The new 1/48 tamiya Ki-61 Tony, any opinions?

[Spitfires Forever]

Hello gentlemen, what is the consensus on Tamiya's new offering? How does it compare to Hasegawa's version? Hopefully is is not like the Hurricane, which has been surpassed by Airfix. In other words, is the it so good that it was worth producing.

Cheers

[Scooby]

The Tamiya kit is amazing, it far superior to the Hasegawa kit. The cockpit interior is jaw dropping, the kit includes an engine too.

[Guest]

Thanks, I have to make a choice. I got burned on the Tamiya Hurricane so don't want to make the same expensive mistake!

Cheers

[Troy Smith]

Hi Randy

 

the "Tamiya" Hurricane was a rebox of the Italeri kit, which a few searches would have revealed to you.   Tamiya have reboxed a few other Italeri kits,incluing the shockinly badly researched and tooled Re2002

 

the Italeri kit is a 'where's wally' kit, the harder you look, the more glitches you find.  here's the list of shame so far

the Airfix kit is 'close but no cigar'   IMO,  I'm waiting for  Trumpeter to see sense  and downsize  their 1/24th kit,  (and get rid of the flippin rivets...)

i digress, OK,Ki-61

 

Posts on the Tamiya Ki-61 on Hyperscale have all been positive,  but then it the Hase kit is 20 years old.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/thread/1483748015

 

Note, while I can rattle off details of many types from memory,  I've not got the much of the Japanese info memorised,  but IIRC in short the Tamiya kit builds the oft modelled late version of the Ki-61,

http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/thread/1483748015

Quote

 

The kit is a significant leap over the Hasegawa kits. My only question since it is a Tei, markings are limited unless you are doing one of the umpteen Kobayashi versions. Does anyone have any info on other notable pilots who flew this version? Hopefully they will follow with Ko and Hei models with more marking options.

 

 while Hasegawa did the entire family, 

details here

http://modelingmadness.com/splfeat/kr/has48a.htm

Quote

Ki 61 I KAI : The original series of kits all include identical plastic parts with different decals, these include 09112, 09114, 09165, 09372, 09412, 09806, and 09939.  52504 is the 244^th Sentai boxing with addition of a Jaguar resin pilot and mechanic.  51953 also includes a resin figure of Capt. Teruhiko Kobayashi.  Trees C, D, E, and F are also used in the Ki100 kits.  All of the earlier kits correctly build the later Ki 61 I KAI c (Hei) or Ki 61 I KAI d (Tei), which had a slightly longer nose forward of the cockpit and wing, and a fixed tail wheel; c and d armament differed. 

Ki 61 I : The newest kits listed will build the earlier Ki61 I models with shorter fuselage and retracting tailwheel.  09087 and 09654, and 64718 build the Ki 61 I c (Hei) with German Mauser MG 151/20 cannon added to the wings.  09613 and 09744 build the earlier and more common Ki 61 I a (Koh) or Ki 61 I b (Otsu) with wing machine guns.  09670 includes the parts to build a Ki 61 Ia, Ib, or Ic.

NEED INFO: None.

 

So, for a one off Ki-61, tamiya, for a collection of variant, Hase, who also do a Ki-100.

 

HTH

T

 

[Guest]

I do realize that Italeri was involved, just not sure which tail was wagging the dog on that one.

Cheers

[Plasto]

I have a Tamiya Ki-61. I haven't made a start on it as yet.  The cockpit is very nicely detailed. Parts count for the whole kit is not too high. Surface detail is fine and expertly executed. It's pretty much what you'd expect from a current generation Tamiya offering. 

 

There seems to be a degree of forum babble about Tamiya only producing the Tei version. TBH the kit is good the decal choices schemes are nice IMHO.

 

HTH...

[Fernando]

Hi, everyone,

 

Pity Tamiya hasn't made the early "short nose" one, which saw much more widespread service.

 

Fernando

[Plasto]

I'm sure if they had we'd gave people posting they wish they'd done the Tei version. 

 

Its impossible to please everyone.

