Category: Modelling

In the last year, Japan Aeronautic Association has published an outstanding book “Kawasaki Ki-61ii HIEN 6117 uncovered”, providing detailed explanations with over 300 pages of overwhelming information and accuracy. It’s also epoch making to include the world most precise and detailed drawings by Mr.Joe Picarella, a renowned technical illustrator for aircraft and the restoration supervisor for the Ki-100 in the UK as well. Any publication will never surpass this book even in the future. My build of Ki-61ii is as another variation with teardrop canopy, though it owes much to the various research and findings documented in this book. By chance I had been involved in this project for just …

Let me call it done.  Eight years ago when I started this project, I recklessly but seriously decided to build the “world best Ki-61 model” which was quite an impossible dream to be realized. I don’t know whether it  has been attained or not, but now I realize that when someone would make up his mind to do something seriously, no matter how difficult the thing would be, other people surely appear and help him. For this eight years, I’ve obtained wonderful connections with world expert researchers on aviation and skillful modelers whom I never thought to become my friends before. Appreciate them so much for their many great helps …

The next photo was taken about one year ago, with no surface treatment on it. During the past one year, I’ve been working for the rivets on the entire body of my Ki-61ii. Rivet work is a painstaking and boring task just like ascetic practices, ( and I’m not a buddhist monk at all) so I sometimes needed to insert some gimmick works for breathers. This time, I’d like to introduce the gimmicks as well for your reference. Enjoy !   (i)  Rear access door arm (Folding stay) The rear access door works with a folding stay. Represented it out of tiny bolts, brass wire and nickel silver sheets. Of course, …

I’m afraid that I might not report about the WIP but about the “WIR(Work in Regression)” this time ! I had been working on rivets and almost done for the main wing, so that the goal of this project seemed not to be so far, however…   The issue of the KHI’s great reference books “Restoration Records of Ki-61ii” has affected my project severely, because those show a lot to learn for me !   I decided to improve the nose cannon area about that I didn’t have enough information before seeing the KHI’s books. Firstly, I got rid of all the parts from the cannon section !   (i) …

When looking back, it’s five years ago when I started to build this Ki-61ii model. Now someone calls this project a “Never-ending-building”. I’m not sure, but… it might not necessarily be so ?         Started the work for the landing light. The hole for it looks “Bean”-shaped.   A bit hard to see, but you can see the bulb and the shade. The shade was made with heat-press, and the bulb was scratched out of a clear plastic rod.   The bulb and the shade of Ki-61ii #17 at Kakamigahara Aerospace Museum.   The rear view of the light. You can confirm how the hole shape looks and …

Since I fortunately happened to get some awesome connections with world experts in Ki61 and Japan Aeronautic Association in this one year, I could access precious information about Ki61 ii kai #17 of Kakamigahara Aero-space Museum, and also I’ve even joined the research activity for #17 as well ! My build was going on the main wing work, so I’ve reflected the research result onto my build as possible I could.   Aielron  work   Ki61 has some access panels on the main wing and you can see the aileron rod through the panels.         This is the aileron rod for the center part of the fuselage. …

Gun bay outboard support ribs.   Landing gear front panel.   And landing gear mechanism panel.   Painted in Yellow Green #7.   Landing gear arms.   Landing gear covers.   Detail-up for landing gears….   You can see the cartridge bin access panel(the white one).   Can open with hinge !   Aileron rods.   Construction for aileron rod.   You can see the rods through the holes ?   Something like this…   Decided to represent fuel tank attachment panels.   Panels and hinges…so difficult…   Installed.   Can be opened !

Making some holes on the main wings.   Vertical rudder with hinges.   Can work !   Detail up for the rooms for landing gears.   Made the tyre out of black plastic eraser. It’s moderaely soft, easy to process and has durability against deterioration !   Detail up for the gear shafts.   Challenging again to represent retracting mechanism of landing gears !   Opening…   And…   Come on !   Arms to retract landing gears.   Hydraulic actuators for landing gears.   Can work.   Flap cover.   Full scrath-building for flaps.   Can operate with hinge !   External side of flaps.  

Work on around 20mm cannons. You can see the coils for cannon.   The last memorial shots just before the closing the fuselage. Good by dear inner parts !   Closed the fuselage !   You can see the safety valve and its tubes.   Two tubes go ahead from the breather. This is just my assumption since we don’t have any information about Ha140 engine, but I think it’s rather reasonable as the breather’s connectors facing forward different from Ha40 or DB601 !   Starting to weather.

Weathering the engine.   Paint the radiator and the baffle plates.   Inspection panel and foot step lever.   Both can be opened.   Coolant and oil tubes under the floor.   Work for the radiator flap.   Not known well, but radiator had struts against strong wind pressure.   You can see the elevator control arm through the center of the fuselage.   The radio inspection panel can be opened.   Turbo intake.   Bigger than Ki-61i.   Cockpit works. Throttle and propeller pitch controls(the white one).   Hydraulic accumulator fillers.   Tail wheel.   Weathering.