Zvezda Li-2 problem

[MSX]

Yesterday i placed an order for a Zvezda Li-2 in 1:200, a kit that i have long waited to hold in my hands.*



The problem that i have is that i don't know what livery to paint it in. However, the turret limits the options somewhat, and so does my skills with masking tape.

I noticed that the Finnish Air Force operated some captured airframes, according to Wikipedia, but have been unable to find any photos. With my interest in Soviet aircraft and the Finnish WW2 air force it would be like a perfect combination. However, do to the issues i have mentioned, i do not know if i should go ahead with that or look for other liveries.

*I didn't know until yesterday that it was released a year ago, or more.

Why am i posting this here, you ask? Well, the truth is that i would like some help with this choice. Which of the following do you think i should do?

Options:

1. Historical livery: representing a real aircraft. (Keep in mind my poor masking skills.)

2. Realistic livery: painted to look like a real air force aircraft, but without an exact referance.

3. Fictional livery: i think this one pretty much explains itself. I have a rough idea of what it would look like, but it would require some special decals.

Whichever one wins this poll, as the kit was so cheap i might buy more of them later on. So if the one you voted for didn't win this time, you might be lucky next time.

[MSX]

Oscar, I would say 'realistic' ('looking like to be historical/authentic') livery would be the best option in your case, if it fits your collecting principles in terms of markings/liveries. I never heard Finnish AF ever had Li-2 - at least in this official resource of Finnish AF (http://www.puolustusvoimat.fi/portal/puolustusvoimat.fi/!ut/p/c5/xZFLk5pAFIV_y_wApBta0CUC8ugHCDQiGwuVIj5ARxkBf31wkVSc1IzJIpO-y9OnvnvuEVOxnyq7bous3h6r7CAmYqosLUkZ2S6AY4-5JnCQpWOJOY5lKb2--FXHdAIcj4BYJT70AvWJey4mAC3DXXdybvtbsAONxFTcMEIbapgtA0V74V0XmUMc8qNEDQ9EJKY0Yg68jGE8nZna9FRuEX15v4kPe5bn2spwOIG6Kv9djkd3AP_ErcgmNpmFoOXrCDihwccRV2XggadXSB9_vNsdfK7ft7vrn_Ef_b-3dNfBB097wu9vuxBT9aOEqE8Y_ej5eIlC6RVq607vK-fL2W4_khjRb4xoLY1ow_i-uez7yvcQh_tCpoYO-8p9argEXjq6mc4swVei8xPm8OuZCHwFsy-tZ_oONRRZG-n_I6f0T5iumG5X5aBZlwMwgNJQViQJjIE6RpKsIHGerpvWQE5jOqtvV4ituVCxVYGyZBMECS3ceL0M7e0haWzh-jYpZSIJgk-yDnIPJo2pRzXjo92c72aR5iVBq3ldVDtajfPyvEE6C-w4UHOupue4aqg8qYgL8o022lE8qUnTInt0IwV-89KyPnmZYfM8CapFhAgiNbst2uRsF-C0FV4rK5TDfHrQ6UlpMVtZyRCQTD0gvgJE6GLwIjL7WObiqeRXjIkSmIF9S35O_h14-G94/dl3/d3/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?pcid=c72896804470d49b9cbdbc0619e9d60c and http://www.puolustusvoimat.fi/wcm/e4f6d6004637b5f5aa6cef95d0213b00/Talvi-+ja+jatkosodan+konetyypit+ja+39-45.pdf?MOD=AJPERES) this type is not mentioned, though they listed even experimental aircrafts they ever used, but I'm not a deep specialist in that. Here is the link to the largest archive of Finnish wartime photographs: http://sa-kuva.fi/neo?tem=webneoeng - maybe you will find any example there. In any case Li-2 in Finnish AF livery is a real rarity, not typical for this type of plane or for this AF. But why not to apply 'historical' livery of Soviet AF? I think it would be quite logic keeping in mind Li-2 was massively (over 6000 pcs. built) produced in USSR and the same way massively used in Soviet AF.

[MSX]

Well, Eugene, while making a historical livery of a Soviet Li-2 would be the most logical option, most of the liveries i have found show only one side of the plane, and the camouflage is usually a bit too complicated for my skills at the moment. They do look great, really great. But i haven't had much luck with masking in the past, so i thought i'd make a simple one first. Come to think of it, the Finnish camo might not be the easiest one either, but looking at the Hanssin-Jukka DC-2 it could be.

