A lot of great work here!!    I just started on my entry, a Nichimo 1:48 scale Ki_45 'Toryu'.  

Great work everyone.

Fjs   Great kit! A tad sparse in the pit area, but over all I'm sure you'll like it. Many folks look past the Fujimi and Nichimo and such kits, over all there pretty nice. A bit of scratch, and some PE really would help though...

OK, I have a bit more progress to share...

Shes really going very smoothly.

Virtually no gap issues, the dihedral is already engineered in and other then a very minor step between wing root and fuselage which was easily filed down, No complaints!

had to scratch the front of the filter housing due to this originally being a trop and coming with a sand filter, and shes on her legs.

And the paint begins, the 75 is now on. This will be the standard day fighter Luftwaffe scheme for the time period (74, 75, 76) with heavy 75 mottling on the fuse sides.

Well That's all for now... More in a day or two. Take care all!

Doug 

Hey Everyone,

I have started to work on Nichimo's 1:48 scale Ki-45, "Toryu".  It's an older kit, and she definitely needs a little help in the detail area, especially in the cockpit and wheel wells. 

I got my hands on a couple Lone Star kits for the model; wheel wells and a cockpit.  I am also going to use an Aeromaster set for the decals, and True Details for the main wheels. 

Anyway, one area the kit is NOT lacking in, are the engines.  Very well done with nice detail. 

Now it's on to the Lone Star parts, and trying to get them to conform.  They are a little rough fit wise, but they are spectacular with the detail!!

All right I'm calling my 1/72 Ki-43 Oscar done.

Couldn't stand the fact that it had a one piece canopy, so I bought a new razor saw and cut it up so i could see the office,  worked pretty good,  didn't split the canopy! Now i need to find where I put the Zero that was on my work bench!

John

Falconmod,

Excellent job, super weathering. It looks fantastic!!

Doug: That looks great, everything looks like it fits like a glove.

Fjs: She looks really good too. I love those engine. And I know what you mean about the kit being a little sparse in the cockpit detailing- the detail set should bump the detail up nicely.

John: She turned out terrific! Kudos sir! I'll see about getting you posted ASAP.

Beautifull Oscar John :)

Well done!

Little more to post from this end...

OK... The first two show the 74&75 splinter, Next the 76 is applied to the Fuselage sides and underside, Then the 74 mottle on the sides. It at first wasn't heavy or dense enough, so I had to thicken up the paint and crank up the pressure around 5 psi to about 30 psi, and add more mottle to make it denser, the light over spray blended nicely. The last pic is of the clear coat, which will get at least the night to set before starting decals. Thanks all, and take care ...Till next time!

Doug 

I will have pics available of Erickson's "Oscar" after the w/e.  Not an original as it is now U.S. powered, but the airframe is good to go.  Also have pics her guns that they have in a case.  As of now is kind of bare alum and  green worm camo.

Hi Everyone!

I just discovered a new product that everyone may be interested in.  I think most of us has heard about the product that Cliff informed us of to attach photo etch called "Gator's Grip Hobby Glue".  Well the inventor of that product has discovered a newer version; "Gator's Grip Thin Blend".  It is thinner than the original and dries faster!  Here is a link:

http://www.gatorsmask.com/gatorglueorder1.html 

Ken

John: Just got you posted to the front page!

RR Doug: That is some really nice mottling! I always have some issues getting the paint consistency right and the correct PSI on something like that.

Goldhammer: Sounds really cool!

Ken: Thanks for the head's up- I've thinned it myself but wondering if their version is better?

Thanks Cliff... yeah, I usually have it tested before attempting to start, but I think the temp amd humidity (low temp and high humidity) were messing with me a bit. But, we got it figured out.

Doug

Gamera

Please sign me up with a 1/48 Hasegawa Nate.

