Given the name 'Hayabusa' (Peregrine Falcon) by the Japanese and 'Oscar' by the Allies,
Nakajima's Ki-43 is the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's equivalent of
the Zero. The model depicts an early variant of the Oscar flown by Major
Tateo Kato of the 64th Sentai, which took part in the invasion of Malaya
(now Malaysia) and Singapore.
I build the
model straight out of the box including the decals. The model was sprayed
overall NMF using Tamiya 'Bare Metal Silver' (AS-12) followed by IJA Green
(XF-13) for the upper fuselage. Paint chipping is done using the dymo tape
method. However I think that I have overdone the chipping as the Oscar is
fairly new at the outbreak of war in December 1941. Aerial (antenna) wire
is made from fishing line.
As can be seen from the photos, I need to brush up my photography skills
(and my modeling skills too!)
Hairil
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