Nakajima Ki-27 - part 2

 I posted part 1, covering the build back in May 2019 but forgot to post photos of the finished models. 

The enormous decal sheet offered lots of options. These are from 1st (left) and 27th Flight Regiments. 

They’re neat little things, and like the P-26 Peashooters I recently completed, very much of their era. Expect to see them (and the P-26s) in a game later this year. 

Hurried Hasegawa Heinkel - part 2. Off to Spain...

 Here is the finished item, resplendent in Spanish Nationalist markings.

And here it is flying over some boxes of toys being readied for last week's games.

Hurried Hasegawa Heinkel - part 1

 

I’ve had this ancient kit for a while and dug it out to build a few weeks ago. It’s moment finally arrived yesterday.  

Being a kit of a certain vintage the parts are reassuringly few in number.  Aside from a few issues with flash the parts fit was really pretty good. The decal sheet is rather past it’s best but I don’t need the Luftwaffe markings anyway. Regular readers will have already guessed why.  

After allowing the sub-assemblys to dry overnight, I glued it all together.  It certainly looks like an He.51 to me!  

Nakajima Ki-27 - part 1

Having sorted my Japanese infantry and medium tanks for Nomonhan. It was time to expand the air power. This Hasegawa kit looked a bit pricey at about £12, but it actually contains two kits. And a huge decal sheet. The Ki-27 was the most important Japanese Army fighter in 1939 and acquitted itself well against the Soviet Polikarpov I-15 and I-16. 

The parts were crisply moulded.....

....and went together well.

See what I mean about the decal sheet?

Phinished Phantom

Here is the completed F-4, with my wooden floor standing in for the Sinai desert.  Stand by for some photos of this bird in action over Golan.

IAF Phantom - part 1

In urgent need of more Israeli aircraft for the Gnuston Heights (1973) game I dug out this aged Hasegawa kit.

Despite it’s age, it is a rather nice kit and went together quite well. In the background and sharing the production line is an Airfix Skyhawk.

MiG-25 - part 3

The mighty Foxbat is now complete.  I kept the paintwork simple and having sprayed the whole thing shiny silver painted in the cockpit windows, nosecone and tailpipes.  Markings were selected from those supplied with the kit.

Being so shiny makes it look even bigger!

MiG-25 part 2

The build is complete. I've not bothered with the enormous missiles which came with the kit as this particular Foxbat will have a recce role. So there we have it - a big pointy bit of plastic which by the time you read this will be painted silver. 

MiG-25 Foxbat part 1

Who doesn't love the Foxbat?  Most of us will recall hearing it described as a new Soviet 'wonder weapon' in the 1970s, when it's supposed Mach 3.2 speed seemed to render NATO's less zippy Phantoms and Mirages relics of the past.  Of course, the truth  - vacuum tubes and all - soon emerged, assisted by the defection of Lt. Viktor Belenko who in 1976 obligingly landed his Foxbat in Japan.  He was even thoughtful enough to bring along the pilot's manual for the type.  Though Belenko's MiG was subsequently returned to the Sovs it had been thoroughly dismantled by the US Air Force.  Presumably to make packing it easier....

Unlike the sensible US personnel who when faced with a  big pile of Foxbat bits simply sent them back to Russia, I plan on assembling mine.  It's an old Hasegawa kit which - tatty box aside - looks to be in good fettle.

The initial build went pretty smoothly, though I'm continually surprised by how huge it is.  Some of the panel gaps are a bit hairy so I can't see my version cracking Mach 3 anytime soon.

See what I mean about those panel gaps?