Redboost

Hello fellow modellers, this is my recently finished Clear Prop kit. In past years I somehow ignored the Japanese subjects, except excellent Tamiya or Model Graphic A6M's, but this year this my third Japanese kit so obviously something has changed:-) Yes, that was the entry of the Clear Prop kits on the market, which quickly jumped in my personal ranking on the top amongst 1/72 manufacturers. The level of details and moulding quality is simply amazing. This Ki-51 builds nicely and perhaps some of the smallest etched details are redundant, even in the plastic they look sufficient. I tried to model one of the machines operated in China with 6th Hikosentai. Built out of the box except the canopy masks which I replaced for Dead Design product as those in the kit are rather thick and not very precise - at least something what could be improved. Looking forward now for their next WWII fighter kit! P.S. A big thanks to Valerij! Cheers, Libor

Thanks mates! ArmouredSprue: these are Gunze H acrylics as per the instructions. For the KFIR though the green may differs, as at some point in 1980's it changed to a more lighter color similar to British WWII Sky. My own mix is for it is the original H312 Green +H74 Sky in 50:50 ratio. Cheers Libor

Thanks everyone for comments, appreciated! I'm afraid I have almost nothing to report, it is "just" regular mainstream kit which builds nicely without any fit or other issues. I've sweeten the the build with some surgery needed for air brakes and flaps installations, but the kit seems to be pre-designed fot that, so it was also quite straightforward. Exdraken: yes, these are Napalm tanks. Cheers Libor

Hi folks, this is new addition in my IAF collection. Special Hobby made a fine job on this elegant French fighter and it is excellent kit just of ouf the box; in addition I used Eduard etched mainly for the flaps air brakes. This re-engined Sambad flew with no.105 Scorpion squadron in early 1970's. Cheers Libor

For Hobo: yes, the propeller is from the kit; btw there are too many alternative parts like 7 types of radiator, what is really insane

Thanks mates for kind comments, glad I could inspire some of you! That was first time I worked with lozenge decals and except mentioned issues with broken decals it was not that bad. They matched the parts with a reserve and worked fine with settings solutions; e.g. on the upper wing there are four decal layers (base lozenge, rib tapes and two roundel layers) and it does not look thick. Roman, I build the biplanes on regular basis, but this was really a first WWI subject after long time. Cheers Libor

Hi folks, not a stuff I usually build, but this Fokker can't miss in my Czechoslovak AF collection. This sole Fokker D.VII was captured on communist Hungarians in those turbulent times back in 1919, repaired and put in the service with newly born CzAF where flown up to 1925 in the training role. During its service it wore quite a few camouflage and markings guises and armament and propeller installations. This one was seen on autumn 1919, having only the original form of national insignias, no guns and unique four-bladed propeller. The Eduard kit is probably well known now and it builds really nicely. My only trouble were the lozenge decals which disintegrated several times, so hopefully that was just a printing error in my example. Cheers Libor

I would bet the scale is quite obvious:-)

Yes, it is nice companion! Despite the Brengun kit is a different technology, both kits are actualy quite close.

Thanks everyone for kind comments, much appreciated! Next Mike? First I have to finish something from my Shelf of Doom, got too many unfinished kits... Cheer Libor

Using some fine drill bits and the Tamiya magnifier head set, of course, as my eyes are not as good as used to be!

Hi folks, this is the new Arma Hobby kit and the build thread is HERE, where I believe all essential has been said. All in all, great little kit with plenty of details and some great features. Cheers, Libor

I call it done, more pictures later on in the Ready for Inspection. Thanks everyone for comments and enjoy your Yaks chaps! Cheers Libor

You're welcome Mike, good luck! I replaced the gun barrels with fine brass tubing and paint them, or actually burnished them to the blackish metal shade using AK solution. I prefer this method over the painting, as the paint do not adhere well even to primed metal surface and the painted part could be easily scratched when placing it in situ. Do remember there were landing gear mechanical indicators on top of the wing, which I made of stretched sprue. There was also landing flaps single indicator placed on the port wing. Forget to mention the decal sheet omitted the fuel gauges on the wing, so I sourced them from Mike Grant generic decal sheet.

Yes, these are those from the kit.

Hi Mike, the former is fixed in a firm clamp and a piece of foil (size approx. 4 x 4 cm so you have enough to hold it by the sides in fingers) is heated above a source of heat. I use a candle with aluminium cap (that cheap stuff from a household shop, here we call it "tea candle") and once the foil is heated enough it starts looks like a jelly, and this is the right time to push it against the former. It is just a matter of trial and error approach, you can get the right one only you get all yours fingers burned (joking, please wear some gloves when heating the foil). Hope it helps! Cheers

Thanks for the info! Actually, I never had troubles with older ones too, e.g. those in the Sword kits. Now, it is time to dealt with the details. On the spinner I drilled out the solid centre part which is suppose to be the cannon barrel, and then cut the "teeth" on it for the external starter (Hucks system). Yak's engines were started using compressed air, but the option for the Hucks remained on the spinner, perhaps as a back up measure. The cannon barrel will be then inserted inside later on. Next I painted the undercarriage parts and installed them.

Sure, both are in the pipeline, but the Sa’ar is coming sooner!

No, I only use the fine brush which is part of the cap. The decals went on nicely with the help of Mr.Setter and Softer. I heard the Techmod decals may be sometime challenging to apply, but personally my experiences are very positive, the decals have perfect register and dense colors, are thin and conformed well to the surface. Only the bottom part of the nose shark mouth needed some touch ups with black and red acrylics.

Got the point, fully agree!

These 5-spoke wheels are provided in the kit as extra resin parts.

Sorry for that typo, I have corrected it. Cheers

Thanks! Yes, the paint was thinned down a bit, but I do not use very low pressure; for me better works relatively higher pressure and very thin line which my Iwata allows.

Tx Jason! Moving on the upper surfaces, the AMT-4 is H405 with a touch of yellow, while the black is H77. The dark mottling on the cowling was shot using black-green H65.

Hi John, yes, I intend to drill them out using a micro bit, something like 0.1mm or so, and let’s see... A friend of mine doing patterns for Aires also uses some special micro needle files from Vallorbe, but they are expensive like a hell... Sorry about the book, it is a matter of reprint at a future date, but can’t advise when. Cheers!