Heads Up! - Kawanishi "Baika" by Kora

Kora Models has released a series of no less than four kits in 1/72 featuring various designs and configurations of the obscure and design-only Kawanishi "Baika".

One of the kits includes a trainer version of the type. First time I hear of this and in my opinion, it is highly unlikely that it would be produced as it looks in the kit. More likely two seats in a closed canopy, similar to the Ohka trainer. But since it's a what-if, I guess it's not impossible.

The only impossible thing is the price of these tiny kits. At 22Euros or 3000Yen each, I don't think I will ever buy one. Instead, I'll try to finish the old and crude AV Model kits in my collection. I've been opening and closing these damn kits for the past 20 years...

I wouldn't object at all if these Kora kits were in 1/48 for the same price, though.

Anyway, here they are. Thanks, Jan for the heads up!

Mitsubishi Ki-51 "Sonia" by Danilo Renzulli

Here's a review of my 1/72 Mitsubishi Ki-51 by Clear Prop. 

When I opened the box at first I had a very good impression - a lot of pieces, very sharp, very well executed surface details and the impression of a model with no assembly problems - the kit includes a p/e fret and a vinyl set of masks. Impressive is the amount of microscopic and very sharp small pieces, as small as a photoetched parts. 

The problems arose once the stubb and all the interior details were fixed and assembled, the stubb couldn't be squeezed in the two fuselage halves! So begun a long filing, sanding , milling and dry-fitting session. Once fixed this not welcome problem I could proceed to cement the two fuselage halves, wings and all the other components- the fitting of all this parts revealed to be perfect. 

I decided to paint this model in a typical tropical camouflage scheme from a few well known pictures, although unknown is the unit this subject belonged to. For the the overall hairyokushoku I used a mixture of colours by Mr.Color paints as well as for the green "worms". Painting the "worms" has been a bit difficult since I was supposed to have more practice with my new Harder & Steenbeck airbrush- considering my ability level I can almost be satisfied...

The unit emblem on the tail is from Kora Models decal sheet, while the hinomaru have been airbrushed with Maketar masks. I made the small masks to airbrush the red rhombus around the wing guns. A few p/e details have been added from the provided sheet while I rebuilt the typical pitot tube on the wing with micro brass pipes . 

In the end this kit turned into a nice model with very fine surface details. 

- Danilo Renzulli - 

More about the particular aircraft, here.