For a long time, this little fighter occupies my mind and i always want to build it for my collection. I could not say that kit of this rare plane is not available, but not an decent injection plastic kit is released, till now.

This could be understandable, there are no relevant documentation, photos or data, no real interest in rare plane subjects and such a peculiar story of small country, invaded by German/Italian/Hungarian and Bulgarian forces on april 6th 1941. and short war history and dogfights which lasted just 11 days.

Counting all the kits produced, from Formaplane vacuform kit, through resin CMK , CMR (2 different ssues), Aeropoxy (3 different issues), L&M, and short run AvUSK / Xotic to quite nice AZ-Models and finaly AZUR-FRROM injection moulded kits.
Well, 8 different producers, 11 different kits, which one to chose, which one to build.

I will stay with plastic kits, not want to cope with vacuform and resin this time.

Well , lack of relevant data does not allows me till today to start with comparative preview ( and hopefully, later, build review) of Rogozarski IK-3 injection moulded-plastic kits .

Currently, three kits are available on the market, AvUsk/Xotic , AZ-Models and AZUR-Frrom.
I bought one of each and few weeks ago, bought also latest issue of AIRMAGAZINE, No 50, where IK-3 is presented to last bolt, on 27 pages A4 (including 5 pages of 1/72 scale drawings and 5 pages of colour profiles)plus 3 pages of AZUR Frrom build review.

I hope this article will give me more data for kit details and accuracy review.





















So, kits are on the workbench, documentation too, lets start rivet counting.

To start with fuselage.

Note,AvUsk is light gray one, AZ-Models is tan and AZUR-Frrom is dark gray one.

AvUsk
Not a bad shape, but rear part is oval, and should be boxy, with rounded edges. Fuselage stringer details are wrong and more appropriate for IK-3 prototype version.
put bold text here

AZ-Models
Much better, accurate shape, nice details, but rear part is too boxy, not enoughly rounded edges on lover fuselage ,and problematic casting (tooling error) on port fuselage side , with loose stringer details.


AZUR-FRROM
Again nice details, good shape, good presentation of fuselage rear cross section , but wrong vertical tail shape,


Comparing fuselage cross sections with real plane photo, gives me an view what is wrong on AvUsk and AZ-Models kit.



Fuselage nose details, AvUsk are wrong, Az-Models are too crude and oversized, AZUR-Frrom are more or less OK.



Fuselage stringer details and panel lines,
AvUsk is wrong, AZ-Models is better but have this casting/tooling problem and AZUR-Frrom is the best in this area.



Gun ports and details on upper fuselage , AZUR-Frrom omitted two gun ports, but both other kits , AvUsk and AZ-Models, give it short and too wide, so, AZUR should be rescribed, AvUsk and AZ-Models need some putty there and should be sanded and rescribed.



This is the detailed view of AZ-Models (tan) and AZUR-Frrom (Gray) rear fuselage underside, the AZUR is correct and AZ Models should be reshaped and fuselage stringers restored.



Vertical tail problem on AZUR-Frrom (gray) is clearly visible comparing with correct shape of AZ-Models (tan).



Lack of gun ports on fuselage topside is visible, AZUR-Frrom (gray) and AZ-Models (tan). So, what's worse, total lack and need for scribing or work with putty , sandpaper and scriber to made the correct one?




Another view of engraved details, AZUR-Frrom looks better than other two , from my point.


To finish with fuselage, cockpit side walls, Azur-Frrom and AZModels are nearly equal, and AvUsk cries for scratchbuilding the cockpit walls.

Let's check the wings and tailplanes,

AZUR-Frrom, looks quite real, some 1mm short in wingspan.



AvUsk, wrong wing shape, no more comment.