[73north]

https://ninetalis.com/reviews/aircraft/tamiya-148-kawasaki-ki-61-id-hien-tony/

 

This is the ' in -box ' review of this new kit - if one needs to see inside the box

- I think an addition of Moskit Exhausts and this will be a great kit from Tamiya , where the friendly competition between these 2 is really helping the hobby

however , I still have my Ki.61 from the 244th Sentai by Hasegawa ( with etch , squadron vac form canopy , and  moskit exhausts - ) and frankly that's as easily as good as this new Tamiya Kit

 

I agree Tamiya are lovely kits , I have the Tamiya Spitfire Mk 1 on my shelf , a joy to have built ( a shake n' bake kit )

I actually also only used the Hasegawa Kit for my Hurricane Mk 1 and that was really nice as well ( added Moskit exhausts to that one as well )

I fitted to my Hasegawa Hurricane , from the box containing the 1980's kit Air-Fix , the better Rounded Wheels ( and sold the Airfix Kit on ebay with the Hasegawa Flattened wheels )

 

for my money , if you use the New TOOL Air Fix Hawker Hurricane , its just as good as the Hasegawa Hurricane - and a bit cheaper

Edited February 3, 2017 by 73north

[Seawinder]

2 hours ago, 73north said:

... however , I still have my Ki.61 from the 244th Sentai by Hasegawa ( with etch , squadron vac form canopy , and  moskit exhausts - ) and frankly that's [as] easily as good as this new Tamiya Kit

Unless you have both kits in your hands, I don't see how you can say that; and everything I've read (plus what I remember of building a Hasegawa Ki-61 some years ago) seems to indicate that the Tamiya kit is clearly superior.

[Troy Smith]

2 hours ago, 73north said:

I have the Tamiya Spitfire Mk 1 on my shelf , a joy to have built ( a shake n' bake kit )

I actually also only used the Hasegawa Kit for my Hurricane Mk 1 and that was really nice as well ( added Moskit exhausts to that one as well )

I fitted to my Hasegawa Hurricane , from the box containing the 1980's kit Air-Fix , the better Rounded Wheels ( and sold the Airfix Kit on ebay with the Hasegawa Flattened wheels )

 

for my money , if you use the New TOOL Air Fix Hawker Hurricane , its just as good as the Hasegawa Hurricane - and a bit cheaper

 

the Tamiya Spit, while beautifully engineered, is not accurate,  not really horribly wrong,  but noticeably 'off' next   to accurate kit,  it's short, too wide and slab sided, and the wings are a touch too broad.

All fixable if you can be bothered.  Fuselage corrected here

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234968337-two-148-mkvb-spitfires-tamiya-and-airfix-new-spitfire-collection-expansion-project-finished-photos-now-in-the-rfi-section-080615/&page=3

 

Hurricanes.... sadly there is NO OOB accurate 1/48th  kit.

the Hase kit has noticeably wrong fabric,  plus a bad step on the underside,  the upper nose profile is too flat, and the wing tips 'bulge', 

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234967342-best-148-hurricane-kit/&do=findComment&comment=1735571

this details the fabric problem,  the others have come to light since...

The fixes for the cowl and wing tips are at least easy.

 

The NEW TOOL Airfix suffers from being essentially their 72nd fabric wing kit scaled up.

 

As such, it  has 'balloon tyres',  and too  long DH  Spinner, too thick wing trailing edge, easy to fix but with the one piece ailerons difficult,  but the killer is the fuselage, 

this is the best build I've seen

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234986216-148-airfix-new-tool-hurricane-mki-p3039-from-no229-squadron-completed-on-31-10-at-1150-pm/

 

Apologies for going off topic,  hope  of use to 73north

 

cheers

T

[73north]

34 minutes ago, Seawinder said:

Unless you have both kits in your hands, I don't see how you can say that; and everything I've read (plus what I remember of building a Hasegawa Ki-61 some years ago) seems to indicate that the Tamiya kit is clearly superior.

