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Hasegawa 1:72 Mitsubishi G3M2 Nell, Genzan Air Group, 1941


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Hi all,

Here is my second finish of 2023. Hasegawa G3M2 Nell has been on my to-do list since it first appeared in the Hasegawa catalogue around 1998. It wasn't until many years later that I acquired the kit, and yet more years have passed until I finally get around to finishing it. One thing that surprised me was that Nell is no small aircraft. I had the impression that it was a much smaller bomber than the G4M Betty they replaced it. Only when the wings and fuselage were put together did the true size of Nell become apparent. 

I finished it as a plane from Genzan Kokutai which took part in the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse. It was one of Nell's torpedoes that caught POW in the first wave of the attack (out of some 19 dropped against either of the capital ships), although it was G4M1 Betty that did most of the damage in the subsequence attacks.

There is also no evidence that the camouflage paint on the Nells was this worn out in December 1941. I just took inspiration from photos of Nells from other units at different times and decided to paint my model this way. So, the accuracy is on the questionable side. Having said that, I have tried many techniques to achieve the worn-looking appearance of some Japanese aircraft but when peeling off a big surface area like this, I usually go with the hair spray technique. 

Cheers!
Nanond

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Beautiful work,the weathering looks excellent. if (and I'm not one to know) the weathering seems too much for the time period, who cares as it looks beautifully done,  i'm more of a build the kit the way you want kind of guy.

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Hi Nanond,

 

This is an excellent representation of the 'Nell' (my favourite Japanese bomber, btw). The accuracy of your build and the finish are impeccable, including the flaking of the camouflage. The green/brown colours were not a factory finish but applied in transition depots during the China war (and early WWII?). It was administered without primer underneath and therefore easily wore off from the metal surface. 'Nells' had already been in use for several years at that time. Very well done!

 

Cheers, Michael

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Thank you for your appreciation. 

 

18 hours ago, Hopesdaddy said:

Beautiful work,the weathering looks excellent. if (and I'm not one to know) the weathering seems too much for the time period, who cares as it looks beautifully done,  i'm more of a build the kit the way you want kind of guy.

Yes, totally agree.

 

 

16 hours ago, Toryu said:

Hi Nanond,

 

This is an excellent representation of the 'Nell' (my favourite Japanese bomber, btw). The accuracy of your build and the finish are impeccable, including the flaking of the camouflage. The green/brown colours were not a factory finish but applied in transition depots during the China war (and early WWII?). It was administered without primer underneath and therefore easily wore off from the metal surface. 'Nells' had already been in use for several years at that time. Very well done!

 

Cheers, Michael

Thank you for the information. I was following this line of argument. Next is to try it on a Sword 1:72 Betty.
I enjoy it more when making my models with a 'plausible' look. 

Cheers!

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I LOVE this. And I'm envious of your photograpic skills too. Incredibly good rendered even more so by the fact it's in 1/72.  👍

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Marginally off topic. I do wish Tamiya or Hasegawa would release a 1/48 version of the "Nell" as Tamiya did with their beautiful "Betty" of the 1990s. The G3M is such a beautiful looking aircraft, contextually and historically important. Little chance Eduard or others will, as save the ubiquitious 'Zero' it's common knowledge Japanese aircraft are like Soviet era WWII armour and aircraft when it comes to relative sales against the German cats and ubiquitious Sherman or the plethora of Spitfires, Mustangs, Corsairs, Hellcats and Thunderbolts ad nauseam. 

If ever, with the current recession and forseeable impact over the next decade, I doubt I'll see a sales risk venture like that even from the likes of Tamiya or Hasegawa in my remaining lifetime. 😢

 

Aware of the couple of short run kits, but no disrespect intended to those who are, I'm not that masochistic.

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8 hours ago, Bigglesof266 said:

Marginally off topic. I do wish Tamiya or Hasegawa would release a 1/48 version of the "Nell" as Tamiya did with their beautiful "Betty" of the 1990s. The G3M is such a beautiful looking aircraft, contextually and historically important. Little chance Eduard or others will, as save the ubiquitious 'Zero' it's common knowledge Japanese aircraft are like Soviet era WWII armour and aircraft when it comes to relative sales against the German cats and ubiquitious Sherman or the plethora of Spitfires, Mustangs, Corsairs, Hellcats and Thunderbolts ad nauseam. 

