Friday, 16 August 2024

NEW! - Revell Mitsubishi Ki-21 Model 1 Koh in 1/72

Just saw that Revell released a "Mitsubishi KI-21-IA" in 1/72. AFAIK this is the ICM kit and therefore the Revell too should be absolutely marvelous!
It seems some modellers don't like overall gray "Sallys" (but don't mind overall gray Zeros👺) so Revell released an older Model 1 flown as liaison or transport by the 64th Sentai with green top camouflage. Correct overall but with small inaccuracies. 

The example kit is also overall correct. There are no known top-view photos of the specific aircraft, so we can't be sure if the wing top hinomaru had a white surround or not. I would have gone with a white surround but without one is equally possible.

Unfortunately, the cockpit and interior color is incorrect. The interior of ALL Model 1 "Sallys" was painted in "hairanshoku" (gray indigo or dark blue). Check here.
Really nice details. I like Revell's choice of green top, IJAAF "hairyokushoku" (gray) bottom.

Unfortunately, I don't know why Revell decided to suggest to modellers to paint the control surfaces in a lighter green than the rest of the top camo. To make the model look more interesting perhaps? The only known photo of the specific aircraft shows that they were the same green.
Instead of this, I would suggest that since this was an older and liaison (not combat) aircraft to apply the paint more haphazardly, not as clean and even as it looks in the model. The photo confirms that.

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