Alfa Lavochkin La-7

Alfa models are available through Hobby Lobby International. These approximate 1/12 scale electric ARFs are nothing short of beautiful. They are made of hollow molded foam and come already expertly painted. Each model has a generous water-slide decal sheet with at least two aircraft variants.  No provision is made for rudder control, only ailerons and elevator.  This is not a problem.

The Lavochkin La-7 was a Russian WWII fighter. The kit comes sans landing gear and no provision is made for any. This is okay. as retracts in models this size are too heavy, and nothing looks worse than WWII fighters flying around with the landing gear down.

Launching is accomplished with an underhand toss straight and level. There is more than enough power for this kind of launch. No launching rails or bungees required.

While this type of foam is fairly durable, and there is hard plastic covering some of the vulnerable areas, these models
are still subject to dents and dings in normal use.

I used rare earth magnets to hold the cowl on, and they work very well.

Before assembly, I decided that I wanted to preserve the appearance of the model and protect the paint as much as possible. I also wanted to seal the decals to make them more durable. This was accomplished by first applying a coat of gloss Minwax Polycrylic varnish (a water based product) with a foam brush. The decals were then applied. Then, I applied a coat of satin Polycrylic. The decals were sealed and they appear painted on. I weighed the fuselage and wing before I started this process, and they weighed 175 grams (6.17 oz.). I weighed them after I was done, and they weighed 180 grams. A weight gain of 5 grams or 0.18 oz.! A durable and attractive finish with no real weight gain. Not bad at all. Now, I do not have to worry about moisture (such a early morning dew, rain wet grass or snow) bothering this model

Specifications

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