Arguably one of the best Soviet fighters of World War II, the Yak-9D added extra fuel for greater range. Zvezda’s beautifully molded, new-tool Yak-9D includes a full engine that can be displayed using optional frames in place of cowl panels. The cockpit is similarly detailed and includes pretty much everything but seat belts. There’s a nicely-molded pilot here if you want to crew the fighter.
Construction opens with the engine, including hoses, pipes, and fuel lines. All went smoothly.
The busy cockpit builds from a bunch of finely detailed components. They include separate side frames, including engine mounts, controls, such as the throttle, rudder pedals, a control stick, a seat, and a firewall. The instrument panel features inset dials with decals providing the gauges. More interior details fit up front: oil tanks, cannons, ammo boxes, and fittings. All of it fit into the fuselage halves and one-piece lower wing that houses the cockpit floor and detailed gear bays.
The instructions show installing the engine in its mounts before gluing the fuselage together. I choose not to do so, to avoid having to mask the engine during painting, which I planned to leave exposed. This proved to be my undoing later, so I don’t recommend it. Placing the engine later produced misaligned parts that didn’t fit. I also lost one of the exhaust stacks in the bottom of the engine bay to be entombed forever. Follow the instructions. You can close everything up with optional cowl panels, but there is so much to look at.
Although simple, the landing gear legs are sharply molded. Separate wheels and tires make painting a breeze. The gear doors have details molded on the inner faces; always a nice touch.
The plastic for the canopy is super clear, and it can be posed open or closed.
The paint chart refers to Zvezda and Tamiya colors. I used the recommended Tamiya paints, but the dark gray (German Grey No. XF-63) seems too dark, and the grey-light blue (Medium Blue No. XF-18) is too blue, based on the picture of the completed model on the back of the box.
The beautiful decals went down without issues and, with a little Microscale Micro Sol, had no problem conforming to the smallest details. The kit provides markings for three aircraft, all wearing the same camouflage pattern.
Zvezda has done an amazing job with its Yak-9D. The moldings are absolutely beautiful, it’s packed with details, and the fit is exceptional. The fine details preclude it from being for beginners, but any modeler with a little experience should have no trouble. It produces a great replica with time, patience, and following instructions.