RetroWings 1/144 Lavochkin La-5/5F/5FN Cockpit
By Matt Bittner
A short time ago KP released three 1/144 Lavochkin La-5s: the La-5, La-5F and La-5FN. Now RetroWings has released a resin cockpit to be used with those models. While there are two RetroWings cockpit releases, they're basically the same except for the instructions and one additional step with the La-5F/FN cockpit. For those two you need to cut off the seat's headrest so you can add the kit's clear armored pane that sits behind the pilot's head. Other than that the cockpits are the same for all three KP releases.
There are two side panels that need to be glued to the fuselage halves and then the one-piece cockpit "tub" that once you add the kit's control column to can be added to the wing before it's added to the built-up fuselage. In addition the resin instrument panel – much better detailed than the kit part – can be added to the cockpit once the fuselage halves are assembled.
Because the kit canopies are a bit thick you might want to also source the Brengun vacuum-formed canopies so you can show off all the detail RetroWings has added to their resin cockpit.
I definitely thank RetrokiT for sending these cockpits for review.