When Donkeys Fly, the Revell 1/72 Polikarpov I-16

 

 

hastily whitewashed the I-16 goes on patrol looking for Finns

 

        Nicknamed the "donkey" "Ishak" or "Ishachok" ("donkey" or "burro") by the Russians the Polikarpov I-16 was one of the first monoplane fighters with retractable landing gear to enter service. It served on all fronts with Soviet forces until superseded by more modern aircraft later in the war as well as with several other air forces, most famously with the Spanish Republicans during their civil war. This model is painted  (and built with its landing gear retracted) for use in gaming the "Winter War" between Finland and the Soviet Union. I have already done a write-up on building one of these models here. 

       This particular paint-job was inspired by a photo I saw of a badly faded and chipped white-wash camo-scheme, and being the looney that I am I decided to replicate the hurriedly applied, hand painted whitewash work of the Russian ground crew.

 

and how do you replicate a hand-painted camo-scheme in 1/72 scale you ask?

by finding your tiniest brush and white-washing your model, just like they did

 

that horrid thing on the bottom of the model is a common nail, 

I cut it short and inserted it into a small hole that I had drilled  through the fuselage 

it provides the magnetic attachment point for the flight stand

 

the rest of the model was prepared in the usual way, 

Americana paints with pastel chalk dust for  weathering

 

 

 

 

 

and there is the reason for that nail, a custom-made magnetic flight stand

 

the pilot seems nonplussed about the nail

 

I might just do another one with the wheels down for display

 

the flight stand is extendable

 

the stand is made from a "mechanic's extra hand" a very powerful magnet 

on an extendable pole made for picking up dropped tools from difficult to reach places

 

 

on patrol

 

       Now I only need to build five or six more and I can run a game of Check Your Six.