AZ-Models, OK, but too wide chord in root area, could be fixed with some sanding and rescribing,



Horizontal tail, AZ-Models and AZUR Frrom are OK, but AvUsk (light gray) represents the prototype one, without significant step in rudder line,



Fictional third flap, AvUsk is imposible to check, since this detail is located on fuselage due the different way of kit parts break-up, but Az-Models (tan)have this fictional flap.
AZUR-Frrom have it also, but provides another, corrected wing undersurface part within FR014-"Fightning Prototypes" pack.

Spinner, the most pointed spot on the model,
AZ-Models is OK, more or less, AvUsk is too small and AZUR-Frrom(dark gray) is too bulky and need to be reshaped , gun muzzle is provided as separate part, which should be glued after reshaping.
Or, if you are lucky to obtain Lift Here improvement set with resin spinner, just forget this part of review for AZUR-Frrom.



Undercarriage doors, AZUR-Frrom (dark gray) is far better than other two, fine details, good shape, thin and real.




Prop blades, should note that Hispano engine have counter clockwise rotating (like YAK's) not like Spitfires and Hurricanes . So, AvUsk (light gray) prop blade is wrong shaped, too small and rotates in wrong direction.

AZ-Models (tan) blade is too wide, have wrong shape and should be sanded and orientated to correct direction.
You have to drill the holes in spiner to glue the prop blades.

Same story with AZUR-FRROM, should be glued to correct orientation but is still in closest to real blade shape.



Underfuselage radiators, each have some flaws, AvUsk (light gray) is too small, Az-Models (tan) have poor fit with radiator grid , AZUR Frrom looks bulky, need some sanding in base area.



Undercarriage, well, weakest point of all three kits, AZ-Models and AvUsk have nearly the same UG leg, not to precise and detailed, AZUR-frrom (dark gray), do the best work on the UC leg, but wheel is smaller than should be and need to be replaced.



Only AvUsk offers photo etched parts but saddly , these are with prototype instrument panel and acetate dashboard film, so, not usable for series produced plane, but OK for prototype one.

Another problem on all three kits is canopy, clear parts are always problematic in short run kits.

Sadly, the best one, in shape is the AvUsk(Xotic) one, (top right on the photo) but was packed with the wrong kit and was vac-formed, which will be problematic toglue to the fuselage.

AZ Models (between two vac-formed) is more accurate, but have poor fit with fuselage and does not represent the real look of this IK-3 detail .
Another problem is the foggy look of canopy plastic, which request polishing and treatment with the Future. So, after this sanding/polishing and "Futuring" treatment, new canopy frame should be made, using painted vinyl film or decal stripes.

Azur Frrom ( the one with casting sprue) canopy is translucent, clear and corect shaped, but windshield/sliding part line is wrong and again,like the AZ-Models one the canopy requires polishing and restoring the canopy framing.
Bonus detail in AZUR-Frrom kit are two vac-formed canopies, with partly corrected windshield lines, but still not enough to be OK.



Decals, the AvUsk/Xotic are the joke, dating to early 1980s and are with fabulous but fictional white 10 on fuselage.
Az-Models are nearly at least in this issue, Rogozarski IK-3 "Late" pack, blue is too dark, , Kosovo Cross shape is wrong and Luftwaffe one is just an recycling the old story published as "What IF" article in YASIG modeling bulletin.

AZUR-Frrom , at least in this box, "Fighting Prototypes" gives the best choice, good, accurate and correct colours one.



And finally , to comment the paint schemes provided with the kits,
AvUsk/Xotic, as mentioned above, pure fiction, no more comment,



AZ-Models, another fiction , Luftwaffe schemes are "What If" theme, but not a mentioned in the kit instruction, and Royal Yugoslav AF one is with wrong masking pattern.




AZUR-FRROM offers few schemes, mostly correct in shape and with both, GrayGreen overal early schemes and Camouflaged ones, from April War dogfights.



I mentioned upgrading set, issued by LiftHere, Serbian decal producer, and here is the few shots, this set corrects some of issues with AZUR-Frrom kit.





Final verdict i could give after the build session , but preliminary, i'm happy with all three kits, but Azur-Frrom one should be easiest to bring to correct representation of real IK-3 plane.

