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Clandestine Pre-War Flights in Nell
Continuing the retrospective of RAF Flying Review articles on Japanese aviation here is IJN Commander Hajime Sudo's accountof his clandestine photo-reconnaissance flights in the Mitsubishi G3M2 'Nell'...
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Louis Gardner's 1/48 Tamiya Ki-61-I Tei
The Tamiya Hien Tei kits in 1/48 and 1/72 are deservedly popular, reflecting a general popularity amongst modellers for the Japanese Army's only inline engined fighter. There was a scattering of...
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AVI Models Lepidopteran in 1/72
AVI Models(Avi Print, spol.s.r.o) have recently released two 1/72 kits of the De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi), but the release relevant to this blog is AVI72010 'Fox Moth in Foreign...
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Rising Swallows & Strong Winds Part 1 ~ New Decals in 1/72 & 1/48
The prolific Rising Decals have recently released sets of markings for Japanese Army fighters Hien and Hayate in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales.Set RD72-083 provides markings for no less than 15 colourful...
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Rising Decals Part 2 ~ Hayate in 1/72 & 1/48
The Rising DecalsHayate sheet - RD72085 - shown above, is a more modest offering than for Hien with only six subjects, but they are well chosen and interesting, as follows:-Ki-84 Ko of 9 Sentai at...
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Higher and Further ~ Patsy's Ambitious Endeavours
The RAF Flying Review magazine series 'These Were The Enemy' included a number of well known and lesser known Japanese types. No.70 in the series, published in Vol.XV, No.10 in June 1960 featured the...
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Francesco Borraccino's 1/48 Hasegawa Raiden
Francesco Borraccino has kindly shared these images of his masterful build of the Hasegawa 1/48 scale Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden Type 21 kit which he completed painting recently after it had languished,...
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More Dead Design Goodies - 1/72 scale
Jan Hajicek's prolific Dead Design Models has recently released a plethora of goodies to enhance many different Japanese subject kits in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales. They include canopy masks, a real...
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More Dead Design Goodies - 1/48 Scale
In 1/48 scale Dead Design Models released the following combination vacform canopies and masks in June:-CM48004 Fine Molds Yokosuka D4Y2-S/3 Suisei Night Fighter - The canopy is split into sections -...
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Samo's 1/48 Fine Molds Ka-14
Samo Štempihar from Slovenia has kindly shared these images of his splendid build of the Fine Molds1/48 scale Mitsubishi Ka-14. The main colour scheme was applied using AK Real Colors J3 and the other...
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Ushi Models Tachikawa Ki-94-I in 1/72
Here's a surprise. A new 1/72 resin kit of the stalled Tachikawa Ki-94 interceptor project from Ushi Modelsdue for release in October this year. Unusually the kit features 3D printed detail parts. It's...
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Lifelike Decals 1/48 Nakajima Ki-43 Part 2
In a further demonstration of their attention to detail and integrity Lifelike Decals have issued an updated sheet and instructions for their set 48-042, Part 2 of two excellent sets of decals for the...
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Alex Rodionov's 1/72 A6M5 Zero Fighter-Bomber
Alex Rodionov has very kindly shared these images of his model of a Mitsubishi-built A6M5 fighter-bomber made from the second generation 1/72 Hasegawa kit. The model represents 653-222 of the 653 Ku...
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Wingsy Kits 1/48 Mitsubishi Ki-51 Sonia (IJA Type 99 Assault/Recce Aircraft)
The world of modelling seems to have been treated to a mini-age of spats with a plethora of recent kits of spatted Japanese aircraft such as Claude, Babs and now Sonia. Correspondent Dan Salamone has...
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Jim Anderson's 1/72 Shusui
Correspondent Jim Anderson has very kindly shared these images and write-up for his very neat 1/72 prototype Mitsubishi J8M1 Shusui (秋水 - Clear Autumn Water, a poetic term relating to the sound made by...
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Horatio Hernández and Friendship Scale Models ~ The Ki-59
Back in December 2014, thanks to the insight and assistance of correspondent Guillermo, Aviation of Japan paid tribute to the late Horatio Hernández of Mexico (shown above as a young man in...
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Horatio Hernández ~ Study and Showcase
Continuing the retrospective for Horatio Hernández and Friendship Scale Models (FSM), here are pictures of his study, showcase and modelling awards, courtesy of correspondent Guillermo. Horatio's...
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Army Prop and Spinner Colours
Some recent correspondence on the subject of late war Army propeller and spinner colours raised interesting points and prompted this summary. At the start of the Pacific War Army propellers were...
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Francesco Borraccino's Ki-100-II
In an appropriate follow-up to the last blog Francesco Borraccino has kindly shared these images of another of his excellent models, this time the Kawasaki Ki-100-II crafted from the 1/72 Aoshima kit....
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Kawasaki Ki-100 Type 5 Fighter Colours
Continuing a Goshikisen (Type 5 Fighter) theme this brief exploration begins with the University of Illinois example photographed in colour by Charles 'Chuck' J Graham in 1949 when he was in his third...
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