1:32 Il-2M3

Ilyushin Il-2M3 Shturmovik 1:32 (Hobby Boss)

An injection-molded plastic kit from Hobby Boss in the large 1:32 scale. It is an extensive kit with finely engraved panel lines and rivets, a detailed cockpit and a complete engine. The package combines plastic with photo-etched parts (for example seat belts and details of the bomb bays), metal parts for the main landing gear and softened (vinyl) parts, plus a decal sheet. The range of underwing stores is extensive too, including bombs and unguided rockets.

The real subject

The Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik was a Soviet single-engine ground attack aircraft of the Second World War. It was designed as an armored machine for low-level attacks against ground targets, tanks and vehicles; the armor of the fuselage protected the pilot as well as the engine and earned it the nickname the flying tank. The Il-2M3 version (also Il-2 type 3) was a two-seater with a rear gunner for defense against fighters and with characteristic swept outer wing panels. It was powered by a liquid-cooled Mikulin V12 engine.

Building and painting tips

Glue the injection-molded plastic with thinner modeling cement. Clean the metal and photo-etched parts and glue them with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). The complete engine and the open cowling panels make a striking display of the power plant possible. Apply primer before painting; the large scale will reward an airbrush, picking out the panel lines and weathering. On a ground attack aircraft it pays to emphasize wear in service, walkway wear on the wings and exhaust staining.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of Soviet aviation subjects of the Second World War
• Modelers who will appreciate the large 1:32 scale and rich detail
• Those interested in a striking model with a complete engine and underwing stores

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.