Ki-61 I Tei Hien 1/48 Hasegawa
KawasakiKi-61 I Tei, 160. Shinbu-Tai, Chofu air base, August 1945, Hasegawa 1/48
I finally managed to finish a model that lay in my shelf of doom for 20 years.
I had purchased the kit and FAOW book at Collinsdale Hannant’s in 1995 during my trip toScotland.
Back home I had purchased Aires cockpit, and upon installing it I realised that it didn’t fit at all. This experience frustrated me so much that kit went back into the box and waited almost 20 years.
I dusted it off 2 years ago, assembled main parts, applied surface primer and finished it last autumn.
Eventually I chose the 160th Shinbu-Tai machine. The unit was formed in April 1945 at Chofu's flight from the 244th Sentai. This well known machine was most likely left behind at the air base for the engine or other failure. I like the heavily weathered look of it.
Except of the replaced front lower cowling part, it is highly interesting by the washed off / removed white home defence bands around Hinomaru.
Careful study of the b&w photo revealed that the white colour was most likely washed off. This seems similar to Luftwaffe washable winter white camos. But this is my speculation, not a fact.
The kit is build more or less like a hybrid. In different stages of the past 2 decades my view of the assembly changed several times.
I.e. cockpit is built straight from the box, seat harness are photo-etch, Ho-5 cannons came from CMK, I added PE trims and push rods, remodelled wing racks and external fuel tank,250 Kgbomb came from spares, antenna wire is Uschi VDR, antenna insulator, the cowling fasteners, landing light cover and all formation lights were scratch built.
Mask used – canopy, Inspection Covers and all markings, "nose of art" from Lifelike decal.
Colours - Gunze for Propeller, Alclad on lower surfaces, Vallejo for the rest.
Weathering - MiG,Windsor&Newtonacrylics and Artist chalks.
For comparison see the b&w photo, credit – can’t remember the name of the reporter.
Hope you like it
DEAD
Photo & text credit © DEAD Design Models 2018