Or should i wait for another one, from Tamigawa , maybe?

Hi Ljubomir

Thanks for detailed comparison! I look forward to seeing your planned build-review(s). Are you planning a kit-bash to combine the best parts from the trio?

How does the IK-3 fare in 1:48?

All the best

Rowan

Hi Ljubomir, looks like you're in for some work if you're building all three of those kits! An interesting project, good luck.

Regards;

Automaton

Thanx,
It will be long winter, so, 3 x1/72 kits should build slowly and do some photo shooting.

Have no clue about /48 scale, there are just two, Classic Resin and Aeropoxy.
I'm more in 1/72 scale.

RGDS

P.S. Sorry for my poor English and some typos here and there.

Hi Ljubomir,

thanks for the great preview, this is how the preview should looks like. You have your own opinions/favorits, but pictures never lie.

I have only two small addition (it doesn't change the fact that you did the gerat job with this preview):

1. Canopy of the Aviation USK has wrong winshiled angle too (unfortunately it has no angle, similar to FRROM-Azur).

2. You have forgotten the main problem with the all Ik-3 kits - the chanel for the small "radiator" under the nose. According to your photo, AZ model has it OK, USK has the small one, FRROM-Azur doesn't have it at all...?:



How will it looks like at the finished model?

Fair comment, Damirr, well, since i have all three kits on my workbench, i'll do some measuring for you.

First, AZuR-FRROM does not have real problem with this oil radiator shape under the nose, it gives part "A29" which fits on this place and if there is any problem with this detail it could be fixed wit placing small styrene card part to deepen the intake area. Not mentioning that etched part was provided with Lift Here upgrading set, see few posts above.
Contrary, AZ-Models and AvUsk have problem with this part, both requires lot of sanding and detailing in this area.



To clear your statement about canopy issues, each kit have some heights and lows on this area, so, i do some measurement for you, since you certainly have no all three kits in your possession.



Well, i first made cardboard tool with canopy shape, taken from the drawings published in Airmagazine, if something is wrong, will be wrong on all three samples.
Its significant that all three (or four if you take vacuformed AZUR-Frrom spare canopy) are spot on with this angle, no problem at all.

Let's see,

AvUsk/Xotic=OK


AZ-Models=OK


AZUR-FRROM=OK


AZUR-FRROM-Vacuform=OK


Well, that check passed OK for all three kits, let do some more measuring.

Canopy width/ length, at real plane in 1/72 are
width=8,6mm
lenght=15mm

AvUsk/Xotic
width=8,8mm +0,2mm
length=15,2mm +0,2mm




AZ-Models
width=9,9mm +1,3mm
length=15,6 mm +0,6mm



AZUR-FRROM
width=9,2 mm +0,6mm
length=14,8 mm -0,2mm



AZUR-FRROM-Vacuform
width=9 mm +0,4
length=15,4 mm +0,4



I still think that AvUsk canopy is the best one, and measurement say's its closest to the real one.

@ Damirr
If you still insist in the wrong angle of line where windshield meets the sliding canopy part, yes, AZ-Models do it correct, but do this on fairly oversized and foggy canopy part which fits poor on the fuselage, because its to thick and large.

So, lot of things stated above will be more clear when i start with work on these kits.

Hi Ljubomir,

I'm sorry for my mistake - I didn't mean of this front angle of the windshield, my concern was about the last one. I have finished my Aviation USK model and could tell you that it was not so easy to fix the problem with canopy (I'm not satisfied with the result, it is not possible to rework it completely). I noticed that the same problem is with both FRROM-Azur canopies (plastic and vacu ones). I tried to show you what angle I talk about:

1. The original angle:



I hope that it's clear what was the visible feature of Rogozarski Ik-3 canopy (it's not the "parallel frame" as the Hurricane one)

2. Model canopies:



I noticed that my USK canopy has a very small angle on port side (far to weak), but no starboard site angle. Do I notice correctly that the FRROM-Azur has wrong situation (the "parallel frame") on both types of canopy? The AZ canopy has OK angle, but with problems that you've described...(it's too tick)

Well, if all models have incorrect canopies, we should wait for the aftermarket one...

