Well, I guess it's time to say "dammit Jim, I'm a modeler, not a surgeon!". The gun deck is well and truly screwed. I could get it out, but it'd come at the price of jacking up the entire cowl. Think I'll salvage the Ultracast seat and use the shell as a paint mule. 

On the bright side, I've got two Hasegawa -84s in the stash (how'd those get there?), so the weird blue and black markings can live to see another day!

In the meantime, put me down for this guy, Hasegawa's N1K1-Ja Shiden. Should be a good candidate to mess with my new AK Chipping Fluids.

Snagged this one from Sprue Bros last week for $20:

Soaked it this afternoon, just in case. Parts looks crisp and very nice. Some reviews moan about a skimpy cockpit, but after the Tamiya Ki-84, yeah, this isn't skimpy.

Bsyamato great looking preshade and brush painted to boot !

Doogs looking sharp,too bad about the gun cowl. I hope its an easy

Cliff can you put me down for a Tamiya 1/48 N1K1 Kyofu type 11 please

Bsyamato: Very cool, never tried pre-shading with a brush but what you've got going there looks really good.

Doogs: Great job on the cockpit, with the eye drawn to the grat looking IP and seat I doubt anyone will notice how sparse the rest is. Not sure how you can get the MG cover out without sawing or cutting. Tenax is such strong stuff... Good luck - at least the engine shouldn't be too hard to fix.

Ok so the cowl was upside down...good thing I hadn't gotten to the point of gluing it yet. 

Gun deck will still pose problems:

DoogsATX

A few pics. This one is just so far off the mark from usual (even usual older) Tamiya that I'm kinda stunned. Feels like a totally different manufacturer.

Here's the overall plane. When I was closing the fuselage last night, I had a total brain fart and installed the machine gun cover backward. The fit was really poor, so I flooded it with Tenax from the inside...we'll see if I can even get it out. If not...we'll see.

The instrument panel:

The seat:

Is it just me, or does the engine seem to sit low? That's where the kit locates it, but still?

A few pics. This one is just so far off the mark from usual (even usual older) Tamiya that I'm kinda stunned. Feels like a totally different manufacturer.

Here's the overall plane. When I was closing the fuselage last night, I had a total brain fart and installed the machine gun cover backward. The fit was really poor, so I flooded it with Tenax from the inside...we'll see if I can even get it out. If not...we'll see.

The instrument panel:

The seat:

Is it just me, or does the engine seem to sit low? That's where the kit locates it, but still?

bsyamato, that's mighty impressive result using a brush!

Glossy on, home made aotake! drybrushed the aluminiun and mixed blue, green and clear :

tomorrow probably decals and second layer of aotake

Doogs: Yeah as you said I don't think much will be visible other than the seat and instument panel. Both of those look really good

Gamera

Doogs: As little as you've be able to see inside the cockpit with her closed up I'm not sure it's too much an issue. Suppose you could be a little creative and just throw something in there to give an impression of a more busy cockpit.

Suppose I could, but I know once I started I wouldn't be able to stop, and I've been eying this Frank as something more of a quick build. Save the craziness for the big Tony and Tojo kits I've got (or the Hasegawa Frank, which is substantially more complete).

Put some work into the Ki-84 last night. Not quite ready to close her up yet, but I'm close. Still have to finish dirtying things up, but needed the glue holding the seat in place to set first.

Here's the cockpit floor and seat. Not much to it, really, but the opening is small so the seat and IP should probably be the main focus when it's built up.

Speaking of the IP, here we go:

Again, not amazing, but a heck of a lot better than what the kit suggests of cutting the decal in half, placing one on each side, and just hoping they align.

Bsyamato: Ohhhh, very nice! Really like how she's coming.

Doogs: As little as you've be able to see inside the cockpit with her closed up I'm not sure it's too much an issue. Suppose you could be a little creative and just throw something in there to give an impression of a more busy cockpit.

here

Thanx Cliff, just today weathered the green but no time to upload pictures next problem to resolse is the aotake mix 

Not too much to share on the Ki-84 at the moment. Been focusing on getting the Fiat into paint. But man...the cockpit on this old kit is a travesty. The floor hooks into the starboard side with two pegs, and leaves a massive gap on both sides (guess I have to spray more cockpit green...was too targeted the first time) and the rear bulkhead doesn't cover either. The seat and less-jacked instrument panel will help, but this isn't going to be one were I'll be going too crazy inside, I guess. May as well save that for the two Hasegawas I've managed to bring into the stash...

