A Yaklovev and an Aichi

[Mark Newton]

While I'm waiting for the Big In Japan GB to start, I've got a few other little 1/72 projects on the go. One is an Amodel kit for a Yakovlev AIR-6. I really like older high-wing monoplanes, so when I saw this on the shelf at my local hobby shop I didn't think twice about getting it. The kit seems like a typical short-run product, but everything has cleaned up nicely so far. The weather today was ideal for painting, so the fuselage and wings got some colour. I find it easier to do some of the painting before final assembly. I think it makes the masking simpler and neater. The interior will be strictly OOB, as I doubt that anything inside will be visible.

 

 

 

 

The other model is an Aichi E11A1 flyingboat fron Fujimi. The kit comes with a simple jig for aligning and attaching the upper wing, which is very useful. I've masked the locating holes for the struts and the rigging. Masking the tiny, heavily framed "greenhouse" canopy was an interesting task. And again, I haven't bothered adding detail  to the cockpit as it won't be clearly seen. If the weather holds it'll get the first coat of black paint tomorrow. 
 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Mark Newton

[Jackman]

Looking forward to seeing how the Aichi turns out. I've got a Fujimi one in my stash. It's one of those lesser modeled kits that just appeals to me somehow. 👍

[AdrianMF]

The AIR-6 looks lovely - it looks like it has the same motor as the Po-2 - and I'm intrigued to see what the Aichi looks like - I'm imagining a Walrus or Otter?

 

If you are into older high wing planes there is a very nice and simple (and cheap!) ZTS kit of the Polish RWD-5, which was the smallest aeroplane to fly across the Atlantic. I built one a couple of years ago and it was great fun.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Mark Newton]

10 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

The AIR-6 looks lovely - it looks like it has the same motor as the Po-2 - and I'm intrigued to see what the Aichi looks like - I'm imagining a Walrus or Otter?

Thanks Adrian. As you say, the AIR-6 and the Po-2 share the same motor, the Shvetsov M-11. The Aichi is rather like the Walrus, the main difference being the engine nacelle is mounted on the upper wing. Photo of the prototype a/c from Wikipedia:

 

 

10 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

If you are into older high wing planes there is a very nice and simple (and cheap!) ZTS kit of the Polish RWD-5, which was the smallest aeroplane to fly across the Atlantic.

 

That looks very appealing, thanks for the heads up. I reckon one of these will be the next addition to that sub-category of the "stash". At the moment the smallest high-wing type I have is an Eduard Kunkadlo, which is tiny. And the biggest is a Valom Bristol Bombay. For me, one of the best things about returning to the hobby is having types like these available as injection moulded kits. Things I couldn't have imagined having twenty odd years ago.

 

All the best,

 

Mark.