KG Wings - Italeri Bilek 1:72 scale Ilyushin il-28 "Beagle"

Ilyushin il-28
"Beagle" (NATO)
Tactical Day-Bomber

Soviet Air Force

Italeri Models

This model added to kgwings.com on November 11, 1998

First flown on the 8th of August 1948, the il-28 was the first jet powered bomber to enter service with the Soviet Air Force. It is estimated that over 6,000 were produced by the Soviet Union and China and more than 300 Beagles remained in service with a number of ex-Soviet allies as late as 1990.

The Il-28 (Ил-28) was powered by two Klimov VK-1 centrifugal-flow turbojets (developed from British Rolls-Royce Nene) developing 5,952 lb of thrust each.

My Polish MiG-15 was dropped into the background using Adobe Photoshop.

The typical WWII-style greenhouse contains the bombardier/ navigator's electronics and visual bombsight. The barrels of the two fixed 23mm NR-23 cannon can be seen protruding from under the nose.

iL-28 Beagle by Italeri

The Beagle can carry up to 6,614lbs (3000kg) in the internal bombay. The Italeri kit includes three different configurations of freefall bombs.

iL-28 Beagle by Italeri

The tail of the Beagle contains the rear gunner/radio operator and two more 23mm NR-23 cannon. During the war in Afghanistan the obsolete il-28 had a lower loss rate than the Su-25 Frogfoot. The tail gunners tended to discourage Mujahideen gunners from popping up and firing as the ancient bombers egressed.

iL-28 Beagle by Italeri

The unswept wing contrasts with the swept tailplane but ensures pitch control in high Mach dives.

I was having a little fun at the KGWings airport and left my Hasegawa Mig-29 in the shot.

iL-28 Beagle by Italeri

On the Beagle Construction Page I show how I made the crew ladders.

Kit: Italeri/Bilek #060

Scale: 1/72

Decals: Kit provides markings for Soviet (which I used), Polish, Finnish and East German Air Forces. Very good color and registration on all.

Paint: SnJ Products Spray Metal Finish, Testors and Model Master Enamels. Details about the paint can be found on the Beagle Construction Page.

After Market Parts: Eduard #72 219 (metal photo etched parts)

Customizations: I added many details to the interior of my Beagle, photos are on the Beagle Construction Page. I cut open the bombardiers hatch and added the missing gun barrels under the nose. The antennae on the spine and brakelines are made of stretched sprue.

Cost: Around $15.00 (U.S.)

Comments: At the time of writing, this is the best il-28 kit from any manufacturer. Unfortunately that isn't saying much since the competition is really poor.

I'm very happy with my kit now that it's completed, but it wasn't a very easy kit to build.

The entire kit is molded with a grainy textured surface which has to be sanded smooth in order to create a convincing bare-metal finish. The good news is that the recessed panel lines are molded a little too deep so everything looks better after sanding smooth. I sanded the entire kit progressively with 400, 600 and 1000 grit sand paper then buffed it with a fine cloth so that the metal finish would be able to shine properly. This process isn't difficult, but it was tedious and time consuming.

I experienced alignment problems with all of the interior assemblies. The fuselage would not close properly when the cockpit was positioned on the it's tabs. I removed the tabs and repositioned all the parts until they fit. I also had to trim around the weapons bay to make it fit.

The detailing on the cockpit and weapons bay are pretty good. The main instrument panel is recessed with nice detail.

The fit ranges from good to poor throughout with the worst areas around the clear parts. The "glass" parts are thick and a little foggy so I used Future floorwax to help some.

The gear doors are too thick so I sanded them until they were acceptable.

I can't recommend this kit for a beginner, but if you're a collector of vintage Soviet military aircraft it's a must have!

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