Japanese Aircraft Online Model Contest 001

ARAWASI would like to invite you to our 1st online model contest.

CLICK: Japanese Aircraft Online Model Contest 001 TO SEE ALL ENTRIES
 

Theme: Japanese Prototype & Experimental Aircraft in any scale (no what-ifs)*.

Submissions: Send as many photos as you like of your model and accompanying information to contact@arawasi.jp or arawasi_g2@hotmail.com. At the very least please send: your name and country, model scale and kit maker. Your entry will be posted within 24 hours. You can enter the contest with more than one model in any scale.

Voting: you can vote for each model from 1 to 5 either by leaving a comment on each entry or by sending an email to the above addresses. No anonymous votes will be taken into account (nicknames are ok). The model with the most points wins.

Deadline: The end of August (but if many of you demand more time, extension is possible. So, leave a comment).  

Prizes: The winner (or winners) will receive a book and a model from our on-line store, free of any charge, courtesy of Arawasi.

*Allow me to elaborate to avoid confusion.
1. Apart from the actual prototypes that were built and tested, the IJAAF and IJNAF had a number of projects and designs that never left the drawings board or were just considered. Models of all these are within the theme of this competition. In other words, whatever prototypes or experimental aircraft the Japanese considered, designed or built at that time. A "Fugaku" or a "Ginga" with an "Ohka" in its belly are in; a twin-boom Zero is not. 
2. Markings & paintjob. Prototypes and experimental planes usually had very specific markings, those of the Kugisho of the IJNAF for example, or no markings at all. Therefore a KEN-3 in 244Sentai markings falls into the "what-if" category as the type was never assigned to that unit. There is more leeway for the markings of design-only X-planes or for those no photos exist. But again it is advisable to study the way other X-planes looked before starting to work on the paintjob or to apply markings. Or, preferably, start a posting here with the model you intend to build and ask questions. For example all the markings for the Mansyu Ki-98 supplied in the Meng kit fall in the "what-if" category. Extremely unlikely the IJAAF to have supplied the Thai airforce with the type!
The above does not mean that a model of a Japanese X-plane in "what-if" markings or paintjob will not be accepted in the competition but personally I would subtract at least 0.5 points in the voting.
 

Since we plan to organize more online modeling contests (the theme for the next one will be "what-ifs") we would really like to hear your suggestions, ideas etc.

Kawanishi N1K1 "Kyofu" by Adam O'Brien

This is my Hasegawa Kawanishi N1K1 "Kyofu" (Rex) Prototype in 1/72.

- Adam O'Brien -

Mitsubishi Ki-51 "Sonia" by Miro Herold

I just finished my Mitsubishi Ki-51 "Sonia" from the 10th Dokuritsu Hikodan Shireibu, Borneo, Greater Sunda Islands, March 1945. It is the old Mania kit in 1/72. For details I used several resin parts from Kora Models and Rising Decals. The canopy is from Falcon.

My inspiration was of course your excellent book from Arawasi!

Many regards from Germany!

- Miro Herold -

 

 

IPMS “Scalefest”

Grapevine, Texas
June 4th 2016

 This year's show was the usual mix of entries and vendors. A good time to meet like-minded people with a passion for plastic. In this particular case, we shall focus on those entries that have the hinomaru adorning their wings.
One of the notables, in my opinion, was a Nichimo B5N2, which holds up quite well despite it's age. It was also nice to see the Ki-61 and N1K2 in 1/32nd scale. Another model that caught my eye was the Mansyu Ki-98 (kitted by Ming in 1/72nd), a subject you don't see very often. There were, of course, a few A6M Zeros to round out things. (Always a popular subject.)
No multi-engine entries this time, unless you count the JAL Boeing 747! :)

That's it for now.....

- Devlin Chouinard -

 

P.S. A sort of odd/annoying thing that I have noticed about the plastic modeling "otaku" here, is that some forget to take a shower or take other measures to lessen body odor! REALLY!? In close quarters? It's not "manly" it's damn rude!

 

 

NEW RELEASE!!!

Ten years after the publication of the first volume of "Baron Miyahara and his World of Aircraft" (now out-of-print), the Japan Aeronautic Association Aviation Heritage Archive has just released a brand new book and is HUGE! 

