Howdy. I see a few of them for sale and understand them to be rather old. Should I save my money and get a similar Hasegamiya kit? Granted I might be able to get them fairly cheap. Maybe. [;)]
I’ve built a few of the old Otaki 1/48th kits and they are good models. The cokpit detail is weak . I do’nt know about Nichimo . To me it would dpend on the price , it would have to be inexpensive .
Please don’t shoot me, but the office isn’t a high priority to me. I want a plane that builds up nicely without too much of the nuances that drive you guys crazy. I want decent fit without the old injection pin marks. I hear that them being old kits, I probably want to replace the decals. Yes? Thanks for the reply Shellback. I’m looking at a Kate and a Jack among others.
As I understand it, Otaki kits were pretty advanced for their day. I have several in my stash, and they look like good kits to me, with nice surface detailing and decent interiors, if not up to modern standards. If you can get them for a good price, I say go for it.
There are 2 choices for squadron markings and the decals are thin and colorful . The kits are molded in light gray plastic with very fine recessed revit and panel line detail , maybe just a little to many rivets . There is a pilot figure (basic ) and a 1 piece canopy (closed). Each kit i have came with 2 sheets of instructions, one in English and one in Japanese .The instructions are easy to follow .
If you can get them at a decent price I would have to say go for it. I have built 3 Otaki kits and loved building each of them. The only problem I had with them is that the instructions are in japanese. But other than that I had no problems at all.
The Otaki kits were pretty fair kits in their day and still hold up well. The Nichimo Oscar is probably one of the best 1/48th scale kits for it’s age that has ever been produced in my opinion. I’ve got 3 of them and they are something else. I can take one of mine that has the major parts off of the sprue and dry fit the fuselage halves, wings and cowling together without and adhesive and they stay together because the fit is so tight. There is plenty of detail in the cockpit on that one too, nice engine etc… Simply amazing for it’s age truly. as far as the other nichimo kits I’d have to say they are hit or miss at best. I believe the Nichimo Ki-45 Nick (Toryu) maybe on par with the Ki-43 Oscar (Hayabusa) but I can’t swear to it.
Tracy
P.S. One problem with the Oscar is a very fiddly engine mount made up of different pieces of rod shaped plastic.
Glad to hear the high opinions of these old kits, as I, too, have several in my stash.
And (holding up a piece of armor plate between tigerman and Shellback[B)]) I’m often with tigerman on detailing—I like to do it, and I do too much for the way most of my models will be displayed,[banghead] but simple is good. Aircraft belong in the air, not with their guts half hanging out on the ground! [:D]
on a scale of 1-10 and 10 being the hasegawa or tamiya new toolings
they still hit with a 7-7.5
I’ve built the Raiden kit, and I’d have to say that besides the seemingly millions of rivets (they actually don’t look too bad, though), It’s a pretty good kit. Definitely not up to the “Hasegamiya” kits, but it’s definitely decent. the fit was pretty good except for the separate cowl flaps/exhausts (a job that is more careful than the one I did may yield better results [:D]) Th e’pit is well detailed for a kit of its age. I added a few scratchbuilt details and a new seat, because mine was a “bagged kit” that wa missing a few parts. at $4-15 for the kits though, they are a steal. I’m also in the process of rebuilding my F6F-3 as a -5 for the WWII carrier a/c group build. Another very nice kit.
As for the decals, the ones in the J2M kit were fine, but tey may have been replacements[%-)]
Thank you all for your time and comments. Since I’m an A/C newbie of sorts, I assume that the rivets are a biscut to weather. Would one do a wash or a pre-shade?
The Nichimo Nick was one I’m watching too, since it is the only 1/48 that I can thus find so far. One review gave it a thumbs up.
The rivets weren’t too bad for me. I would use a wash of a color slightly darker than the scheme.
Thanks Jay. How about recessed panels. Better to wash or pre or post shade? I’ve seen beautiful results each way.
Hey Tiger…
Actually I built both Nichimo kits. The Kate is not a bad kit…lots of oversized detailing in the cockpit but its nice and passable. The biggest problem is the Japanese instructions on both kits. Later I built the Hasegawa Kate…what a difference…went together like a charm. Now the Jake…what a nightmare. Lots’o’Putty should be the trademark. For some ungodly reason the cockpit is a tub-like piece that parts and sits in the fusalege and the seams are a killer… the folding wings droop… absoultly NO detailing in the cockpit…and so on. Very toy like, I never finished the kit, I gave up halfway. Unfortunately I think its the only 1/48 Jake kit…if someone knows of another please let me know. I am a sucker for seaplanes.
Good luck
Carlos
Thank you Carlos. I’m not sure about the Jake. I’ve heard that the instructions can be difficult. I know that the generic Hasegawa painting instructions truely baffle me.
I’ve built a number of the Nichimo and Otaki kits over the years and have never been disappointed with the quality. They were pretty advanced for their day and still look good on the shelf. They definitely affordable, and if you wish, can be imporved with aftermarket accessories and decals. If you find one that appeals to you, grab it up, because I may be the guy that picks it up if you don’t !!!
LOL. Good to hear from you again, it’s been awhile.
They sound like solid kits if one keeps in perspective that no kit is truely perfect. Well Nichimo makes the only Toryu that I have been able to find in 1/48. The Kate certainly intrigues me.
Does Otaki have any relation to Arii? I thought I heard they may have had some of their molds. I had an Arii Hien Tony and it was puttiers paradise.
Hi Carlos
I bought a Jake kit off e-bay recently as it’s the only one of that plane, and I love seaplanes too. I’ll get rid of the wing folds and glue the wings up solid so they don’t droop. I’m also going to try to fit the resin cockpit for the Val into the fuselage to get some detail in there. It will probably need extending lengthways, and I’ll need another seat from somewhere, but it should work out. Maybe not 100% accurate, but at least looking detailed. Swanny has a review of this kit on his web sie and suggests something similar.
When it’s done I’m planning a beach diarama with a Tamiya Pete tied up next to the Jake and a few ground crew working on the planes. I’ve also bought a resin kit of a WW2 japanese fuel tanker that I’ll place by the beach and maybe I’ll scratch build a bamboo hut too. Always something to keep us modellers occupied !
John
Otaki, Arii, Airfix are all the same kit. I have a Frank, Thunderbolt, 109G6, P40, A6M, and a couple of Corsairs to build, someday. They looked pretty good years ago when I bought them. And they stlll look good. This is the Hellcat, I built years ago. No weathering, preshading, or anything. Just oob.
again, I just use a watercolor wash, though I might go a little heavier on the panel lines than the rivets.