The kit

Shot the required parts aotake blue/green as per the instructions

HI Everyone,

I can report that the original Gator's Grip Hobby Glue works like a champ!  After attaching that lap belt, I bent the belt to lay down on the contours of the seat and it held great.  I used a round toothpick to mold the seat belt.

Now I need to chisel off the molded on seat belts and fill that ejector pin mark and repaint. 

Ken

Gamera

Wayne: Not an issue, you've still got plenty of time to make-up your mind. After all we're going a full year here again!

I have not forgotten about this. I have the JGSDF OTS fuel truck, tank transporter, patriot, 8x8 recon vehicle and a pair of TYPE 74s (if i can find the second one) in the stash. not to mention the 1/35 stuff

PJ: Sure! I built that kit years ago, an oldie but a goodie! Looking forward to seeing what you make out of her.

Ken:Glad it's working out for you, the belt is lying there perfectly.

Wayne: All of those sound pretty cool.

Thanks Gamera. Yes it's old, from 1988 but has some real nice details and recessed panel lines.

Yeah, as I remember she went together really well with no major issues. Only problem I had was trying to replace all those tiny rivets on the top and bottom of the fuselage I sanded away filling the seams.

Gamera

Yeah, as I remember she went together really well with no major issues. Only problem I had was trying to replace all those tiny rivets on the top and bottom of the fuselage I sanded away filling the seams.

Gamera

My method worked. I only had to lightly sand over the seam but it looks great when Tenaxed from the inside. I also assembled the wings and they fit really good. Unfortunately the pit detail will be very hard to see. The Hasegawa canopy is one piece and restricts the view.

Terry: My apologies for missing you, just posted your SPG to the completed list.

PJ: Sounds like a plan, I hope it works out! I tried using a pin to try to make rivets and made a mess out of it. Ended up buying a rivet making tool- a small spiked wheel you roll across the model. I still think part of them are crooked though. Please let us know how it goes.  

This set I got from MicroMark over 20 years ago

But did not need to use it. The fuselage is glued together and looks great.

Ohhh, those look much nicer than my cheapie from Trumpeter.

Quite glad to hear everything turned out great though!

Worked on the IP last night. Dry brushed it, added some colors  and used some Future for the lenses.

Worked on the seat by adding some details like rivets and lightening holes.

The pit is done

Once in the fuselage most of the details are almost impossible to see. The wing fit is tight with no gaps along the wing root.

The kit came with extra Squadron vac canopies which are a pain to cut and shape but are a lot clearer and have a more scale thickness. By having the canopy open some of the detail can be seen a lot better than thru the thick kit  part. The top is the Hasegawa one piece canopy and the bottom is the Squadron vac canopy. I still have to carefully sand some of the edges.

Love how the instrument panel came out and nice work there on the seat. Pity all that work will be barely visible but the clearer canopy should help.  

PJ... Great work on the pit... Love the rivet tools too!

Well before I get too far ahead of myself, here are a few more pics...

Decals going on , mainly leftovers from previous builds.

Still wrinkled from the micro sol.

Being these units were mainly for flight testing only the gun ports are faired over with sheet metal. ( In this case metallic tape.)

Being fairly new aircraft there will be little to no weathering, Still need to touch up the nose cowling seam.

And shes on her feet now. Still need to install antenna wire and some minor touchups. That's about all for now. Should finish up soon.

Doug 

Thanks guys.

Doug that Emil looks different with Japanese markings. Great paint job.

Nice work guys.  I'm trying to find some time to work on my Zero.  Sometime life gets in my way.

RR Doug: Now that's something different! Looks very cool with the hinomaru instead of crosses. Makes me want to build one too but I don't have a single Bf-109 in the stash (I swear it may be the only thing I don't have...)

Flyerduke: Don't sweat it, I haven't gotten anything done in a week despite the Type 74 being about 97% done. I need to get off my tail and just power though finishing her up.

Cliff, you need to remedy the lack of 109s right away! Lol... Thanks my friend

Doug