Hasegawa Nakajima Ki-44 Tojo

[Gazzas]

Hi everyone!

 

  It seems Hasegawa and Hakajima are already well represented here.  And fresh from my stove-top is my Ki-44.

 

 

This build will be totally out of the box with me attempting to add anything that might be missing like seat belts.  Heck...   I have no idea what a set of seat belts looks like for this machine.  

 

I haven't really decided on a scheme, yet.  And since I have aready done the box-top scheme in 1/48 scale, I can eliminate that one.  I started collecting photographs online and it appears that most of these were issued in NMF with perhaps paint being applied in the field.

 

My knowledge of IJA and IJN aircraft is pretty skimpy, and I don't have any Pac War figures.  So I'll keep this one simple and apply myself to the overall finish of the model. 

[Greif8]

Welcome aboard Gary, and mighty glad to have you!  Speaking of figures my build might just be a rare "no figure" build as the pewter figure that came in the kit has a terrible stepped line across the face due to a miscast, impossible to eradicate.  And like you I don't have any 1/32 Japanese figures.

 

Ernest 

[Gazzas]

Thank you Ernest!  I hear you on the miscast figure...   some things are too difficult to fix...   and sometimes you just don't want to spend more money.

 

My first update is very small, just a couple info pics that I captured with screen shots. 

 

You guys have all seen that weird but obviously a crank-attachment on the propeller boss of the Ki-44.  It's definitely too tall for a guy to reach from the ground.

 

 

And here is a even grainier closeup from the same NHK film:

 

 

Anyway...   digging up info on this bird isn't easy.  With only 1200 built, it doesn't fill many galleries. 

 

I want to backdate this version, too.  I want to make a version with a scope mount instead of the reflector site.  This will enable me to use some scheme options that aren't available in the standard kit.

 

Of course, details of the scope mount are hard to find.  I have a couple shots from a restored Ki-43.  But in the images, I am troubled by the fact that there is no seal between scope and windscreen.   I can just imagine the whistling of the wind around it at 300mph.  But on this shot below you can see an irregular area of some kind of caulking/sealant around the scope.  Really, I expected something a little more 'factory' looking.

 

 

This will give me one chance to not screw up the windscreen.   Scares me, really...   but we have to take certain steps if we want a unique model.

 

Anyway...   hopes and dreams!

 

Happy modelling!

 

 

 

[dennismcc]

Nice choice of subject, and kit, I love Hasegawa kits they are great to build, I will be interested to see how you get on with it as I have one to build as well.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Alain Gadbois]

You are lucky the windscreen with the opening and the scope are included in the kit.

 

You mentionned in the Ki-61 thread that you like Aotake. I have seen cockpits renderings in both Aotake and green, so I guess you can do as you like.

 

What markings do you have in mind?

 

Alain

[Scale32]

Got this kit in the stash pile, looking forward to seeing what you do with the paint.

 

Cheers Bevan 

[Gazzas]

1 hour ago, Alain Gadbois said:

You are lucky the windscreen with the opening and the scope are included in the kit.

 

You mentionned in the Ki-61 thread that you like Aotake. I have seen cockpits renderings in both Aotake and green, so I guess you can do as you like.

 

What markings do you have in mind?

 

Alain

 

Yes, I discovered that earlier today...   You saved me from posting about it.  The machine I am planning (so far) isn't very well documented.  It's only seen in a few grainy seconds of the same NHK video I mentioned earlier.  But I have ordered a book about the Tojo claiming to be full of photos and profiles.  My machine only has roughly field-applied and very worn camo and a narrow fuselage band.  The rudder is never fully shown, so I don't know if there is anything on it.

[TimW]

Excellent choice!

 

The only AM I have is a Yahu instrument panel and some Eduard PE seatbelts.   It doesn't need much else.

 

Still leaning toward a camouflaged bird--Montex does a scheme for that, but otherwise the pickings seem rather slim for 1/32 decals!

 

Cheers,

 

Tim W

[Gazzas]

HI Guys!  After four days of a complete lack of Mojo...   mostly due to work...   I have started riveting the exterior.  My original plan was to use the beading tool if it looked good enough.

