Kawanishi N1K7 Jetrex

zenrat · June 21, 2015, 04:24:07 AM

In the closing months of the Second World War the Japanese Kawanishi aircraft company fitted an Ne-10 centrifugal flow turbojet into the front of an N1K1 Kyofu dividing the tailpipe into two to exit via the wingroots. And thus the N1K7 was created.

N1K7 Jetrex 007 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

N1K7 Jetrex 015 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

N1K7 Jetrex 010 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

N1K7 Jetrex 016 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

N1K7 Jetrex 001 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The model is a 1/72 Hasegawa late model Kawanishi N1K1 Kyofu (Rex). The second part of an early/late double kit. I built it mainly to try out hairspray weathering but was inspired by a picture posted elsewhere on the forum to make it jet powered. The Rex has very thick wing root fairings which when cut away made for the ideal places for the tailpipes to exit. The tailpipes are scratchbuilt and the thingo in the intake is the tip of a drop tank. Other than that (and the pilot - who is an Elheim figures helicopter pilot) it's built OOB.
Paint is Silver car paint sprayed on from a rattle can followed by hairspray followed by brushed on Vallejo acrylics. I didn't use any decals.

Dizzyfugu · June 21, 2015, 04:37:20 AM

Lovely paint finish!

Sticky Fingers · June 21, 2015, 05:38:10 AM

Love everything about this!

Librarian · June 21, 2015, 06:00:40 AM

....and leaves you wondering WHY? everyone had a problem with a jet floatplane. Wouldn't that have worked? Those exhausts just belong in the wing roots. Fantastic

.

ericr · June 21, 2015, 06:11:20 AM

PR19_Kit · June 21, 2015, 04:13:22 PM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on June 21, 2015, 04:37:20 AM
Lovely paint finish!

What Dizzy said, it's superb!

Does that beaching trolley come with the kit? If not, what's its source please?

Some people didn't have problems with jet floatplanes, the Saro SRA/1 and the Convair Sea Dart worked OK. It was just that the forces they were designed for didn't want them in the end.

zenrat · June 21, 2015, 07:44:02 PM

Thanks folks.
I think I got a bit carried away removing paint (only meant to expose the leading edges and other wear prone areas) but it does look good doesn't it?
Kit - the trolley comes in the kit.

Tophe · June 21, 2015, 10:29:56 PM

Wow! Great model (and great invention)!

sandiego89 · June 22, 2015, 03:35:50 AM

Really great. Like the split exhausts very much.

NARSES2 · June 22, 2015, 06:45:44 AM

Come out well sir

Captain Canada · June 22, 2015, 06:49:28 AM

Looks great. Love the weathered look.

DogfighterZen · June 23, 2015, 11:35:55 AM

Beautiful finish on that thing!! I wouldn't worry about overdoing it like that, it looks real good!

Army of One · June 23, 2015, 03:06:20 PM

That looks great.......what a spanking build........

zenrat · June 24, 2015, 03:52:31 AM

Thanks folks

Librarian · June 24, 2015, 04:20:12 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 21, 2015, 04:13:22 PM
Quote from: Dizzyfugu on June 21, 2015, 04:37:20 AM
Lovely paint finish!

Some people didn't have problems with jet floatplanes, the Saro SRA/1 and the Convair Sea Dart worked OK. It was just that the forces they were designed for didn't want them in the end.

Granted...I assumed they did 'cos the Saro looked like a tugboat with two engines attached and the Sea Dart was an attempt at a supersonic fighter floatplane. No one seemed to have come up with a useful battleship-based scout/fighter jet floatplane, or was this an obsolete concept after the war?