OK Damirr, here is my view of canopy frames "mess up", well, all looks wrong and all should be polished and whole frame restored with some painted decal stripes, i suggest painting clear decal film with interior colour first and cammo paint over it, sealing it with coat of clear varnish and after some drying, cutting it with sharp No11 blade on glass plate to stripes of some 0,5-0,8mm wide and glue it on polished canopy glazing part. After this, dip it in Future and leave it to dry thoroughly.



I have no more comment about canopy frames, will have more once the build starts.

If price is factor of choice, AZ Model is 17,50 EUR and AZUR FRROM is 16 EUR while AvUsk -Xotic kit sells at EBAY at half of this price.

Thanks for the profiles of canopies, everything is clear now.

Good luck with all 3 models, it seems to be quite a challenge... A lot of changing, replacing, adding, cutting, sanding... etc (...may be that one can build a mix of all three models, to get the best result...).

But.. I think that Rogozarski Ik-3 deserves this work, it's one of the beautiest classical WWII fighters, unfortunately neglecded... I hope that these two new kits will change this situation.

We are looking forward to your "in progress" pictures and experiences, and, especially, to your advices/suggestions for fixing problematic things on all 3 models. And, yes, always check the photos of real aircraft, they are for some details better than drawings (drawings are never 100% correct.. Eg: according to photos of the real Ik-3, AZ propeller blade has a better shape than FRROM's or USK's ones...)

Good luck!

Damir

With short run and resin kit production in past decade, there is no shortage of rare aeroplane types availability.

I build a lot of short run and resin kits in my modelling career and does not find any which haven't some sort of accuracy problems, so, why the IK-3 must be 100% accurate.

Prop blades are minor problem, some sanding and this will be solved with ease.
So, AZ-Models blunt blades will be sanded, AZUR-Frrom too, but AvUsk will need total scratchbuild or borrowing some blades from spare parts box.

Regarding canopy issue, will probably made an plug and do my own vacuformed replacement canopy for all IK-3 kits.

Any progress?

Still not finished, will post the pics once all the work is done.
Be patient,
RGDS
Ljuba

Any progress?

News?

Ljuba, have you ever started to build it?

Ljuba, it's a long time... Have you started...?

Nope, Damir, not ready yet for publishing, lot of corrections on AZ kit to done, i almost give up, reconstructing it from A to Z, this will be nearly scratchbuild project.

In that case, it will be "mission impossible" to reconstruct the Azur-Frrom model
Is it possible to do a new spinner, canopy, undercarriage, prop blades, vertical tail shape, under-nose radiator, gun holes, and other Azur-Frrom errors..?

Yeah, you are probably right, i'll give up, with correcting any of these mentioned kits and will wait for Tamigawa or Trumpy to made an accurate one.

In meantime, will build it straight from the box, just for fun. They are good for any decent modeller, not obsessed with extreme accuracy. There is a lot of major league producers with bunch od Messerschmitts, Spitfires, Mustangs, full of shape, detail, geometry errors, and no one can say its a shame, modeling is a hobby, 1/72 kits are fairly cheap, so, why to bother with this .
Any kit have its flaws, so, if you are real "Man", you will cope or live with these errors.

Any chance to see your build of AZ IK-3 in near future? Just to see this model assembled?

Happy modeling,

Is it correct that only twelve of these little beauties were made? Shame.

I must applaud your comparison, extremely good work.

Hi all,

Here is the Classic Resin Airframes 1:48 scale kit of the Ikarus IK-3. I have made some small modifications (landing gear is scratchbuilt) but did not correct all the errors of this vintage kit. If you want, you can search for what is wrong...







Jean-Luc