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Airfix 1/72 Grumman Wildcat and Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' Dogfight Double


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Here are my completed builds numbers 2 & 3 for 2016: the Airfix Dogfight Double set comprising the Grumman Wildcat and the Nakajima B5N2 'Kate' torpedo bomber.


The kits are nicely detailed and went together very well, I don't recall having any particular problems with either of them. I used the kit transfers and mostly Sovereign Hobbies Colourcoats paints, USN Blue-gray, USN Light Gray, Nakajima Amber Grey-green (Ameiro) IJN D1 Deep Green Black and Mitsubishi Cowling Blue-black. If you think the paint chipping effect on the Kate is a bit overdone, kindly allow me to direct you here


I used the Peewit canopy mask sets for both kits, they are about half the price of the Eduard ones.


The markings represent the Wildcat flown by Lt.Cdr John 'Jimmy' Thach and the Kate commanded by Lt Joichi Tomonaga - Airfix have managed to get both the protagonists' names wrong in the instruction and painting booklet which is a bit of a shame given that it took me two minutes to look them up on the internet and I can't imagine why Airfix could not have done the same before sending it off for printing - at best it looks sloppy, at worst it looks a bit disrespectful, especially since Lt Tomonaga did not survive the encounter. That however is the only real criticism I can level at this set.


Anyway, here they are, first the Wildcat:


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... and the Kate:


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... and finally together, locked in combat as Airfix intended:


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Thanks for your attention :)


Cheers,


Stew

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Beautiful finish Stew. I'm very envious of the paint finish on both and the weathering on the Kate was very well done. Great job :)

Keep exercising the arm / wrist with the modelling!

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Thank you all gents, I'm feeling okay and the doctor was happy with my recovery (and confirmed that making models would be an excellent way of increasing my dexterity too!) You know that feeling you get in your leg muscles the day after you have that ill-advised game of football after you haven't played for years and years and all the next day you sort of wince with every step as the muscles feel tight and a bit sore? That's pretty much how my arms feel, but it's just a result of the lack of activity rather than the injuries themselves, and it is improving each day.

Cookie, I was going to hang out until the Corsair Group Build now but I'll have a little tinker with an Airfix Zero just to keep me occupied in the meantime I think.

Ray, the colour under the chipped green is indeed the Nakajima Amber-Grey colour which I understand was the overall colour when the aircraft were delivered; the dark green camouflage was applied 'in the field' (in this case 'on the carrier') and presumably due to the less than optimal conditions under which it was applied did not have the durability of the factory-applied camouflage and markings.

Finally, I forgot to thank Nick Millman, who has a very informative blog on Japanese aviation and was very helpful in answering several noob questions that I had without making me feel like an idiot - thanks very much Nick :)

Cheers,

Stew

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Hello,Stew - My compliments to you on two splendid looking builds and display for your 'Wildcat' and 'Kate'.They both display your hallmark quality of finish and attention to detail.All the best,Paul.

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Sorry Stew, that's me late to the party again.

These look absolutely great and are a credit to you. Your threads, and for no reason I can really identify this one in particular, are tempting me back to 1/72.

The Kate and Wildcat look splendid.

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Stunning pair of builds Stew, and I really like the last two photos, a seascape background would really show

off the hunter/hunted look of the piece, glad to see your back at the bench

Sean

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Excellent work Stew, not really my sphere of interest the Pacific war, but I saw the Kate in the LHS the other day and thought it looked an interesting aircraft. Seeing it built up I may well get one for myself now.

Edited by Airgunner
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Neat rendition of the aircraft you made there! I like that last photo of the F4F in pursuit of the Kate.

Only question in my mind is the "right" shade of blue-grey for the F4F - what paint did you use? It could be the photo itself...but in my mind, should it be bluer? Doesn't take away from the nice finish you got there though! :photo:

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