Revell 1/72 Nakajima J1N1-S Gekko

[Heraldcoupe]

Just a bit of curiosity as I recently unearthed this one from the stash. I can't find any date on the box or the kit anywhere, but I would guess by the box style that this release is from sometime in the 1970s. The standard of moulding is most impressive, with fine recessed panel lines and equally fine recessed rivets.

I would guess the tool was originally from Revell Japan, but when was it it first released? The downside with this one is that there's some considerable flash on the mouldings, which sugests the tooling was quite old by the time my example was produced.

Cheers,

Bill.

Edited July 8, 2009 by Heraldcoupe

[junco]

From what I remember these were quite sought after in the early 80's and as you state were made by Revell Japan and a real pig to get hold off then. There were a couple more in the range (I think Toryu and Ginga???) that they produced and it took me ages to get them. Very good quality for the time.

Neil

Edited July 8, 2009 by junco

[Nick Millman]

The moulds are believed to have been made by Revell's Japanese partner Takara and the kits date to the early 1970's. Some report that the moulds were lost at sea during one of Revell's frequent transfers between countries - which if true is a great pity. These were the kits in the series:-

Gekko (Irving)

Toryu (Nick)

Ginga (Frances)

Ki-21 (Sally)

Ki-49 (Helen)

They appeared variously in Revell (Japan), Revell (GB) and Revell (USA) boxings and the last issues were marketed as Revell-Takara with new box art. The Japanese boxings are high quality, very substantial with glossy instruction sheets and many alternative decal options.

Gekko appears in black, white and olive green plastic and, for some reason, the white seems to be the most "flash" prone!

Great kits, all of them, but the Ki-21 has never been bettered and is still prized and very hard to find. MPM's horrible kit seemed to be the kiss of death to Hasegawa's rumoured new kit.

[Heraldcoupe]

Gekko appears in black, white and olive green plastic and, for some reason, the white seems to be the most "flash" prone!

Guess which colour I have........

I had a couple of copies of the Ginga in the early 1980s, though I think they were in pretty ancient boxings at that time. I remember that being a very nice kit too, I think I'm correct in saying the panel lines on that kit were raised.

Thanks for the history lesson, surprising to find how many nice kits from that era have been forgotten,

Cheers,

Bill.

[Hypnobear]

Some report that the moulds were lost at sea during one of Revell's frequent transfers between countries - which if true is a great pity. These were the kits in the series:-

I have heard from another site that the moulds were lost at sea, along with their 1/32 moulds too. That means no chance of a re-issue.

I would be one of the first in queue to buy a re-issue of any of the Japanese WW2 kits - especially the Ki 21 and the Ki 49. Luckily I have an example of each.

Interested about the new Hasegawa's release of the Ki 21, but I can just guess the price now - £30+. Not to mention the limited production run!!

[Lúcio]

The moulds are believed to have been made by Revell's Japanese partner Takara and the kits date to the early 1970's. Some report that the moulds were lost at sea during one of Revell's frequent transfers between countries - which if true is a great pity. These were the kits in the series:-

Gekko (Irving)

Toryu (Nick)

Ginga (Frances)

Ki-21 (Sally)

Ki-49 (Helen)

They appeared variously in Revell (Japan), Revell (GB) and Revell (USA) boxings and the last issues were marketed as Revell-Takara with new box art. The Japanese boxings are high quality, very substantial with glossy instruction sheets and many alternative decal options.

Gekko appears in black, white and olive green plastic and, for some reason, the white seems to be the most "flash" prone!

Great kits, all of them, but the Ki-21 has never been bettered and is still prized and very hard to find. MPM's horrible kit seemed to be the kiss of death to Hasegawa's rumoured new kit.

Gekko, Toryu and Ginga were made in Brazil, also, by Revell´s local partner, A. Kikkoler.

I have three Toryus, two brazilians and one japanese. The Hasegawa Ki-45 is far superior.

My Gekko (from Kikkoler) was assembled wen I was a teenager and still are in great shape, but I already got the Fujimi superior version.

My Ginga (Kikkoler) are waiting assembly. I never saw Fujimi´s Ginga but I have been told it´s better.

Cheers,

Lúcio

[Nick Millman]

"I think I'm correct in saying the panel lines on that kit were raised."

The sparse panel lines are engraved but the rivet detail is raised which gives that impression. The flying control surfaces are "shrink-wrapped" - the structure standing out in sharp contrast to the fabric-effect covering.

"I never saw Fujimi´s Ginga but I have been told it´s better."

Fujimi Ginga? I think you mean Hasegawa? Of course the more recent Hasegawa and Fujimi versions of these kits may be viewed as "better" but overall satisfaction with a kit is a very individual (and subjective) point of view. For the era in which they were produced the kits were excellent and still provide enjoyable builds with a respectable end result. Recently a Japanese modelling journal built the Revell and Hasegawa Toryu "side by side". You would be hard pressed to distinguish the final results.

Thanks for the information about Kikkoler. I did not know that these kits had been produced in Brazil too.