/32.

 

I have six of their 109F series kits, and there are zero sink marks on mine and the molding quality is as good as anybody out there. The only real thing I didn't like were the props on the F2. 

gary

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As has already been mentioned, their 109's are outstanding. I also like their airliner kits too (the Il-86 is great). My only complaint would be their decals leave a lot to be desired...in my opinion at least. I also like their newer armor kits...their T-90 is fantastic!  You get a lot of parts and building for your money.

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4 hours ago, ChesshireCat said:

I have six of their 109F series kits, and there are zero sink marks on mine and the molding quality is as good as anybody out there. The only real thing I didn't like were the props on the F2. 

gary

 

Can't really call this good molding quality :

18050602390924006615701057.jpg

 

18050602390924006615701056.jpg

 

18050602391024006615701058.jpg

 

18050602391124006615701059.jpg

 

Mixing parts from 2 boxes should make one "average"....( if i don't choose the easy route with an Eduard one and trash all this mess ).

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Don said:

As has already been mentioned, their 109's are outstanding. I also like their airliner kits too (the Il-86 is great). My only complaint would be their decals leave a lot to be desired...in my opinion at least. I also like their newer armor kits...their T-90 is fantastic!  You get a lot of parts and building for your money.

to be honest, I've never used any of their decals if memory is right. I have a bunch of A.M. decals to pick from. 

gary

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I have two of their 109-F kits.  One has some sink marks and one has none.  It might be the luck of the draw as to getting a good kit or a not so good kit.  Judging from the Pe-2, they do seem to be improving on their quality control.

 

Dave.

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9 hours ago, ChesshireCat said:

to be honest, I've never used any of their decals if memory is right. I have a bunch of A.M. decals to pick from. 

gary

I've had better than expected experiences with their decals. The ones for their Yak-3, for example, looked dubious on the sheet (matte surface, fairly wide clear film), but they were just fine to apply and looked good.

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Their airliner decals were less then stellar. Thick and very difficult to get to snuggle down regardless of which "system" I used. I gave up on the 109 decals and used an aftermarket set. But the kits themselves were fun to build and as I posted earlier, you get a lot of kit for the price.

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20 hours ago, seawinder said:

I think I'm not alone in wising most fervently for them to do a Yak-9 series.

....a Yak-9B/D/R , like the Dakoplast kit but in 48th scale !!!

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21 hours ago, seawinder said:

I think I'm not alone in wising most fervently for them to do a Yak-9 series.

 

Have you heard about Modelsvit?

 

Their Yak series is just beautiful and accurate overall, with surface details no less than amazing for 1/48 scale ( subtly uneven metal skinning, with panels overlapping where appropriate.... ever seen that before ? ! ):

https://www.agapemodels.com/2012/09/12/kit-preview-modelsvit-148-yak-1b/

https://www.super-hobby.co.uk/products/Yakovlev-Yak-9DD-Soviet-fighter.html#gallery_start

 

Don't expect "tamiduard" precision of moulding, but very good value for money.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Griffin said:

 

Have you heard about Modelsvit?

 

Their Yak series is just beautiful and accurate overall, with surface details no less than amazing for 1/48 scale ( subtly uneven metal skinning, with panels overlapping where appropriate.... ever seen that before ? ! ):

https://www.agapemodels.com/2012/09/12/kit-preview-modelsvit-148-yak-1b/

https://www.super-hobby.co.uk/products/Yakovlev-Yak-9DD-Soviet-fighter.html#gallery_start

 

Don't expect "tamiduard" precision of moulding, but very good value for money.

 

 

Yes, I have; I've got one in the stash. I've also built a South Front (same company) Yak-1 and found it less than stellar in terms of engineering and fit. Considering the IMHO excellence of the Zvezda Yak-3, i think a Yak-9 series from them would be terrific. Hopefully it would include versions like the 9B and 9P with the earlier cockpit location so that one wouldn't have to resort to Vector resin to build one.

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ah ...but the Yak-9D/B/R have the cockpit  in the forward position.

for the Yak-9T it was moved aft 400 MM to allow for the 37MM cannon ,and all follow-on models have the same. (Yak-9T,K,DD,M,U and P)

at present the only kits of the Yak-9/9D in 48th scale that I know of are by cooperative (poor plastic kit) and Missing Link (good quality all-resin kit)

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2 hours ago, PFlint said:

ah ...but the Yak-9D/B/R have the cockpit  in the forward position.

for the Yak-9T it was moved aft 400 MM to allow for the 37MM cannon ,and all follow-on models have the same. (Yak-9T,K,DD,M,U and P)

at present the only kits of the Yak-9/9D in 48th scale that I know of are by cooperative (poor plastic kit) and Missing Link (good quality all-resin kit)

Yes, that's what I think I was saying. We need some/all of those versions without having to buy resin replacement fuselages. Seems like a natural for Zvezda. As far as that goes, an accurate, up-to-date Yak-7 series would also be very welcome IMHO.

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On 5/10/2018 at 9:54 PM, seawinder said:

Yes, that's what I think I was saying. We need some/all of those versions without having to buy resin replacement fuselages. Seems like a natural for Zvezda. As far as that goes, an accurate, up-to-date Yak-7 series would also be very welcome IMHO.

 

Yeah, I would like an accurate Yak-7 that also has some compatible parts with the early Yak-9's   🙂

(to do a couple of prototype aircraft)

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On 5/11/2018 at 1:40 AM, PFlint said:

ah ...but the Yak-9D/B/R have the cockpit  in the forward position.

for the Yak-9T it was moved aft 400 MM to allow for the 37MM cannon ,and all follow-on models have the same. (Yak-9T,K,DD,M,U and P)

That's right, the forward cockpit versions from Zvezda, would be nice...and Yak 7 series as well.

 

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