Bsyamato: Looks like you've recovered from your problems, sharp job

here with the zero:

After the old mixed green i used a simpler mix to apply another two green coats, this time used MM medium green and humbrol flat green

first layer

and after second

i notice a little differences between whay i see in the real kit in my hand and the pictures ,so i take the follows withouth flash (you know, the red super hero)

even if not completely convinced from the color will just start the weathering asap with lighter tones.

Reasoned i miss your situation before, good luck for your wife surgery .

That means a lot Gamera, she'll need them.  Yeah, I keep telling myself the Val's about half way there, a break is needed.

BTW, Needbeer it is kind of nice seeing pilots in a build, gives it some added life!

Reasoned: My thoughts and prayers are with your wife for a swift recovery. Hopefully she'll be better and you'll be back soon. And nice job on the Val, you're halfway there.

NB: Really sharp work there! Waiting for your finished photos- not much left to do.  After the problems you had with the struts they look perfect to me.

Thanks tigerman.

Needbeer, looks great.  I really enjoy looking at those well weathered Jap planes.

Guys awesome updates there

Potchip another first class battleship, save some money and get a good camera, it's a sin that you cannot get good pictures of your works and some macro.

NeedBeer hat off for the pete

I'm leaving the green another day to cure for safety

Finally some progress - here are latest pics of Type O Pete

Still need to shape some form of cockpit canopy for gunner (kit didnt come with clear parts), the pilot's one was relatively easy the flat sides done with clear packaging plasticf. The rear one is meant to be rounded & covering the cockpit so not so straight forward - havent tried vac forming yet, hoping to find some packaging material in the right shape?

The wing struts were tricky, the lengths & angles were'nt correct - used the ones provided for the wing ends but they still arent seated properly & scratch built the ones fitting to the fuselage. Its quite a strong fit now

Painting & weathering - the base coat is silver, applied salt  - then coat IJN Green. Scraped off the salt then applied second coat IJN Green mixed with flat white lightly covering the metal exposed by the salt,

At this point applied gloss coat & then decals which were very good quality for such an old kit - in fact I was hoping they would crumble or flake for weathering purposes but after applying the softner & setting they were indestructable so mnimal weathering done on decals

Then used fine & rough sandpaper to expose the ribs & rivets. Finally an oily wash applied to the deeper recesses & lines

I didnt spend much time on the crew figures, not up to standard of newer kits

I'm quite happy with end result

Since taking these pics have done the rigging & some small finishing touches. Will send final pics later

Reasoned, I wish your wife good luck on her surgery. Get back when you can.

I'm going to be away from the bench for a while due to my wife having surgery but I thought I'd show where I'm at with the Val project.  The interior is done and the primer is on, it'll sit and cure for some time.  Man does this a/c have a HUGE wing surface area (and I thought the Spit's was large).  Provided everything goes well, I hope to sign in from time to time.

well it's try number for the salt weathering

Jason

Bsyamato: Looks like you've recovered from your accident and are coming right along now

Doogs: Even if the colour is off I can see the detail. Seat looks good and love what you're doing with the instrument panel.

Potchip: WOW! Love what you guys do with ship models. So much detail and wow love those flags! Thanks for posting.

Len: I picked up a set of cheap no-name (they say 'product of Pakistan' and that's it) punches some years ago. Cheap but they seem to work pretty well.

Couldn't help myself- picked up a 1/72nd Francis at a show yesterday for about eight bucks. Box says 1972 and was distributed in the US by Revell. Everything is still in the plastic bag and the kit looks good except for the 40 year old decals that are yellow as a canary.

Potchip, superlative job on the Hiei. More pictures please.

Doogs, you're a creative guy, for sure.

Potchip-

Nice!  The pics don`t look grainy to me at all....great work!

Len

Doogs-

Nice IP! Looks better than some that actually come with kits.....wish I would`ve thought of that before I glued the IP decal of my Kingfisher into place....

I`ve been looking for a Waldron punch set...do you know who carries them and a ballpark price? Getting to be a "must have" tool.

Len

The IJN Hiei from December, is finally done.

My crusty old Canon died. Instead, the new point and shoot replacement is vastly inferior with no manual options - ended up with terribly grainy pictures.