However, if anyone knows of any simpel Soviet camos worn by the Li-2, don't hesitate to post a picture or two, or a drawing showing all angles.

[MSX]

Oscar, I've voted for a real aircraft as my very personal approach to modeling is that the highest possible professionalism in this matter is to create a real aircraft with it's confirmed history "as is", as close as possible to the original. It's just a question of taste...
BTW, never heard of Li-2 in Finnish service. A great deal of other types were, there is a lot of info in RuNet including the numbers (Soviet and Finnish) but no trace of Li-2. But I've just surfed, and I saw an English Wiki variant (BTW - no trace of that in Russian version).

[MSX]

Alright, one vote for the realistic and one for the historical. This could be interesting to see. The poll is open till Sunday.

A question of taste it may be, but in this case i am divided.

• I've always wanted my own private plane, and the DC-3/Li-2 is a favorite of mine. But i am better at making fake liveries on the computer.
• Making a realistic plane, option 2, would suit me better when it comes to modeling as it gives me a bit of room for my own creativity, or to cheat.
• Making an authentic livery is something that i would love to do, but i don't want to screw this up, and most military liveries are pretty complex. Hardly any straight lines.

Yeah, the Finnish Li-2 was something i found on Wikipedia. I know not to trust everything written there, but it did get me thinking.

[MSX]

and the camouflage is usually a bit too complicated for my skills at the moment

- basic search https://www.google.ru/search?q=%D0%9B%D0%B8-2&newwindow=1&client=firefox-a&hs=Vnf&rls=org.mozilla:ru:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=4YFyU6mWHeSM4gTcloCQDg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=922 shows that most of post-war Li-2s of Soviet AF were painted in simple 'dark grass green/light blue' colour without any camo - wouldn't it be an option? Surely every collector wants a model to be mostly realistic, also in terms of painting/marking, but keeping in mind that you will have to make a custom model yourself having limited skills...

[MSX]

It never occured to me to search in Russian. Stupid me... :blush:

But yes, that would indeed be an option. And i actually found one that isn't quite like the others in the fact that it has a black belly instead of a blue one.

[img=width700px]http://crimso.msk.ru/Images6/AP/AP10-2/v2-3.jpg[/img]

However, this one lacks the roof turret. But that could be removed i suppose.

My favorite of the ones i found the most interesting, though i would need more photos of it to do it, is this one. It is a solid colour, so it should be easy to do, but i am not sure how realistic it is. But regardless, i think i found the one i'll do. Again, the turret is missing, and so are the antennas and cables but i'm sure i can fix that.

[MSX]

It never occured to me to search in Russian.

- Oscar, I think search results at google.se or google.com would be roughly the same.

My favorite of the ones i found the most interesting, though i would need more photos of it to do it, is this one.

- Oscar, I would be really careful to use existing Russian memorial planes as prototypes for authentic markings. The matter is most of them are just war memorials - 'airplanes of that kind were used by Soviet AF', not authentic examples of planes serving at X Squadron of Y Regiment in Z year. I would better rely either on original pictures of 30...60ies or on trustworthy graphics.

[MSX]

- Oscar, I think search results at google.se or google.com would be roughly the same.

Actually, when i searched, most of the images were of HA-LIX in either Malév or Sunflower colours.

- Oscar, I would be really careful to use existing Russian memorial planes as prototypes for authentic markings. The matter is most of them are just war memorials - 'airplanes of that kind were used by Soviet AF', not authentic examples of planes serving at X Squadron of Y Regiment in Z year. I would better rely either on original pictures of 30...60ies or on trustworthy graphics.

Well, that may be true. However, i could be wrong on this one, most of the memorial planes that i have seen lack numbers. They seem to be painted in a camouflage livery with a red star, and not much else. Like i said, i could be wrong.

You do however have a point. It would be better going by pictures of a plane still in military service.

[MSX]

my two cents

[Офлайн Flight fanЗаслуженный авиатор]

I have had that one on my mind actually, Marat. As the kit is the military version it would need some modifications and custom decals, but it's a possibility.