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Magnificent 1/72 Emily - 'She's A Big Bird' - by Jan Voorbij
Rather larger than the 1/144 scale Mavis preceding it, this magnificent and fully crewed Kawanishi H8K2 Type 2 Flying Boat Model 12 'Emily' flying boat in 1/72 scale has been built by Jan Voorbij of...
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Marabu Design 1/72 G4M1 Interior Details
I'm not a great fan of photo-etch. This is not a reflection on the photo-etch, originating in model railway circles (?) and now offering exceptional scale details for model aircraft, but on my own...
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Marabu Design Photo-Etch Sets - Japanese Subjects in 1/72 Scale
Other Japanese subject 1/72 photo-etch sets available from Marabu Design include:-M72013 A6M2 Zero (for Airfix kit)M72020 Yokosuka D4Y1-3 Judy (for AZ model kit)M72028 Nakajima Ki-44 I Shoki (for Sword...
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Kamikaze's Return
Giuseppe 'Joe' Picarella MRAeS has very kindly provided this fascinating and beautifully presented news story to the Aviation of Japan blog.Screen shot from Asahi.com news websiteKamikaze’s returnby...
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Lifelike Decals 1/48 Zero Fighter Update
Lifelike Decals have advised that they have now received Hinomaru decals I and K omitted from their Zero sheet 48-SP-01 and a corrected victory marking for subject # 2 on sheet 48-061 reviewed here.The...
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Book Review - Mitsubishi Babs vol.II by Giuseppe Picarella
The second volume of Mitsubishi Babs - The world's first high-speed strategic reconnaissance aircraft - by Giuseppe 'Joe' Picarella MRAeS, published by Stratus s.j., (Poland) as MMP Books in 2023,...
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Babs Kitography - 1/72 scale Part 1 Mania
The Mania 1/72 kits of 'Kamikaze' and the Ki-15-I were released in the same year, recorded as 1973 by Burns*. The Scalemates website lists the 'Kamikaze' kit as issued in 1974 and the Ki-15-I kit in...
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Sabre Kits Tupolev Tu-2 Post-War Service
Of some relevance to this blog Sabre Kits have just released the 1/72 ICM Tupolev Tu-2 in a limited edition of 100 kits featuring post-war decals for China's PLAAF in 1952, an Indonesian example from...
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Babs Kitography - 1/72 scale Part 2 Hasegawa
Hasegaware-released the Mania Ki-15-I kit as A31 in the 'red flash' box shown above, titled in English 'Mitsubishi BABS Ki-15-I Japanese Reconnaissance Plane'. There is a block of small Japanese text...
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A Bad Attitude of Mind
I've been toying with the idea of making this blog membership and sign-in only to deter abusers. But that would not be fair on those kind souls who share images and details of their builds and, judging...
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Kariki 117 Colour I3 and 8609 Colour 3-3 Tsuchi iro
The colour I3 from the Tsuchi iro (Earth or clay) colour set on Kariki 117 was once mooted as both the Zero colour and the colour of Pearl Harbour era B5N2 'Kates' (97 Shiki Kanjo Kogeki-ki 九七式艦上攻撃機...
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50th Sentai Hayabusa Duo in 1/48 by Stéphane Sagols Part 1
In addition to continuing colour discussions and more on Babs kits a season of Army fighter models begins with this dynamic duo of Hiko Dai 50 Sentai Ki-43-I Hayabusa superbly realised from the...
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50th Sentai Hayabusa Duo in 1/48 by Stéphane Sagols Part 2
The second of Stéphane Sagols 1/48 Ki-43-I Hayabusa models crafted from the Hasegawa kit, this one featuring 'Fubuki'as flown by the controversial ace Sgt Satoshi 'Lucky' Anabuki.The same details for...
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New 1/72 Kits
Special Hobby have re-released their 1/72 scale Nakajima Ki-43-III Ko kit in a 'Fighter and Special Attack Units' edition as SH72488. The kit includes options for the Hiko Dai 204 Sentai fighter with...
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Rising Decals Sally & Yagi Antennae
New from Rising Decals are sheets for the Mitsubishi Ki-21-I Ko 'Sally' bomber in 1/72 and 1/48 scales, together with two photo-etch and decal sets for the Yagi H-6 radar equipped Mitsubishi G3M3...
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Francesco Borraccino's Shimbu-Tai Hayate in 1/72
Francesco Borraccino wows with another 1/72 scale gem, this time a Shimbu-tai Ki-84 Hayate built from the Arma Hobby kit # 70053. Although the Special Attack Units kit released last year provides a 195...
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Revell's 1/72 Ki-21-I Ko
The new Revell 1/72 Mitsubishi Ki-21-I Ko 'Sally' kit # 03797 is now to hand for comparison to the ICM first release kit of the Ki-21-I Otsu released in 2022 and the Ki-21-I Ko released in 2023. The...
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Japan Aircraft Standard 8609: Aircraft Paints, Standards by Colour of Feb...
JAAF paint colour # 7 Ohryoku Nana go Shoku (Yellow-green no.7 colour) was directly superseded by paint colour 1-1 in the 8609 standard. Prior to this and in the late summer of 1944 the # 7 paint...
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McLents RAoCAF Hayate in 1/48 Scale
McLents has kindly shared these images of his 1/48 scale Hayate in unusual Red Army of China Air Force markings, built from the 1973 vintage but still good looking Otaki kit (subsequently re-released...
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Vic Hobby Paints
This Vic Hobby range of Japanese made water based paints came to my attention via Hobbylink Japan. They are relatively cheap compared to other brands and currently on sale. Although the pots are quite...
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