If there was a way of seeing thru the vents I would've left them open, but theres not much I can do with what I have to work with. I left one of the fuel covers open but that may be about it other than the cupola that I'll leave open. I get suckered in every time on these kits, I'll work up a full interior hoping that some will be visible but it's hardly ever the case.  

I need to pull out my kit and look at it again but I don't think they included seats or a bunch of other interior parts. Just seems funny you get the internal tanks, the wheels to jettison the pontoons, and some other parts but not other stuff.

I'd be almost tempted to just imagine an interior- I mean not many experts of Japanese armour at our shows to tell the difference!  

I've found a couple museum pieces and a jungle ruin left on Peleliu I believe that show a very detailed interior, but still theres no way of seeing any of it. The vents that Dragon supplies are basically solid and even if I had a set of PE, I really don't think you could see much if anything. If you choose to leave the pontoons off the clamps would show but it's still going to be a nice build of a very cool and limited run of floatable tanks.  

Really nice, Terry!

Thanks it's coming along not much to think about on this one.

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I've fit the two hull halves and worked on the front pontoon. In the one picture you can see how nice these oddly sized pieces went together. I had to work slow and use vice grips and tape but the end result was very good. As instructed there are three small holes on either side on the pontoon that needed to be filled and you can also see two of the connector pins.

Ohhhh nice Terry and you're making some serious progress there!

Its nice when I get some time.

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Front pontoon is completed as is most of the main hull except for the cupola. My next move will be to finish the rear pontoon, the cupola and then on to track/wheels. 

Terry, well you seem to be making great progress with what time you have!

The Ki-9 Spruce is now done.

I cajoled it as best I could, so here it is in all it's resin glory:

Side by side comparison with the Fujimi Claude:

regards,

Jack

Jack thats one beautiful plane, did't know this one. What a cool door scheme, and nice work on the cables.

Awesome job!  Looks ready to fly right off the screen.

Terry - looking good!

Jack - congrates! That is amazing!!

I started the cleanup to the parts on the Hasegawa Starfighter. Only to realize that it was one of those F-104J models that Hasegawa forgot to take the sprue tree out for the F-104S kit!! Screeching halt! I had heard the rumors about that but never in my wildest dreams did I believe I would end up with one! I love the Italian F-104S retirement schemes so much. Since I want to really take my time on that one and not feel rushed I hope no one minds that I swap that out for an Airfix kit. Now, a lot of parts out of  the Hasegawa kit I will be using on the Airfix one. I have a Verlinden 1/72 F-104 update set, plus the seats are different anyway and Hasegawa included both. Yeah, I know it's a dog and I got my work cut out for me. But I assure you all that it will turn out presentable!

Jack: Wow, what a beautiful job there! Love the extra work there on the fuselage grab handles and the different sorts of wiring you used. And I've always loved the orange of the trainer/experimental type aircraft. Going to update the front page now!

WW: Ack, what a pain. So you're building a hybrid Hasegawa/Airfix kit with resin update parts? Looking forward to seeing how you do this!  

Absolutely excellent work Jack , the Ki-9 seems real.

Nice adds guys , i'll put a veichle too soon :)

..also updates about the ki-51

Beautiful work Jack! Bravo!!!

Doug

Jibber, SilentBob33, Wiccan Warrior, Gamera, Bsyamato, and Doug - thanks very much guys.

I'll be sure to check in for more completions from our group, there's a nice variety both in subject and eras.

regards,

Jack

I'm pretty sure I posted my last update for this GB into the Braille Scale GB!! In fact, I know I did!! From this morning:

Handsome looking Hurricane so far, Rob! A bit of progress on my Airfix 1/72 Starfighter - wait, I didn't just go to the Airfix Tribute Forum, did I?? :-) I should go ahead and purchase another tube of Squadron Green - I know I'm going to need it! The wingtip tanks were shaped more like torpedoes, so I swapped them out for some "old box" Hasegawa ones. The Sidewinders came from the ESCI 1/72 F-100F kit I am doing for the Braille Scale GB on here. I snagged the wheels & tyres from the Hasegawa JASDF F-104J kit but what I am going to do now is build this one wheels up. I have not done that in a long time. I even have a nice clear plastic display stand from a KP Mig-17 to put it on!   Oh, and the Burner can came from a old New Years party horn - well the plastic part! I cut out the bottom part of the Airfix Starfighter exhaust and will use the nozzle part from the Hasegawa JASDF Starfighter. The "Can" even has lines inside it!!

Notice how the Hasegawa JASDF F-104J decal sheet is bigger than the Airfix Starfighter box itself! LOL 

This Evening:

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Finished the rear float onto the cupola and paint. Terry

Good stuff Terry! You will have that done in no time!

It's going together very clean what a nice kit by Dragon. It's a little difficult to see but Dragon has molded in nice weld seams where the hulls connect and on the pontoons. If it didn't fit exactly right and I would've had to putty and sand it, surely I would've removed those seams. In previous pics you can see the seam lines but you really have to go carefully. WW thanks for the nice comments and you're coming along nicely, should have it together soon.  

Nice works Jibber and Wiccan 

Sonia updates

Engine on

aotake on the cowling

then all main pieces glued and sanding, mg is not yet glued

a mod on the windscreen, originally the piece left a gap to allow the sight fitting

cut out the sight base and glued on the ip cover, also painted the upper cockpit parts

first version of the windscreen modify..

Second and correct version of the windscreen modify , in the lower part this time.. 

then glued withouth the rear part.. cut away also added the pencils holder on the rear position cover

the rear clear parts was thermoformed using original cutted parts

also i carved the landing light housing and fill with heated clear sprue, after painted in silver the inner zones

glued with CA glue and removed excess

Now the plane is ready for paint session :)

soon will add the little Ace kurogane

At the next!

nice work everybody. i  to get back on my JGSDF spaa. did pick up some small PE sets for TYPE 82 and 87 6x6s.

Nice work on the Sonia!

Jack - love your Willow. Very elegant build.

Jibber - while building my 72nd Ka-Mi last year, I found online wrecked Ka-Mis used as targets by the Russians up in the Kuriles. Pretty beat up specimens, but interesting still. Sorry, I don't have a link.

WiccanWarrior - what sprues did your kit lack? I"ve had several of the boxing you show and they contain sprues for Eiko and for Gs with partial parts for the S.

Bsyamato - nice work on your Sonia. Good luck with the Kurogane. I have that kit and realize it's going to take more than a little clean up work to look good.

Terry: Nice to see the pontoons shaping up.

Bsyamato: Excellent work as usual on correcting problems and superdetailing.

Johnsan - it is not that the sprues were lacking. The F-104J kit actually HAD the F-104S sprue tree (the whole thing) in there! I felt like I hit the lottery! ;-)

Johnsan I found some pictures of damaged Japanese tanks including a Ka-Mi maybe even the one you're talking about , and even though the hull was in bad condition the interior parts were all intact. Quiet a simple vehicle really, not very big I bet that Braille scale was a lot of fun.  

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I mounted the main gun and MG into the small turret. Not much room in there for operating these guns, it must have been close and very loud. Just about ready for priming the entire tank.