Kyushu J7W1 "Shinden" by Argyris Giannetakis Take #2d

After some months Argyris sent us more photos and videos of the progress he has made with his RC "Shinden". Enjoy!
Pt #1, Pt #2, Pt #3, Pt #4

Movie #1, Movie #2, Movie #3

Collector's Items

Vintage and rare kits recently on-sale on the Japanese Ebay.



Fujimi "Hien" - Metallic Series No. 6
Scale:?

Marusan "Hien" - Scale: 1/50

Midori "Hayabusa" - Scale: 1/60?

Otaki "Zero" - Scale: ?

Sankyo "Hayate" Peanuts Series No.7 - Scale: 1/150 

Rare Plane Vacforms Nakajima Type 91 - Scale: 1/72

Valhalla Nakajima Ki-8 - Scale: 1/72

Kawai Shokai "Zero" (munched by rodents) - Scale: 1/58

Marusan Mitsubishi 1MT1N - Scale: 1/50

Mitsubishi A6M3 by Samo Štempihar

Mitsubishi A6M3 type 22 ZERO, 251st Flying Group Nap.1/C Nishizawa Hiroyoshi

Pacific May-July 1943 RABAUL

SWEET 1/144

The model is out of the box and painted with White Ensign colorcoats.
There are no major problems with the assembly only the propeller is too fragile and needs to be handled carefully.
Samo Štempihar - Ljubljana, SLOVENIJA

 

 

What a lovely tiny model! Thank you Samo for sharing.

Gliders & more

Two photos today of a Japanese glider designed and produced by "Nippon Kogata Hikoki KK" (Japan Small Aeroplane Co Ltd.), a rather obscure company that was founded in 1937 as "Nippon Kogata Hikoki Kenkyujo" (Japan Small Aeroplane Institute) and entered the stock market in 1939. It was founded by Yoshihara Seiji (?) and Baron Miyahara joined them in 1939, after quiting from Mitsubishi, designing various gliders until the end of the war.  

The glider in the photos is a Nippon "Otori" (Phoenix) Sailplane which, according to the "Baron Miyahara" book, was built in 1938 in response to a prototype order placed by the Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Communications. Although sources are not clear it seems that only two "Otori" model gliders were produced while a second model "Otori2" had a round tail. It is not known exactly how many gliders of both models were produced.

 

The first photo features the very first prototype registered A-2001.

Of special interest are the two aircraft visible in the photo. On the right is Yokoso Navy Type 13 trainer, registered J-BNAB, in civilian use. In the background with the registration obscured is one of the two Gasuden KR-2 belonging to Yomiuri Shimbun, either the J-BACO which was given to the IJNAF in 1944 or the J-BACP which was found and burned at the end of the war by US forces in Tamagawa (?). 

 

The second photo below features A-2002, the second "Otori" model glider.

 

Data

Span: 13.200m

Length: 6.400m

Height: 1.800m

Wing area: 13.160sqm

Weight (empty): 148.480kg

Weight (fully equipped): 234.000k    

Kawasaki Ki-48 "Sokei" (Lily) by Panagiotis Koubetsos WIP#2

WIP#1

 

Ηi all!

Here are some photos of the progress of my 1/48 type 99 "Sokei". I've concentrated my attention on the landing gear, flaps, the upper part of the fuselage and the construction of the inner and outer frames of the nose canopy.

Thanks for your attention,

Cheers,

Panagiotis.

 

Kyushu Q1W "Tokai"

The Kyushu Q1W "Tokai" (Lorna) was the only anti-submarine patrol aircraft that was ever put into production by the Japanese. The very first prototype was designed by Nojiri Kozo completed in December 1943 and was followed by eight more prototype and pre-production aircraft. From the beginning, there were no problems but the position and the area of the tail were slightly modified to improve stability when flaps were used. Production started immediately from April 1944 before the type was even officially adopted by the Navy in January 1945. Apart from the first nine, a further 149 "Tokai" were delivered.

Production by year 

1943 - 7

1944 - 88

1945 - 58

Total - 153

 

In September 1944 an order was given to replace the Type 92 7.7mm machine gun with one fixed 20mm cannon, with 100 bullets, positioned under the fuselage, near the wing root*. The aircraft equipped with 7.7mm machine gun were designated Q1W Model 11 and those with the 20mm cannon became Q1W1a Model 11ko. The mass production order for the Q1W1a was given in February 1945.

Around that time (February 1945) another order was given to remodel the first and second prototypes to include twin controls and become trainers, designated Q1W1-K, to train pilots for the Yokosuka P1Y "Ginga".  The Q1W1-K was officially adopted in July 1945.

A final variant was an all-wood trainer version designated "Shisei Tokai-kai Renshuki" (Experimental Tokai Remodelled Trainer) that was developed by Kyushu following an order given on April 1945. The prototype was built by "Kurashiki Koku Kako" (Kurashiki is a municipality in Okayama prefecture, Aviation Chemicals) with wooden wings, tail and rear fuselage but the War ended while it was undergoing strength tests. 

In the photo below one of the "Tokai" prototypes or pre-production aircraft in overall orange as indicated by the hinomaru with white surround.

 

*Encyclopedia Vol.VIII and Akimoto (All the Regular) agree that "Tokai" had only one 7.7 rear firing machine gun which was replaced by a downward firing 20mm cannon in the Q1W1a version. Nohara in Green Arrow's X-plane mentions a combination of 7.7 mg plus a 20mm cannon for the Q1W1a. "Aireview's" 1972 book mentions too the 7.7mg plus one 20mm combination and curiously mentions that "late production aircraft were equipped with two extra 20mm cannons in the nose" but forgets to mention it again in the a/c's data table on the next page. Francillon mentions one or two 20mm in the nose.
Personally I trust Encyclopedia and Akimoto who are more precise at the position of the cannon and the designation of the particular model.  

Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" by Mark Jahsan WIP#6

WIP#1, WIP#2, WIP#3, WIP#4, WIP#5

This update is about engines and cowls. All parts are kit parts, vac cowls and resin engines.

Assembly line seemed to work best for me, keeping things consistent.

I made tabs top and bottom to hold the cowling to the flaps, and a spacer in center to get the sit of the engine correct.
Engines I painted and washed. Sorry, I don’t have the patience to wire four fourteen cylinder engines!

Still have to do carb scoop, oil cooler, and I have some small straws that will work for the exhaust. They won’t look quite so naked when they’re hiding behind the props!

Also finished the floats & such, looks nice and busy under the wing.

Mitsubishi G3M "Nell"

A photo from a vintage publication today featuring a forward view inside a "Nell's" cockpit. The reconnaissance observer, on the left and the co-pilot, in front of him, are having a bento during the long and arduous flight. We discussed the bento and the in-flight provisions in a previous posting HERE.

What is more visible in this photo are a number of instruments including the Mk.2 Model 2 Tachometer right next to the stick on the left, the Type 0 Autopilot above it and clockwise on the instrument panel the Model 3 Airspeed Indicator, the Model 2 Turn-and-bank Indicator, the Mk.2 Model 1 Oil Pressure Gauge and the Model 5 Oil Temperature Gauge.