AML Decals

72003
Yakovlev Yak-1
"Stalin's Eagles in Yaks 1"
For the Mikro Kit

AML is a new name to the decal industry and their first few sheets have shown great promise. This latest addition to their lineup adds some interesting Yak-1 fighters to the fold. The instructions are very well detailed and provide information on each plane, including full pilot's information. A total of three planes are depicted here and each one is given a complete four-view full-color drawing, showing where all the markings go.

The three planes provided are a Yak-1 flown by Captain M. D. Baranov of the 183 IAP, summer 1943. This plane carries his scoreboard behind the cockpit. The second choice is a red-nosed Yak-1b flown by Lieutenant P. M. Tchuvilyev, commander of Sword 1 AE flight, 427 IAP, 294 IAD, August 1943. The final Yak is a Yak-1b flown by Lieutenant Colonel Yakov Kutikhin, deputy commander of 156 GIAP, Balangy airfield, August 1943. This plane carried a large white arrow down the fuselage sides. Enough stars are provided to do two of the three planes depicted here, and decals are included for all the necessary personal markings. No data or stencilling is provided, though. A nice addition to any Soviet fighter collection.

72004 & 48001
Yakovlev Yak-9
"Stalin's Eagles in Yaks II"
For the Dakoplast & ICM Kits (1/72)
And ICM Kit (1/48)

The second Yak set from AML (first in 1/48) goes to the other end of the Yak lineage, the Yak-9. Four planes are depicted here and each one is as interesting as the next. Again, like the above sheet information is given on each pilot, and the decal sheet includes enough stars to finish three of the four planes. Two of the planes are Yak-9Ts while the other two are just listed as Yak-9.

The first Yak-9 is listed as being flown by Guard Captain Nikolay Denchik of the 64 GIAP, 4 GIAD, winter 1943. Denchik's growing scoreboard is behind the canopy and it carries a phrase written behind that. The second Yak-9 was flown by Major Ivan Styepanyenko, commander of 2 AE, 4 Riga KIAP, 185 IAD, summer 1943. A lightning bolt with a tiger pouncing on a cariacture of Hitler resides on the fuselage side, while a scoreboard is behind the canopy. The first of the two Yak-9Ts was also flown by Major Styepanyenko in the spring of 1944. He has foregone the leaping tiger emblem and on this plane he has a large eagle underneath the canopy. The final Yak-9T was flown by Guard Captain Ivan Vyetrov, commander of 1 AE, 66 GIAP, 4 GIAD, May 1944. Red stripes on the undersides of the wing and a large lion under the canopy make this Yak fighter unique.

Both the 1/72 and 1/48 sheets are very well printed and in excellent register. They are both printed by Propagteam so you can expect that level of quality throughout. The great research coupled with well-printed decals makes these latest sheets from AML a definite choice for those interested in VVS Yaks.