Hazagawa Kawanishi Alf...a classic OOB!

[John Masters]

I build them because I love them...So maybe I get obsessive and spend hours at night?  It's all about the fun!

This is my latest.  After the Merlin kit, I was happy to work on some moulded stuff with little anchors to hold things in place, etc...you get the idea!

This is a classic!  The rare Hazagawa Kawanishi Type-94-1, aka 'Alf'...Pretty much OOB.  The build was quite standard and I stayed away from the interior. I wanted something simple.  I first sprayed an aluminum from a can over the whole as a primer.  Then I used the Velejo Silver-Grey for the wings and fuselage.  The black bits are black.  Red is red.  When it was all dry I very very very lightly ran a very very fine sanding stick over the surfaces, removing a thin layer of paint and exposing the aluminum undercoat.  That suited me fine.  I like the rivets on the floats.  The decals from the box were old and yellow so I used the excellent batch from Print Scale and also some white bands from stock decal.  Then a thin brush of satin to even things out.  Oh yes...whatever those little whiskery things are on the float struts, I added those too.  The Lewis gun is from the spares box (Roden, I think...).  Rigged with EZ-Line---my first attempt at that, by the way.  Great stuff.  So here it is...

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what's next?  Well, I am glad you asked...Since so many of you fellows are building Spitfires, I figure...why not?  I have a lovely little 2-in-1 kit from AZ with some post-war Spits inside--one Israeli and one Egyptian.  Give me a chance to clean up, wipe down some surfaces, sort out some paints and I'll put it on the bench.  I'll probably tackle the Egyptian bird first.  Happy modelling!

 

--John

 

 

[Dazey]

Hi John,

 

Lovely Alf.  Is the kit hard to find?

 

Regards,

David

[celt]

Now thats a well tidy job of a kit and aircraft I have not seen before.Well tidy mun.

[Brad]

Nice job, I have one floating around in the stash too.

[John Masters]

Thanks guys.

 

I think the kit is OOP, but Ebay seems to have a few.  I need to get the catapult to complete the look.

[kapam]

Excellent work!

Such a contrasting scheme would be tricky to do well, but I think you nailed it.

[Colin1967]

Lovely build and finish, I am so envious of modellers who can build and rig bi-planes.

Bi-planes and rigging is my modelling Nemesis !

Is the Ez-Line product erm, easy to use ?

I am sure their are some boxing's that come with a catapult.

[BerndM]

A well build and rigged bi plane is a great sight, well done !

[John Masters]

Yes Colin...EZ Line is easy...It is basically a thin bit of elastic.  

 

On the whole, rigging is very easy, regardless.  It just takes patience and a steady hand.  No special skills involved!

 

I found an Alf kit with the catapult and I have it on the way...so I'll have that and another Alf kit which I might revamp into the radial engined design.

 

Thanks for the kind words, all...

[One-Two]

I like your little japanese biplane.

Never made one of these, the rigging always scared me. But yours is spot-on.

Very nice weathering also.

 

Well done, John!

 

 

[John Masters]

Thanks One-Two.  The rigging on the Alf was possibly the easiest I have ever done.  I think the most difficult had to be either the Olimp 1/72nd Curtiss Jenny or the Omega resin Caudron G3 in 1/72nd...Lots of fiddly little bits and I ended up using Ethicon stainless steel thread for most of both of them.  Endless measuring...

 

By comparison this only has 4 pieces of rig.  Those others?  50-60 maybe, each.