I joined recently and decided to make a post about my current ongoing build, a Tachikawa Ki-94 from RS models.



First i separated the cowling from the rest of the fuselage, I didn't like the molded-in look of the original model.



I thinned the plastic and made cuts inbetween the cowl flaps, so they could be in a slightly open position.



I then looked at reference drawings and scribed in the required new lines and rivets into primer, on one half only before I glued the two halves together.



The pressurized cockpit tub was also completed, sadly there was a complete lack of reference material regarding the interior, and the instructions were laughably bad. I used my imagination and slightly modified it, then painted the interior in grey indigo.



The two halves were then glued together and I started sanding and filling the seam inbetween.

That is all I have done so far and will continue to update as I build the kit.
Suggestions are very welcome.

The only picture of the pressurized cockpit tube I have found. It don't really show anything
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I also found some pictures of the cockpitt in the Ki-94 I. Maybe Tachikawa just repeated this layout in the Ki-94 II ?
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Nice. 

That canopy frame is so thick! If all canopy frames were like that then model kits would all be in scale!
This looks great so far. I'll be watching for more.

Thank you all.

Quote from: mat on November 19, 2024, 04:01:17 AMThe only picture of the pressurized cockpit tube I have found. It don't really show anything
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Thank you, I had not seen this image before, seeing the canopy at least will be useful.

Quote from: mat on November 19, 2024, 04:06:39 AMI also found some pictures of the cockpitt in the Ki-94 I. Maybe Tachikawa just repeated this layout in the Ki-94 II ?

Thank you for the images, however from my knowledge the Ki-94 II had a different design team and the instrument panel sketches I've seen are different from the Ki-94 I.



I am still considering whether to install the canopy as-is or modify it so that it is in an open position. Might be too much work considering how the canopy fitting isn't stellar.

I seem to have made a mistake, it turns out the cockpit of the Ki-94 was painted in Ohryoku Nana Go Shoku (olive brown) - the same colour as the topside of late war army aircraft, and not Hairanshoku (ash indigo), which was mostly discontinued in 1943.

This is whifworld - it hardly matters! 

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on November 20, 2024, 04:42:42 AMThis is whifworld - it hardly matters! 

          

Press on! I won't tell......

Well, I guess this gives me a reason to go with the closed canopy now 

On the other hand, I'm thinking of applying a simple late war colour scheme, chipped olive brown on the topside with the underside being bare metal. I was thinking of going with the prototype orange initially but I decided to make this a production model.

Inspiration taken from here.

It's all about the story. Someone found a bucket of the old paint in a back room and decided to use it up. Works for me all the time!

That is certainly a possibility in my alt-history scenario.

The Big Bosses were coming to 'inspect progress' and the correct paint hadn't yet been delivered so it was a case of 'any paint pot in a storm', and telling the Big Bosses that '......it's in primer sir.......'. 

Kit's 2nd Rule applies of course, as ever.