Hi, All

I'm going to build simultaneously Ki-43-II in 1:32nd and 1:48th scale.
Both kits from Hasegawa.

Those raised panel lines in large scale Oscar... will remain. I'm going to try to recreate the way the panels were installed, each one overlapping the edge of the next.
In general, I will be focused on that point and weathering, with the cockpit closed.

















In case of 1:48th scale Oscar a slightly different approach, as I'm going to use a resin cockpit from SBS (just amazing), photo-etched parts and some other upgrades - so that the level of detail will not be less than in 1:32nd - if not better.







Feel free to comment

Best regards
Hubert

Hubert -
I'm on board for certain . Loving every minute of it !

Cheers ! Richard

Hubert:
I have both kits, I'll be watching with interest. Looks like a great project.
Take care,
Don "Lakota"

Awesome idea Hubert I'm definitely along for the ride!!

Hi, Mates

I think it's time to come back to my Ki-43s.

Took the large scale one on the bench and started with the cockpit - few pieces from the old Eduard's photo etched set are a nice addition.

Decided not to use the photo etched pilot's seat, OOB with some enhancements will work well enough for me.
That's how it looks like now, sprayed with Tamiya's primer. More details to be added, of course.











Best regards
Hubert

Hubert -

Keep it coming - this is what I've been waiting for !

Cheers - Richard

That 32nd scale kit is exactly like the one I have only in 72nd scale. Same box art.

Hi, All

Slooooowly going forward with the bigger one.
Some more work in the cockpit still to be done, but I think it is going to be acceptable, taking into account that not much of it will be visible after the fuselage is closed.





Best regards
Hubert

Hubert -
Looking Good ! Cockpit paint looks very nice indeed - can't wait to see more.

Cheers ! Richard

Beautiful work so far Hubert! By the looks of things it will be raining Hayabusa's around here in a couple months!

Thanks, Mates
That was a beautiful machine, however not a very good fighter, at least according to some Japanese pilots' opinions. Would be great to have a new kit (especially Ki-43-I) in a large scale. Tamiya, are you listening?

OK, let's come back to plastic.
At last, I found some time for the smaller Oscar too.
Before I assemble and paint the beautiful resin interior, it was necessary to cut off the part of the fuselage behind the pilot's seat, - I'm going to put a much better resin element from SBS into this place.





Best regards
Hubert

Hi, All

Added the guns to the instrument panel, it is Eduard's PE part. I think now it looks busy enough.



Best regards
Hubert

Quick update.
The fit is excellent, for such an old kit. Just Hasegawa .









The next step are the overlapping panels on the fuselage.

Best regards
Hubert

Hubert -
All looks good on both - glad to see you back on this project . I'm anxious to see how the SBS cockpit works out as I have a pair of these waiting for my next Oscar build . Keep up the nice work ! Richard

Niceeeeeeee Hubert! The old Hasegawa 1/32 scale kits still have a lot going for them.

Thanks, Mates

Hayabusa stalled again for a moment, but surely deserves to make some progress with her.

Prepared the fuselage and upper halves of the wings for making the "overlapping panels" effect. At the same time decided to glue the upper halves of the wings in place, so that the wings/fuselage joint is just perfect, without use of filler.






Have also begun to work on the engine, assembly was fairly quick and easy, but taking into account, that I'm making a late Ki-43 II, without the cooler behind the propeller, OOB would look not well. Therefore some cables will be added.



Best regards
Hubert

Hubert - nice to see an update. I'll be watching your panel technique with interest .

Cheers - Richard

More than two months since my last update here - and the progress is really rather slow. Hard to explain, why...
Anyway, at last I have fitted the engine and its cowling in place - now one can really see, that Hayabusa is a beautiful fighter airplane, with its clean and delicate lines. Lovely.











The next thing to be decided (and the factor that slows me down) is the painting scheme... can't find any good photo or drawing with the "Racoon special" inscription for the captured machine I was going to build... there are some decals in 1:48th, but no way to get a high resolution photo of the sheet in the net.



Any help would be highly appreciated

Best regards
Hubert

The Ki-43-1 had structural problems in the wings and could not do harsh high speed maneuvers (they put a spring the control cables to alleviate this). The Ki-43-II solved these problems and had more kills than all other Japanese Army aircrafts combined.

I even heard this included the Navy aircrafts, but I find this hard to believe... There are many Ki-43 aces, and the II and III were kept in production to 1945...

The twin 12.7 mm nose machineguns had explosive rounds that were very effective, making much larger holes, but the Browning system did not like synchronizing with props, so the rate of fire could have been 900 rpm in the wings, but was only 500 rpm in the nose...

The Ki-61 is likely the next highest scoring Army fighter, as the Ki-83 was so hampered by reliability it was called "the pilot killer"... That is, killer of its own pilot... Its legs would break on landing and many other problems...

Gaston

Well, it's been a while, time for an update.
Duraluminium is from Vallejo, Gunze's glossy clear followed, but first I sprayed the wheel wells and internal part of the canopy frames with the Tamiya's aotake.













The decals will follow soon.
Hope you like it

Best regards
Hubert

Hi Hubert

That's a beautiful metal finish. I've never used Vallejo's metallics but, seeing this, I may well give them a try.

All the best

Rowan

Hubert,
Now that's one really impressive NMF.

Joel

Hi Hubert



Me too!

I've been lurking thsi blog and love to see these Hayabusha. I built the 1/32 long ago - it was my first attempt at spray painting camo - painted green, then attached cotton balls, then rattle can of silver. Learned that in a Revell modeling magazine! Anyone remember that Airfix put them out, too?

I am amazed at the level of detail and the fit. Didn't recall that. Is the instrument dial faces the kit or aftermarket faces?

Post more, please!

Hubert - Nice to see you back at it ! Love the finish!

Richard

Thanks, Mates .
The instrument panel is from old Eduard's etched brass.

The fit is surprisingly good, provided that one tries three times before the glue. And it was also a good idea to install the upper parts of the wings to the fuselage and then the lower part.

The little Hayabusa also has received some attention, mainly working on the cockpit. Hope in the end it will look busy enough to leave the canopy open.













Stay tuned

Best regards
Hubert