Tomasz Chacewicz shows and describes his adventure with the Eduard model kit of Nakajima Ki-115 Tsurugi - a Japanese single use airplane designed for carrying out the suicide attacks by Kamikaze pilots.



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Thanks!

Really nice! But I can't stand: should this machine be so worn?
It leaved production line with perspective of one and only flight? Should the machines for kamikaze be like brand new or
was they intensivly exploited? Nothing personal, Tomek! I like Your style, just some doubts...

Hi Irek,
I'm affraid you haven't read the text, have you?

First sentence of "the model" section:

"I wanted to build my Tsurugi out of the box with just few corrections. Although many may say that the plane which was never used in combat should be clean and shining my intention was to have in my display case an extensively used for testing and later abandoned machine, as may be seen on these few original photographs."

Michal, I've read Your text, but my question was do we modellers should to follow history or to create history? And let me say one more time: I like Tomek's model very much!

Tomasz,

Very nice model of a tragic aircraft.




Irekfm, good question. As a recovering rivet-counter and historical-only purist, I say both!

For years the available reference material showed a limited number of verified color schemes and markings. Then, with the end of the Cold War and opening of archives, many strongly held preconceptions were shattered. We now have a seemingly endless supply of new revelations of paint colors and patterns. Some paint colors and patterns considered nonsense turned out to be accurate; some considered gospel turned out to be translation errors.

In short, T think there is room for speculation and artistic license in our models. A plausible paint job and weathering is practical finish.

BTW, your SA-6 Gainful is magnificent!

I agree with Frederick about the artistic licence aspect of our hobby. If we don't have some fun with "what-if?" now and then we'll risk being diagnosed with terminal Gastonitis. The horror, the horror!

Jim

Tnx for good word about Gainful! I think that "fun factor" is important, but sometimes I feel guilty;) That endless conflict:
reality vs fun is sometimes really oppressive!

Tomasz, perfect build! Could you please give more information on this technique:


Very interested to find out about it!

Not knowing that much about Japonesse aircraft, I ask this. Would the plane have been used in training to get the pilot experiance, and was it a concrete, dirt or coral airstrip. Would make a differance historicly and painting wise. Coral stips really stiped the paint from prop blast and tropical heat weakens the paint considerably. But no matter what the answer is, it is a real nice looking job on it.