From the test sprues, we usually assemble models ‘in grey’ – that is, without painting – to check how the parts fit together. However, with the latest Ki-43 Hayabusa (‘Oscar’) in 1/72 scale, we couldn’t resist and, after our first tests of fitting the parts, we started serious model building, with full painting and decals, while still using the test sprues.
Yesterday on Facebook we already showed the whole green model of Zbyszek Malicki (full gallery coming soon), and today I have added two of my models – in natural metal colour and a spotted one.
This is how all three look together:
The models fit very nicely and, as you can see, the final result comes out very pleasant. What is noticeable right from the start is that the Hayabusa is a light aircraft, so the model is also filigree and sometimes you have to be more careful. We tried to make the design of the kit reflect this lightness, and in many places we succeeded – especially on the wing and the empennage, which have very thin, sharp trailing edges, finer than many of our previous models.
In the fervour of building, I did not always look at the instructions – as a result, the pylons for the fuel tanks are glued back to front. I added aileron trim tabs, which were missing on the test sprues (they have already been added on the later mouldings).
I painted both models with Gunze lacquers, and stained with Lifecolor liquid pigments and Vallejo streak liquids. I applied the green flecks on the spotted model over the pre-sprayed hairspray.
A bit of a challenge was applying decals to the more complicated surfaces: the yellow stripes of the wing leading edges and the red ‘star’ on the tail under the horizontal stabilisers. Thanks to Microscale’s liquids and Bilmodel ‘Three’, we managed to do the job.
For the green plane I used resin details from 3D prints, for the silver one I only used plastic parts ‘from the box’.
With a certain amount of care, assembly of the Ki-43 Hayabusa model is a lot of fun, and the result is – as you can see – very cool!
We will publish a detailed description of the build from production mouldings with detailed commentary next week.
Check also:
- Buy 1/72 Ki-43 Hayabusa kit online at Armahobby.com!
Ki-84 Hayate – recenzja z japońskiego magazynu „Scale Aviation”
Modeller happy enough to work in his hobby. Seems to be a quiet Aspie but you were warned. Enjoys talking about modelling, conspiracy theories, Grand Duchy of Lithuania and internet marketing. Co-founder of Arma Hobby. Builds and paints figurines, aeroplane and armour kits, mostly Polish subject and naval aviation.
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