The title is: J-BIRD: Japanese Aircraft Register 1921-1945

 

  

It is a list with information of all the known Japanese civilian registers (J-XXXX) including gliders, plus the civilian registers of Manchukuo and the China Airways. It's 438 pages long and features no less than 915 photos!!! A tremendous effort, some of the authors I know have been working on it for more than 20 years. Most of the photos are of very high quality with many civilian aircraft seen for the very first time in print and dozens of extremely interesting paint schemes and markings. Apart from the photos the book features articles regarding the way the civilian markings were applied, the complex registration process that changed through time and more. The book is similar to Model Art #327, all in Japanese, with no colour pages or artwork. Nevertheless it is a truly amazing book and essential for every fan of Japanese aviation as it covers to a large degree the much ignored (not by Arawasi though as our readers know well) Civilian Aviation of Japan. 

It is an absolute must and highly recommended without any reservations.

 

The book is available from Arawasi, HERE. Price is $US50, postage not included, and keep in mind that it is more than 1kg heavy and worth the price.

 

 

Collector's Items

Vintage and extremely rare kits recently on sale on the Japanese Ebay.
Do you have any information about them?


Starfix, Mitsubishi A6M5 "Zero-sen", 1:72

Calin Ungureanu sent the following information about the Starfix Zero kit:
It was on sale in bookshops in Romania in the '90s. It's not 1/72 but not 1/48 either. In fact it's hardly a Zero. Somehow the molds where from Israel and this one and several other kits (Me109, Aichi Val and some Russian bombers of the '50s in 144 scale maybe) where injected in Romania, perhaps at a nearly out of busyness plastic factory. Everybody in the modeling branch started to buy them because of the very low price, but soon find out that it was just scrap plastic because you can't build them into credible models. Most of them ended up at kids as "make and take" modeling seminars.
I try to build a 1/48 Me109 for a veteran Romanian pilot and even finished it but it looked more like a crossbreed between an E and a F series.
The plastic was silver-gray for all the series, with Sci-Fi positive details.

Thank you very much Calin.

Fairy Kikaku, Mitsubishi 1MT1N, 1:72

Aoshima, Mitsubishi A7M "Reppu", 1:72 

Aoshima, Mitsubishi A6M5 "Zero-sen", 1:60
Sold at about $US500!!!

Hasegawa, Mitsubishi A6M5 "Zero-sen", 1:75
Clear model, sold at about $US200!!!

Marusan, Nakajima Ki-43 "Hayabusa", 1:50

Sankyo Peanuts, Kawanishi H6K "Mavis", 1:150 

Monochrome, Kawasaki Ki-61 II Kai "Hien", 1:48
For the Hasegawa kit.

Otaki, Mitsubishi J2M "Raiden", ?

Sharp, Kawasaki Ki-61 "Hien", 1:72

Sharp, Nakajima Ki-44 "Shoki", 1:72

Sanwa Tokyo Plamo, Kawasaki Ki-61 "Hien", 1:100

Sankyo, Mitsubishi A6M "Zero", ?
"Plastic solid model" sold at $US200!!!

Nitto, Nakajima B5N "Kate", 1:72

Nakajima Ki-84 "Hayate" & Ki-44-II Otsu "Shoki" by Michael Williams

Below are photos of two models finished-off with Flying Papa’s decals. Both base models are from Hasegawa’s 1:48 scale range, the Nakajima Ki-84-I Ko "Hayate" now finished off from the 57th Shimbu-tai suicide attack unit, and Nakajima Ki-44-II Otsu "Shoki" from the 47th Sentai.

The Flying Papa’s decals were perfect in all respects and resulted in very enjoyable builds with excellent final display results.

Michael Williams - Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Model Kraft 2016 - Japanese Aviation SIG

"Model Kraft 2016" organized by the Milton Keynes Scale Model Club took place on April 24 and the Japanese Aviation SIG was there. Here's what Gary Wenko reported:

We were well represented at Milton Keynes yesterday with an excellent array of models for the public to see. There's some real talent in the SIG and it was evident by the standard of models brought for the display. I've snapped some photos, but not nearly as many as did the public who paid to visit the show. There were nine contributors for the four tables we had: Richard Brooker, Dick Delaney, Julien Dixon, Peter Fox, Peter James, Lawrence Paffett, Rick Smith, Peter Terry and I.  John Drummond attended the show as well. Space behind the display was a bit tight, but we managed - a bit of give and take.
The show was very well attended with folks parking what seemed to be miles away to come in. There were clubs displaying from all over the country and that bodes well as the show date was shared with the Scottish Nationals in Perth. 

- Gary Wenko -

Peter Fox also uploaded photos of the JASIG table here and of the show in general here.