This cockpit is two days interspersed with the P-47N work. The model is the Nichimo 1/48 scale Ki-45 Dragon Slayer, Allied code name “Nick”.
I’ll give you this, Swanny, you do not waste any time. I spend at least six months gathering AM parts and photographs before I tear open the clear plastic holding the sprues. BTW, what color is that? The inside that you Nick, I mean.
Swanny, I’m building a 1/72 version, what color did you do for the interior? My directions are fuzzy.
I’m getting a little color shift with the camera, that’s actually Mitsubishi cockpit blue. I don’t know if it is accurate or not as my directions are all in Japanese.
Looks great Swanny. The colour looks a bit bright, It’s probably just the photo.
wow. it looks like a great start.
joe
Nice work Matt, either way I like the color of the pit accurate or not.
Thad
Swanny:
I’m just wondering: When that kit, as I said when you first showed it to us, was considered ahead of its time, and was quite sought after, I’m now wondering how justified that was. It looks pretty nicely detailed so far, but is it a good kit by modern standards? They always looked nice built up, but we were so unused to scribed details back then it was like a technological marvel. Y’know, all those old Otakii kits, which are still in production by someone, and always have been for 30 years, always had good outlines and engraved panel lines. For those not familiar with them, they are excellent starting points for superdetailing with AM parts. The Razorback mustang and the F6F from that line were often used in the days before the Japanese sent us better kits. Pick one up for less than ten bucks and see what I mean. You can find them on sale for as little as 3.99 even now.
Sharkskin, It’s really been very good so far. I think the panel lines and rivet detail are a little bit deep by today’s standards but still very nice. Interior detail is soft, instrument faces are nearly nonexistent and there is a gap in the sidewall that allows you to see the wing stubs - all things that can be fixed. The landing gear locating holes are too big and the parts fit is sloppy there so some care is required getting things aligned. Fuselage and wing panels fit together well, engine detail looks very good. A full kit review and construction feature will be appearing this coming weekend on my site - stay tuned.
Looking good Swanny…looks like you’ve added some detail to the cockpit. I’m not sure about the interior color. The Japanese a/c seem to vary somewhat due to time of manufacture and a/c builder and their interpretations. The NASM’s a/c is a green color not unlike olive drab but its not original. Mikesh’s book suggests there were originally varying shades of green and primed only surfaces in the cockpit. Either way I think yours looks fine and I anxiously await your progress reports!
Joe Youngerman