Sagdeyev Sag-3 'Biram'

[John Howling Mouse]

Has to be one of the most realistic/believable whifs I've ever seen.  Very well done.

[Tophe]

Very nice model, pleasant and even beautiful...
Uh, I have a book (Herbert Leonard author) about Russian WW2 fighters somewhere, this could be useful to see the differences between your model and the Lavochkin with in-line engine, or will you tell us those differences?

[sequoiaranger]

...a LOT!

Good concoction!

[Taiidantomcat]

Smooth 

[kitbasher]

Thanks again, all, for extremely generous comments about the 'Biram'.

Uh, I have a book (Herbert Leonard author) about Russian WW2 fighters somewhere, this could be useful to see the differences between your model and the Lavochkin with in-line engine, or will you tell us those differences?

I'm not that well up on the early LaGG fighters (the -1 and the -3, I guess), and there was certainly no inspiration from that quarter.  I had a leftover Airfix Kittyhawk fuselage (minus engine) that I wanted to do something with.  
Earlier in the year I bought a built Airfix Il-2 at a model show with the aim of anglicising it - it's still my intention to create a 'Boulton-Paul Barbarian' ground-attack aircraft from it (Sabre engine, Defiant style turret, underwing rockets, D-Day stripes), and maybe that will come next year (ie, 2010).  Therefore off came the Il-2 nose and the 'Biram' had a powerplant.
Wings were problematic, until I remembered a pair of CMK Spitfire F22 wings in the spares box.  For those not familiar with this kit it is a clone of the second version of the Pegasus Spitfire F22/24 and not to be confused with the CMR kit of the same mark.  I had planned some years ago to whif a KP Spit IX using said wings plus Griffon engine as a 'What If' alternative to the Spiteful (Spiteful-type fuselage/tail plus Spit 22/24 wings).  This involved switching the main u/c to widen the track (as on the Spiteful) in exactly the same way that Nils has used on his He-70 torpedo bomber whif in the Navalise It! GB.  That whif was abandoned, although the fuselage will be used in another project that I hope will come to fruition in 2010.  The wing tips were rounded off to look less 'Spitfire-like' - I thought that would be more 'Soviet' than squaring off the wing tips.
I think it is the engine that gives the 'Biram' its Soviet appearance - it was only when I'd initially thrown the parts together and photographed it that I realised that it looked not unlike the box-art on the Revell Mig-3.
So that in a nutshell is the build history.  No photos of the build, I'm afraid; I'd intended to take the model to Telford as a completed item and that was going to be it!
Happy New Year!!  

[Tophe]

Wonderful build history, as thrilling and fascinating as a prototype history...

[sequoiaranger]

>Earlier in the year I bought a built Airfix Il-2 at a model show with the aim of anglicising it - it's still my intention to create a 'Boulton-Paul Barbarian' ground-attack aircraft from it (Sabre engine, Defiant style turret, underwing rockets, D-Day stripes), and maybe that will come next year (ie, 2010).<

I like the idea--the "Defiant" was a dud as a true fighter, but as with many "obsolescent" fighters, could have become a decent ground-attack aircraft. Such is one I made by putting tank-buster cannon on a Defiant thusly:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=1192

I am also planning a "Hawker Henley" British naval dive-bomber whif with a four-gun rear turret.

[GTX]

and maybe that will come next year (ie, 2010).<

No, come on you can do it this year...

Regards,

Greg