Hasegawa 1/72 Nakajima Ki43-II Hayabusa

[flyjoe180]

I have a few of these 1/72 Hasegawa Second World War Japanese aeroplanes. They look pretty good, and I needed something to keep me interested while I wait for my other project to dry. It's a bit like the model-making version of chain smoking!

The Nakajima Ki43-II is a basic kit, no doubt superseded by the recent Arma Hobby releases. This one has restrained raised detail, which is different to the others I have. It builds up nicely and quickly, after one day I'm almost ready for paint!

What you get in the box:

Beautiful artwork with an Oscar over what is probably an unfortunate B-25.


Typical Hasegawa instructions with Mr Hobby and Mr Color callouts.



Nicely packaged for its age, the clear canopy is in its own little bag for protection. Decals look very nice, no ivory white on this one.

[flyjoe180]

Things happened:

Landing light is moulded on the incorrect wing, so I sanded the starboard (wrong) side and scribed a new one on the port wing leading edge.


Cockpit and fuselage go together quickly, only slowed by the painting required for the cockpit interior and engine. There's not much detail in there; most of it is hidden by the tiny cockpit.


The airframe and other bits are ready for paint already.


This is yet another old gem which goes together with minimum filler or fuss. A great tonic.

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Interesting little model Joe. Never heard of this aircraft.

[flyjoe180]

nteresting little model Joe. Never heard of this aircraft.

Hayabusa is Japanese for the Peregrine Falcon. The Allied codename was 'Oscar'. It was pretty much the Imperial Japanese Army equivalent of the IJN's Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Lightly armed and highly manoeuvrable, but very light compared to Allied fighters.

In 1996 I witnessed an original one that had been restored, inadvertently lift off the ground during a high speed taxi at a well known airshow in New Zealand, which was the first time a Japanese Ki43 had taken off since the war ended. That aircraft was an earlier version, and is now in a museum in the US.

[pjgtech]

Hayabusa is Japanese for the Peregrine Falcon.

Yep True.
When Honda brought out their hyperbike, the Blackbird, (at the time the fastest road bike in Production, 200+mph, later capped at 186mph), Suzuki then brought out their own hyperbike, the Hayabusa, (also capable of 200+mph) stating that "They eat Blackbirds", so the marketing war for hyperbikes was on.... 8-)