Just completed this one. Special attack pilots were not called kamikazi even though their means of bringing down US B29s was by ramming. They were stripped of cannons etc to lighten the aircraft to help it achieve a higher altitude and a diving attack.
The aircraft modelled is from 244th Flight Regiment, flown by Corporal Maseo Itagaki in 1945 from Chofu
The kit is excellent, typical Hasegawa engineering a real pleasure to build.
This is my first 1/32 NMF and I wanted to use buffable metallics and not seal them with varnish so as to keep the superb metallic effect they give.
I experimented with a Humbrol rattle can for the base coat and while I hated the lack of control the rattle can provides, it does give a good durable finish. I needed to use a lot of elbow grease though to get an acceptable buffed finish but the upside is a lack of 'shedding' of metal flakes after. I also found that I could mask up easily as long as I reduced the tac on the tape. I used my preferred Gunze buffables on some panels to provide more interest and a more realistic metal finish. Vallejo Model Air was other paint used (Humbrol Clear where I needed a gloss finish)
Overall I am pleased with the result and have learned some lessons to get a better NMF in future.
As Special Attack aircraft did not exactly see a high intensity of combat I kept the weathering light, a few paint chips in odd places, some exhaust stains and so on.
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The aircraft modelled is from 244th Flight Regiment, flown by Corporal Maseo Itagaki in 1945 from Chofu
The kit is excellent, typical Hasegawa engineering a real pleasure to build.
This is my first 1/32 NMF and I wanted to use buffable metallics and not seal them with varnish so as to keep the superb metallic effect they give.
I experimented with a Humbrol rattle can for the base coat and while I hated the lack of control the rattle can provides, it does give a good durable finish. I needed to use a lot of elbow grease though to get an acceptable buffed finish but the upside is a lack of 'shedding' of metal flakes after. I also found that I could mask up easily as long as I reduced the tac on the tape. I used my preferred Gunze buffables on some panels to provide more interest and a more realistic metal finish. Vallejo Model Air was other paint used (Humbrol Clear where I needed a gloss finish)
Overall I am pleased with the result and have learned some lessons to get a better NMF in future.
As Special Attack aircraft did not exactly see a high intensity of combat I kept the weathering light, a few paint chips in odd places, some exhaust stains and so on.
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View attachment 90461
View attachment 90462
View attachment 90460
View attachment 90463
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