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Hasegawa 72nd scale Ki-61


Col.

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Got this kit along with another two 72nd scale Japanese subjects at a recent club evening. All were bagged sprues but the -61 was the only one to have part of the box included in its bag.

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There are three marking options on the decal sheet in two schemes.

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Instructions are quite clear and belie the low parts count.

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Not counted how many parts there are on the sprues but two pilots and a name plate are included.

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Canopy is a clear single piece.

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Edited by Col.
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Cockpit detail is non-existent on the sidewalls...

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...or simply wrong in the case of the strange floor with a hole.

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Been having a rummage around the internet to see what detail I can find on this one and think I can make a decent go of detailing the cockpit.

Undercarriage bays will need a bit of attention as well due to the wheel well being incorrect...

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...but beyond those two areas everything seems straightforward.

If all goes well I'll get a start made today.

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Thank you Peter and Don.

Thankfully the box-top was rolled up and placed in the bag along with all the parts and decals so did a good job of protecting the parts. Or so I thought...

With a day to myself on Sunday I got cracking with an initial test-fit of the main components and this threw up the first issue. With the two fuselage halves held together at the tail there was a considerable gap between the parts at the nose as both parts curved away from each other. So much so that I could have stuck a couple balls of ice cream in there and called it a Kawasaki banana-split! Seems the kit has been stored in such a way the major parts have developed a curve.

So, that's the bad news, the good news is I got them almost straightened out without as much trouble as I first imagined and then spent the rest of the day adding cockpit detail. Not uploaded a photo yet but still several small parts to make before it's ready for paint.

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This is the state of the fuselage parts at the initial test fit,

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Made a few notes and sketchs to work out what went were,

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then got going,

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Final job last night was to make a seat pan but a test fit showed it to be too large so that's the next task...

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Thanks for the link Chris. Found the thread during an initial trawl round the 'net looking for details and was almost tempted to go for a production line diorama! Thankfully sense prevailed and I decided against it.

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That assembly line would look good as a dio wouldn't it!

It certainly would! Think a 48th scale kit would be required at the least to do it justice though, to say nothing of at least the full six month term of this GB rather than my last minute dash of an entry, perhaps a future project ;)

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Thanks lads, this one may be old but what's there is quite good so a nice starting point, I find the sketches help me establish the size and shape of parts as well as how they fit in relation to each other. Takes a little time to do during the research but like to think it saves time and wasted effort during the building.

Got the contol coloum and seat back/headrest made a couple evenings ago then painted the first coat last night. Sorry the photo isn't very clear but hopefully a good drybrushing and detail painting will bring things out for the next shots.

Mixed007.jpg

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That's a lot of work in a little space, well done.

Have you settled on a camo job yet?

Thanks Chris. Been looking at a colour photo showing an overall natural metal machine with a red tail and white (home defence?) bands around the 'meatballs'. That's the favourite for the moment. Not a big fan of Hasegawa decals so will try to spray as much of the markings as possible.

Very nice work so far !!!

Thanks Peter. Still inspired by your build and the quality of finish.

The X-Acto shows how little room you had to work in. How many pieces did you get in there?

Did a quick count and at the moment we have 75 parts if the seat is included but still have plenty to do. Seatbelts, gunsight and it's support, instrument panel, machinegun breaches, levers on the main switch box, rudder pedals etc. etc. Thankfully the canopy is clear and thin so most of it is quite visible when everything is test fitted. Busy painting and dry brushing parts this evening so that's also helping to define the various small components.

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Good grief!

Now up to 82 as of this morning :D

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Seatbelts only consist of lap straps so far as I can see so made a set from thick foil. Still a little more detail painting to be done but instrument panel is next job on the list.

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Alreet Mannie!

Nice work on that cockpit so far, certainly looks a little easier to work on than the bright orange one you picked up at the same time! Will you be bringing this along on Tues?

Mark.

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Alreet Mannie!

Nice work on that cockpit so far, certainly looks a little easier to work on than the bright orange one you picked up at the same time! Will you be bringing this along on Tues?

Mark.

Cheers cheel. Hoping to make it on Tuesday but see how athing plans oot. Will take this one with me if I get along.

You getting any modelling done yirself?

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Nae really, had a cack couple of weeks with work and man flu! Planning on getting some time in tomorrow morning since I'm on a late shift, need to catch up with some GB projects that are in danger of slipping behind.

Mark.

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Excuse the lack of updates lately but I've not had much modelling time so progress was only in short bursts. This resulted in me getting further than I realised and not taking photos along the way. Fuselage halves have now been closed around a completed cockpit;

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and the rear decking replaced with some very thin plastic sheet to better represent that structure,

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I've also filled in the spaces behind the propeller blades on the spinner and started to correct the u/c well shapes.

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This is the current area of focus so the wings can be attached and then all the seams sanded and filled. Due to the warped fuselage parts the fit wasn't as good as I suspect the kit would normally be so they'll take a little more time and effort.

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