 

respectfully , I really feel the constant quest for the ultimate accurate model kit , is half the time , just clever marketing - and an attempt to make more people shell out more cash

for a model fractionally better than the old one - and I have to say , if it looks like a Spitfire or a Hurricane

that is good enough for most modellers or joe public -

 

I will have to take a photo of my Hasegawa Hurricane - I really feel its a really lovely kit , sure , I understand that some people worry about minute accuracy stuff ( that you have to squint to spot )

but my Tamiya Spitfire looks lovely , I have looked at what you stated , okay - and I read the review below  ---- but I am still very happy with my 2006 Model - and I add anyway

that when I was about to build my Mk1 Spitfire , it was only available from Tamiya when I built it

- as it was the only game in town ( no Hasegawa version of the Mk 1 ) so there was no alternative ' ultimate model '

http://www.hyperscale.com/2016/features/spitfirex248tb_1.htm

 

funny world , that the Airfix Old Plastic Tyres that I used for my Hurricane Mk 1 , are far better than provided for the all new tool Model !!

 

I used the old Monogram Wheels for my Hasegawa Typhoon - for the same reason - didn't like the flattened look !

[Bigglesof266]

I think it depends upon what you're looking for.

 

I've only read the reviews and don't own it, but deduced from that that the Tamiya offering price is very right, full of features and ultra internal detail. Very nicely, it has a pilot figure included in Tamiya tradition, and as a nice value adder, masks. The latter features alone justify its price point over the base Hasegawa variant offering if vacillating between the two ...unless a builder whose pilots are all hanger rats. 

 

That said, the Hasegawa 1/48 kits (of which I have JT14 and JT87 in 1/48) still build into a very respectable respective Ki-61s. Just no pilot figure or masks included. If those, or Tamiya's detail and clear sides rate with you, the Tamiya is a no brainer as long as you want the late Hien. Has is a simpler build. Tam seems like Zvezdas La's and Bf's with engines and fuse frames, just need to take your time.

 

Voting with my pocket, much as lust said buy the Tamiya, triaging either or at Christmas time, as I already have three Hiens in 1/48, I went with JT28 in Hasegawa's 1/32 instead which comes supplied with a pilot figure OOTB for not very many Yen more than the Tamiya 1/48.

 

Tamiya's Hien sits in between the pricepoint of Hasegawa's 1/48 and 1/32 kits. In terms of spend, I think that's immaterial as all the kits are so cheap for what you get, buy them all. However, for me the crunch is really becoming about build time and effort. Personally I don't think one can go wrong with any of them.

   

[73north]

These are the photos of my 2 models to show you what can be achieved with a modern kit , with photo-etch and Moskit exhausts thrown in

The first is the Hasegawa Hurricane Mk 1 , then the second the Hasegawa Hurricane Mk 1 ( apologies for the pictures , I badly need to get an ultra-modern digital camera )

 

 

You can see , that my Hurricane looks like a Hurricane , and the Ki.61 Tony ( a lovely looking fighter ) is no slouch at looking ' right ' and like a Ki.61

 

 

I think the trouble with a Pilot Figure is that is obscures the view inside of the cockpit - when you spent all that time super-detailing it - so it seems dumb to put a pilot inside

on your other valid points , I agree , as long as there is decent choice , then its a good thing - the great thing about a ' ultimate ' kit review from the likes of Hyperscale is that it drives the

used prices down and makes modellers sell some of the stash , so you can pick up a great kit , much more cheaply

 

 

Edited February 4, 2017 by 73north

[Bigglesof266]

Ehehe ..of course an alternative point of view is wanting a pilot in the cockpit and cowls on, which is my preference most of the time ...which makes seem redundant to unnecessarily super detail the cockpit or even have an engine inside if you're just going to obscure them, especially with canopy closed. One of the things I like about Tamiya and Zvezda 1/48, and Hasegawa in 1/32. Generally they include decently sculpted IM seated pilot figures.

 

Each to their own.  

 

 

[k5054nz]

http://www.modelingmadness.com/scott/axis/j/jaaf/t61.htm

 

" This one has to get my vote for best engineered kit ever. The fit is exemplary and it is only my glacial construction pace that kept it from being finished well before this. There were a few left over bits I could not identify so not sure if this means an early version would be in the works or not, but it would be silly not to do so. This does not mean toss your Hasegawa kits, as those still build into very nice replicas, it is just that this one raises the bar to a level that will be difficult to eclipse. "

[dragonlanceHR]

I have the Hasegawa Hei (sold my Tei recently) and two Hasegawa Ki-100's, and the Tamiya kit.

 

The deep wheel wells alone make it totally superior to Hasegawa, not to mention first-class engineering and fit, at almost the same price.