 

But it doesn't...

 

So, I'm going to have to resort to the wheel.

 

Here's another rivet shot.   I figured I would do the underside of the main wing to get myself up to speed and to find what causes me to make mistakes.

 

It's still too easy for the wheel to wander away from my straight edge.

 

What I haven't pictured was my scratch-building of the Ho-301 cannon fairings.  This kit doesn't come with the HO-301 fairings.  I put out a couple queries hoping to find the fairings that came with the 2013 Ki-44 Otsu kit made by Hasegawa but no longer in production.  It's two tiny sprues, but no dice.

 

I'll show pictures hopefully on the next update...

 

I have so much more riveting to do....

 

 

 

[Scale32]

19 minutes ago, Gazzas said:

HI Guys!  After four days of a complete lack of Mojo...   mostly due to work...   I have started riveting the exterior.  My original plan was to use the beading tool if it looked good enough.

 

But it doesn't...

 

So, I'm going to have to resort to the wheel.

 

Here's another rivet shot.   I figured I would do the underside of the main wing to get myself up to speed and to find what causes me to make mistakes.

 

It's still too easy for the wheel to wander away from my straight edge.

 

What I haven't pictured was my scratch-building of the Ho-301 cannon fairings.  This kit doesn't come with the HO-301 fairings.  I put out a couple queries hoping to find the fairings that came with the 2013 Ki-44 Otsu kit made by Hasegawa but no longer in production.  It's two tiny sprues, but no dice.

 

I'll show pictures hopefully on the next update...

 

I have so much more riveting to do....

 

 

 

Gaz, you can buy scribing tape of different widths from Bna. Might be useful for straight lines instead of trying to hold a straight edge while trying to run a rivet tool.

 

Cheers Bevan 

[Gazzas]

6 minutes ago, Scale32 said:

Gaz, you can buy scribing tape of different widths from Bna. Might be useful for straight lines instead of trying to hold a straight edge while trying to run a rivet tool.

 

Cheers Bevan 

 

Thanks, Bevan.  My problem is that I sometimes swerve away from the straight edge.  It happens when I scribe, too.  Has to be the most annoying of my failings.   I have dymo tape, too.  When I watch Paul Budzik's scribing video I turn green with envy.

[Panzerwomble]

36 minutes ago, Gazzas said:

 

Thanks, Bevan.  My problem is that I sometimes swerve away from the straight edge.  It happens when I scribe, too.  Has to be the most annoying of my failings.   I have dymo tape, too.  When I watch Paul Budzik's scribing video I turn green with envy.

I've noticed David Demak (of Plasmo YT fame)  uses short lengths  of metal extending measuring tape - this sort of thing , which I reckon is a nice idea as it is steel and flexible, and you can cut it as short as you need . 

 

[Gazzas]

33 minutes ago, Panzerwomble said:

I've noticed David Demak (of Plasmo YT fame)  uses short lengths  of metal extending measuring tape - this sort of thing , which I reckon is a nice idea as it is steel and flexible, and you can cut it as short as you need . 

 

 

That's and interesting idea, Guy.  Thank you.  I have an old one laying around somewhere.

[Scale32]

1 hour ago, Gazzas said:

 

Thanks, Bevan.  My problem is that I sometimes swerve away from the straight edge.  It happens when I scribe, too.  Has to be the most annoying of my failings.   I have dymo tape, too.  When I watch Paul Budzik's scribing video I turn green with envy.

I guess it's a case of practice practice practice and steady as you go. I have those problems sometimes as well but I've found not having to physically hold a guide has helped a lot.

 

Cheers Bevan 

[Gazzas]

2 hours ago, Scale32 said:

I guess it's a case of practice practice practice and steady as you go. I have those problems sometimes as well but I've found not having to physically hold a guide has helped a lot.

 

Cheers Bevan 

 

I hear ya, mate.  I'll give a few things a go and see what happens.  I've got miles of tape and straight pieces pcs of metal...   and tis the season to spend money on somebody else.  My Christmas pressie to myself was supposed to be the Kotare Spit...   But now I'll be lucky to see it before my birthday.