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This is a short-run injection kit in typical MPM quality (flash on some parts, no assembly pins, thick sprue gates, nice engraved panel lines though). The kit is rather simple, just 28 parts. Cockpit is quite complete but can be detailed. I used a control stick and a seat from an Airfix Bf 109E. A 2 strap?? PE harness is included. An excellent instrument panel is provided. It consists of an instrument photo-etched placard and a piece of film containing the instruments which is meant to be sandwiched between the placard and a backing part. Two chunky parts should represent the side fuel tanks and must be refined. Wheels are also very crude and were replaced for parts taken from a Hasegawa Bf 109G. Dolly was also detailed. Landing skid is molded integrally with the fuselage in the retracted position. Tail wheel is also represented in the retracted position. Tail to fuselage joint is awful and needs tons of putty to correct. A new dorsal blade antenna was made form plasticard. The vacuum formed canopy is thin, clear and good fitting. I'm not quite sure about this plane finish (I'm no Japanese aircraft expert). Based on my sources I painted it Tamiya XF11 Japan Navy Green which seems fine to me. The kit's instructions state to paint the lower tail bare metal. I did it, but I'm not sure whether it's correct or not.
Version : First prototype. First and only flight test at Yokosuka on 7.7.1945 flown by Lt. Cdr. Toyohiko Inuzuka. The plane crashed and the pilot died trying a high speed landing due to engine failure.
| KIT | Mitsubishi J8M1 Shusui - MPM 1/72 |
| COMMENTS | Flash on some pieces, good detail though, tail-fuselage mismatch (tons of putty) |
| MODIFICATIONS | Detailed cockpit (stick and seat substituted), wheels substituted, new nozzle |
| REFERENCES | Me 163 Aero Series 17, E.T. Maloney & U.Feist, Aero Publishers
Model Art 348 - German Jets War Prizes, P. Butler, Midland Counties Rocket Fighter, M. Ziegler, A & A Press Waffen Arsenal 32 Me 163, M. Ziegler, Pallas Verlag Waffen Arsenal 113 Me 163, M. Emmerling, Pallas Verlag |
| PAINT | General - Upperside Tamiya XF 11 J.N. Green, Underside Tamiya
X11 C. Silver Airbrush mix - 1 Paint + 1 Tamiya thinner Varnish - Tamiya Semi-Gloss Airbrush mix - 1 Paint + 1 Alcohol Detail - Cockpit : Tamiya 5 XF62 + 2 XF2 mix, seat-belts : XF60 Dark Yellow, hubs : Tamiya 5 XF62 + 2 XF2 mix, tires : Tamiya XF63+X18 mix. All brush painted |
| EXTRAS | Airfix Bf 109 E seat, Hasegawa Bf 190 G wheels |
| DECALS | From the kit (good and thin) |
| FINISHED | December 96 |
| HOURS | 6 |