Heads Up!

Our good friend Harold K sent over a heads-up that in the Nuremberg show Special Hobby excibited what seems to be a future release of a Tachikawa Ki-54 in 1/72. (photo from here)

The only other kit that existed of the type in that scale was the resin by A&V Models.

So, it should be interesting to see what Models of the type Special Hobby will release.

ALSO...............Clear Prop Models have released two new Mitsubishi Ki-51 "Sonia" kits.

One in 1/144 which from the images in their site looks really detailed and most interesting.

And the other in 1/72 which is even more detailed with photoetched parts.

 

Both look really beautiful!!!

Check their site HERE for their "Claude" and most interesting extras for the "Sonia".

I think it's great that model companies discover other types of Japanese aircraft beyond the Zero and the endless releases of fighters. Not to mention the improvements in quality.

By the way, no company has ever sent Arawasi any kits for review, with the glowing exception of Hasegawa. So, instead of actually saying what I'm thinking, I'll just say a "thanks for nothing" to all the rest of you!😞

Japanese Aircraft Online Model Contest 014 - MILOSLAV HRABAŇ

A6M2b Model 21, buntaicho Lt(jg) Jun‘ichi Sasai, August 1942
1/32 Tamiya
HGW wet tranfers & seat belts, CMK wheels, wheel bay & flaps, Aires exhaust. All colours MRP - new test IJN set. Painting mask homemade

- Miloslav Hrabaň, Prague, Czech republic -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More photos from Miloslav.

 

 

Japanese Aircraft Online Model Contest 014 - ZBYSZEK MALICKI

This is my contribution to the 14th contest. The model is 1/72 A6M2 from Fine Molds. It is painted with White Ensign Models/Colourcoats paints. This is the aircraft of Lieutenant Sumio Nono from the aircraft carrier Hiryu. Second wave Pearl Harbor attack.

- Zbyszek Malicki -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese Aircraft Online Model Contest 014 - MICHAEL FURRY

1/48 Tamiya A6M2.
The very old, but still respectable Tamiya A6M2.  I added brake lines to the main gear, replaced the seat and instrument panel with parts from a Hasegawa kit, and used stretched sprue for the aerial wire.  Paint is Floquil aged concrete with some strategically applied light gray.   The markings are a combination of paint, Aeromaster decals, and Hobby Decal dry transfers.  The profile depicted a red band on the rear fuselage, but I chose blue for the contrast, so the markings are more fiction than fact. 

- Michael Furry, USA -

IJAAF & IJNAF photos & more

Another photo from the "Asahi Shimbun" collection. According to the caption:

PHILIPPINES - NOVEMBER 05: Members of first Japanese Special Attack Unit "Banda Tai" lines up at a Japanese Imperial Army frontline base on November 5, 1944 in Philippines.

"Banda-tai" was indeed the first IJAAF taiatari unit organized with members from the Hokota Kyodo Hikoshidan. On October 20, 1944 the school received a number of Kawasaki Ki-48 "Lily" bombers modified for suicide missions. The next day 16 members of the special unit were announced. Unit commander was Capt Iwamoto. The "Banda-tai" arrived in Lipa airfield in Luzon Island, Philippines after stops at Kakamigahara, Ganosu and Chyayi (Taiwan). In Lipa they spent some time training and maintaining their planes.

The unit made three attacks. On November 12, 1944 with four "Lily" bombers, on November 15 one aircraft and on December 20 one more.

Originally the "Lily" had three 3-meter long rods with fuses protruding from the nose which connected to the bomb in the bomb-bay which could not be dropped.

But later, in the Army Arsenal in the Philippines, there were aircraft with only one rod and the bomb could be dropped.

Japanese Aircraft Online Model Contest 014 - JEAN BARBY

Hello all. 

This model has already been dispatched on this site (HERE) but I think the Tainan Ku deserves to be in the contest. Base is the Hasegawa, fully riveted with an SBS interior and a Rob Taurus canopy. One noticeable thing is that all the markings are painted using home made masks.

Best regards to you all.

- Jean Barby -