Fine Molds 1/48 A7M1 Reppu

[jeaton01]

Here is the last of Jiro Horikoshi's designs. Only a few prototype A7M1's and one production A7M2 were built, due to the 1944 Nagoya earthquake and some persistent bombing by B-29's.  None saw service.  Reppu is the Japanese name, Hurricane in English, but the code name was just Sam.  What with the J2M Raiden being a Thunderbolt, seems like the Zero at least could have been called a Thunderstorm! Typhoon?

This is a very nice kit by Fine Molds.  I did have some issues with the forward fuselage and cowl as they come in 4 parts with minimal areas to glue in addition to the main fuselage, and the alignment of the cowl is very dependant on how straight the engine is mounted.  I'll get it perfect next time if I ever find tha A7M2 kit. THe fit of the upper wings was also a little loose as you move back from the leading edge.  A little Epoxysculpt and a wet finger fixed it right up.  I painted all the markings and the wing no step lines, and went without the no step text because all I could see of the black text against the dark green was the presence of decal film.  I did put decals on the fuel tank caps, the prop, and the gear doors.

Tamiya IJN green on top, Alclad Duralumin under, Mitsubishi interior green inside with details in Nakajima interior green.  Gunze propeller color.  The kit decal was used on the instrument panel, subdued nicely with Mr. Mark Softer, Eduard seat belts.

 

 

 

 

 

With the Prototype Zero:

The Zero, Jack, and Reppu:

 

And with the P-47N and F4U-4 added.  The Reppu would have been one nasty customer with the engine from the F4U-4.

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by jeaton01
Text error

[viperchief]

Great build! She was a big plane! Thanks for showing her near other aircraft for scale.

[Wulfman]

Beautiful build and finish, I’ve done the 1/72 version but yours looks much better than mine ! Great collection by the way.

 

Wulfman

[Kampartiger]

Excellent Reppu,It's very fortunate that the end of the Pacific war was near,otherwise it would have been a formidable foe to the Allied forces surrounding Japan in 1945.From your last picture (the collection) we can clearly see the design trend at that time,planes were getting bigger,a development that still continues until the appearance of the F-35.

[RMCS]

Lovley 

[Vlad]

7 hours ago, viperchief said:

Great build! She was a big plane! Thanks for showing her near other aircraft for scale.

Wow it's huge! Bigger than a Jug!

 

Very clean, very nice build of a rare but oh so graceful plane.

[Alan P]

Beautifully finished, a neat and precise job. 

 

Good scale comparison too, looks more like a Thunderbolt than a Hurricane 😉

[Toryu]

A wonderful model of another (late) attempt to replace the faithful Zero. The clean build shows the fine lines to great advantage. I love that picture with the turning prop (blown by a ventilator?)

[trickydicky210]

Nice build and great collection 

[Cellarfrog]

very nice! Indeed a large plane. Thanks for posting this.

[jeaton01]

Thanks for all the nice comments!