Ki-100 In-progress Pics

[matrixone]

This is the start of my what-if Ki-100 build being made from the 1/48 scale Arii kit
I wanted the cockpit to at least be close to the real aircraft but the model is not even close to resembling the full size 'pit' so I did the best I can with what I had to work with.
It does not look very good in this pic with the weathering overstated, but when I did a dry fit of the cockpit with the closed fuselage halves it look O.K. to me.

By Sunday I might have more in-progress pics of this model and the two Fw 190s I am also working on, one will be whiffed the other 'real'.



Matrixone

[Chap]

Looks great Matrix, can't wait to see what you have in store for this one.

~Steve

[matrixone]

Thanks Steve,
So far this model is shaping up nicely, the fuselage, wings, and drop tanks are glued together with no trouble at all and the landing gear and inner gear doors are all painted. I also got the canopy test fitted and all trimmed up ready for installation. The engine has been finished with all the paintwork and is drying right now, after its dry it will take only a few minutes to glue together and attach to the fuselage.
The mainwheels are not very good and have big ejector pin marks on the tires and it will take a few coats of Mr. Surfacer 500 to build up this area.
I'm not sure about the squadron markings this airplane will have, I might have to come up with my own design and mask and spray some fictional markings.

No new pictures today, it rained AGAIN!

Matrixone

Below are one of last weeks pics of the engine parts of the Ki-100 and to the left is my Fw 190D-9 whiff and behind it a Fw 190F-8.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Ki100, Hmmmmm, I'm fairly certain that you have probably got another winner already planned, but wouldn't it just look great in one og those Jg54 Fw190 summer schemes (you know the ones in the multiple greens and browns) with lots of yellow theatre markings....

Sorry, got carried away there.... Looking forward with the rest of the guyz to see how this one turns-out.

Ian

[matrixone]

Thanks Ian!
This one won't have German markings, it will have some sort of fictional Japanese markings. Also I plan to weather this model more than I usually do.

Matrixone

[Allan]

Hi Matrix
I once put together the 100 kit that you're making, but didn't really like it. The design of the plane is a big yawn, so you can imagine how much I'm eager to see what you're planning to do with it. The 100 just doesn't have the glamour of the Hayate (Frank-sleek design if ever there was one) or the Raiden (Jack--my fav).
I'm sure you're going to stun us again with a new triumph!
Allan in Canberra

[matrixone]

Allan,
I agree the Ki-100 is not a very flashy design and had a limited combat career but I kind of like doing a less well known airplane once in a while plus the fact that this will be my first Japanese what-if makes this an interesting model for me. Also trying to do a very weathered finish on this one and have it look right will be a challange to me. There are three books about Japanese planes and their camouflage colors that I have on order and I have been re-reading the few books on that subject that I do have in order to learn more about the camouflage colors and how they looked after they are weathered a bit. I have kits of the Zero, Tony, Tojo, and others in my stash that I want to build one of these days and don't want to rely on the kit instructions for information on the colors and markings because after building many Luftwaffe a/c models I know how far off some kit instructions can be on camouflage colors!

Matrixone

[Allan]

Matrix
Ain't that the truth. Here at the Canberra War Memorial you can see on display Saburo Sakai's Zero, at least from underneath and then sideways if you go up to the mezzazine floor. The Tony and Zero are to me okay designs, but just okay, and as for the the Tojo, well it always seems to me that its wings are slanting forward.
But the Raiden, hoo boy, that is a nice plane!!!
When I was a student in Japan in about 1978 or so my next door neighbour told me that as a youngster of about 17 he used to fly Tonyies from the factory to the homeland airfields.
There is a war museum outside of Kyoto that believe it or not has a Hayate on display outdoors under some sort of metal rain protector. Security is a little lax and so there is no real obstacle to actually hopping in the cockpit. At least that was the case in about 1980. Hope things have changed.
Better let you get back to your 100, Matrix.
Allan in Canberra

[Radish]

I must admit I've a tendency to like Japanese aircraft designs.
The Ki-100, a match of the ki-61 fuselage and a radial, turned out to be one of the best fighter aircraft of WW2 almost by accident.
The Ki-61 is lovely though. I like the fact that it was mis-identified as either a Bf-109 or even a Macchi C.202 or C.205 though.
I plan various Bf-109s and Macchis therefore in Japanese colouring.
I admit, the colours of Japanese aircraft is a super subject, and their application and weathering is glorious to view.
I'm looking forward to this indeed, but as Ian said, it'd sure look "bonzer" in Fw-190A colours!

[matrixone]

Allan,
I may be wrong but AFAIK the Hayate is now indoors and safe. How lucky you are to have been able to sit in the cockpit of that plane! I am envious.
The Raiden is cool but the Ki-44 with its tiny stubby wings is also interesting to me and the Ki-61 is also a fine looking design, I will be getting the 1/32 scale Hasegawa kit ASAP.

Radish,
I am starting to really like a few of the Japanese designs. The Japnese had some good looking single engine fighters but the Dinah and Ki-83 are two of the best looking twin engine designs of ANY nation, yes even better than the Ta 154!

Update pictures for sure this weekend, the sun is back!

Matrixone

[Allan]

Yes Matrix
As usual Matrix      you are very up to date   , because just the other day I decided to kill some time    by actually looking on the net for that Kyoto museum only to find that, just as you said, the Hayate has been moved to the island of Kyushu at a a former kamikaze base.
I imagine it's being looked after better there.
Sorry about all the smilies, but my wife    was watching me write this message and wanted me to show her how to insert them into my message.
On another matter, another fine thing on display at that Kyoto museum is one of the Mongol reflex bows  that so stunned the Japanese samurai during the aborted Mongol attempted invasions of, when was it, about 1300?
Allan in Canberra

[matrixone]

Here is another in-progress pic.

The engine is finished, that was the easy part. There was a gap at the rear of the wing roots that were pretty big and much of my modelling time was spent filling and sanding this area. Ditto for one of the other models I am working on, the Dragon Fw 190D-9. The Fw 190 was much more difficult to sand because I was trying to save the wing root details, the Ki-100 was very easy by comparison.

The rest of the assembly should go very quickly and by next weekend I should have the airframe ready for primer and its first coats of paint. Next weekend is a long weekend for me and get five days off in a row!  So I expect to get a lot done on my models.

Matrixone

[matrixone]

...and another pic, the cowl is not glued on but just pressed into place for this picture.

Matrixone

[matrixone]

This is a book that is now out of print but if you see it for sale at a good price you should get it, its very good and unlikely to be surpassed any time soon.

[BlackOps]

Lookin' good Matrix! Do you ever feel cheated that after making the engine and cockpit look real nice that you can hardly see them when assembled?