If ever, with the current recession and forseeable impact over the next decade, I doubt I'll see a sales risk venture like that even from the likes of Tamiya or Hasegawa in my remaining lifetime. 😢

 

Aware of the couple of short run kits, but no disrespect intended to those who are, I'm not that masochistic.

If we were going to see a 1:48 Nell within the next 10 years, I'd put my bet on it coming from ICM. If their current twin-engined WWii bombers sell well, and with the Ki21 just around the corner, chances are it will come around to a 1:48 Nell. Keep our fingers crossed.

Nanond

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That’s just lovely, beautifully finished and photographed. I think the well worn finish still works on this early war period Nell as even though we often think the Pacific war started on 7 December 1941, the Japanese had been fighting the Chinese for many years before that. This finish on a Betty may be a little over the top (perhaps?), however I think there’s more leverage on an older G3M like yours, so I reckon its bang on. I’d be very happy If I could pull off a realistic finish like that! 

 

Cheers and well modelled.. Dave 

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15 hours ago, Nanond said:

If we were going to see a 1:48 Nell within the next 10 years, I'd put my bet on it coming from ICM. If their current twin-engined WWii bombers sell well, and with the Ki21 just around the corner, chances are it will come around to a 1:48 Nell. Keep our fingers crossed.

Nanond

Really? ICM have a 1/48 "Sally" in the pipeline? That's great news to my ears. With all that's going on over there, any actual probable release date announced? That being the case, if it sells well we may see it followed up by the obvious candidate. 

Historically, Tamiya and Hasegawa hold the historical precedent for providing Japanese WWII types. Prior to the 1970s when Tamiya started putting out a bevy of Japanese WWII single seaters in 1/48, even in 1/72 with the exception of the ubiquitous "Zero" and occasional "Tony" -although Kudos to Airfix they did do a "Dinah II" and "Val" in Series 2, Japanese, like Soviet types, were largely ignored, notably in 1/48. For an aeon what was available in 1/48 that genre was from Tamiya, Hasegawa, and lesser known or exported Otaki, and later Fine Molds. But in 1/48, TMK all we have still available in Japanese twins even in 2023 1/48 are the 1996 "Betty" , x2 1996/1997 "Dinah" III & III Kai variants, & 2001/2002/2008 x3 early, late and NF Kou variant Irvings from Tamiya, and the various sub variants of the "Nick" from Hasegaw?

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On 3/21/2023 at 12:23 AM, Bigglesof266 said:

Really? ICM have a 1/48 "Sally" in the pipeline? That's great news to my ears. With all that's going on over there, any actual probable release date announced? That being the case, if it sells well we may see it followed up by the obvious candidate. 

Historically, Tamiya and Hasegawa hold the historical precedent for providing Japanese WWII types. Prior to the 1970s when Tamiya started putting out a bevy of Japanese WWII single seaters in 1/48, even in 1/72 with the exception of the ubiquitous "Zero" and occasional "Tony" -although Kudos to Airfix they did do a "Dinah II" and "Val" in Series 2, Japanese, like Soviet types, were largely ignored, notably in 1/48. For an aeon what was available in 1/48 that genre was from Tamiya, Hasegawa, and lesser known or exported Otaki, and later Fine Molds. But in 1/48, TMK all we have still available in Japanese twins even in 2023 1/48 are the 1996 "Betty" , x2 1996/1997 "Dinah" III & III Kai variants, & 2001/2002/2008 x3 early, late and NF Kou variant Irvings from Tamiya, and the various sub variants of the "Nick" from Hasegaw?

That's right. Anyone would have thought the trend would continue. Instead, it gradually went quiet from the Japanese side. There is still hope to see Nell and Jake in 1:48 have been in the rumour. In 1:72, Hasegawa released nearly every Japanese major type short of Ki21 Sally. 

In the last few years, there has been an increase in releasing Japanese subjects from Czech and Ukrainian model companies. We've seen Ki54 and Ki21 in 1/72, which are pretty nice. Sword has a new 1:72 G4M1 (something Hasegawa should have redone ages ago.) In 1/48, Eduard's Zero and Rufe are pretty nice. ICM has been releasing various twin-engined bombers and they have a Ki21 coming at the end of this year. Those are a lot more new kits than everything IJN/IJA released a decade before. So, a lot of good signs I'd say.

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