 

And Lifelike Decals (re)released 4 Ki-61 decal sheets recently, see Nic Millman's blog for details.

 

Vedran

Edited February 6, 2017 by dragonlanceHR
Correct decal producer name

[Nick Millman]

I've now added an in-box review of the Tamiya Tei kit by Dan Salamone in which he compares the Hasegawa kits. 

 

More Tei were produced than any other variant from January 1944 and applicable schemes include plain natural metal finish, green mottle on natural metal and for the later production aircraft olive drab. A few Rensei Hikotai, operational training units, also used the Tei as well as special attack Shinbu-tai such as 56th and 110th. Plenty of schemes but whether there are decals for all of them is another matter.

 

Nick

[Fernando]

Hi, everyone,

 

The reviewer in Nick's  blog states that  "...the Tei variant of the Hien has fewer color and markings options than the earlier Ko, Otsu and Hei variants. If a modeler wishes to model something other than a 244th Sentai aircraft, your main verifiable choices would include the 19th, 55th, 56th, and 59th Sentai, as well as the Akeno and Hitachi Flying Schools."

 

So, while I concur with Plasto that it is impossible to satisfy everyone (at least at the same time with the same thing) there are some "objective fundaments" to say that an earlier variant would have been more interesting (not even mentioning the variety in armament). Unfortunately, Mr. Tami is not precisely known for "stretching" the possibilities of the moulds lately (as he used to do, z.b., with the Beaufighters)

 

Fernando

[Nick Millman]

"objective fundaments"? Not really. Anyone who wants to model a particular Tei will be delighted to be able to do so with Tamiya's excellent new kit. Anyone disappointed who wants to model another variant can either fall back on the Hasegawa kit or live in hope that the Tamiya is not a one-off and build something else in the meantime. 

 

It is all subjective of course, as are the criteria for "most interesting" and "more widespread service"!

 

Nick  

[neilh]

Nice video review with very good detailed photography of this kit is up over on Hyperscale.  Looks beautiful.

[Plasto]

I agree Brett Greens inbox review is very good.

 

As for it it being the 'Wrong Version'.

 

Ultimately Tamiya or any other manufacturer can decide for themselves what subjects they are going to research and tool. The market decides if this is a wise choice based on the volume of sales the decision engenders. It's a basic capitalist tenet.

 

Given everyone who actually has a kit seems to agree its expertly executed by Tamiya. The only way to spread any negativity about the release is seemingly to say it should have been 'an earlier version'. 

 

That while an 'opinion' which convention says we must respect. Is really just pointless bleating IMHO. Tamiya have made what they have made a great job of it.  If you want another version buy a different offering from someone else.

 

 

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Mine arrived today. bought on eBay from Japan for £26 including shipping, which I considered a bargain.

 

A quick look inside reveals a beautifully engineered model that has "build me now!" stamped all over It ( in a finely recessed type of way, of course!)

I also have the Hasegawa boxing of the Tei ( the 18th flight training unit version), so it will be interesting to see how the 2 compare.

 

cheers

 

Jonners

[Fernando]

Hi, everyone,

 

Looks like I am whipping a dead horse (or donkey) but it looks like not even the aftermarket decal manurfacturers can find good Tei airframes. Look at this:

 

http://www.hyperscale.com/2017/reviews/decals/lifelike48050reviewfw_1.htm

 

It must be emphasized that a good decal sheet full of Tei airframes would sell like the proverbial hot bread.

 

Fernando

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

On 2/23/2017 at 8:17 AM, Jon Kunac-Tabinor said:

Mine arrived today. bought on eBay from Japan for £26 including shipping, which I considered a bargain.

 

A quick look inside reveals a beautifully engineered model that has "build me now!" stamped all over It ( in a finely recessed type of way, of course!)

I also have the Hasegawa boxing of the Tei ( the 18th flight training unit version), so it will be interesting to see how the 2 compare.

 

cheers

 

Jonners

One thing I have noted is the Hasegawa Tei fuselage is shorter than the Tamiya one by a few noticeable millimetres at the front. Im assuming Hasegawa didn't retool the fuselage for the TEI to allow for the longer  cannon nose?

 

Jonners