Military Illustrated Modeller Issue 003

The Kawasaki Ki-61 is sometimes described as a Japanese Messerschmitt Bf 109 due to the distinctive nose shape associated with the licence-built Daimler-Benz engine. I can't see it myself, but I must be wrong because that's how it is described in all of my references! The first production Ki-61-Is were deployed operationally in April 1943 when the 68th and 78th Sentais arrived in New Guinea. With four .50 calibre machine guns, the Tonys proved to be at least a match for the opposing American fighters, but not strong enough to knock down enemy bombers. This led to more heavily armed versions carrying 20mm and sometimes 30mm cannon. The aircraft I have chosen to represent flew with the 244th Sentai based in Japan at Chofu, performing home defence duties for the Tokyo prefecture under the command of Major Tembico Kobayashi. A photograph of this aircraft appears on page 78 of Robert C. Mikesh's book 'BROKEN WINGS OF THE SAMURAI'. This is a great reference for late war Japanese aircraft paint schemes and especially weathering!

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Historical Figures of Japan

This figure is truly commemorable to me.with which I won the Gold award in Euro Militaire. 1996. I built the kit to image the Battle of Cannae in the 2nd Punic Wars preceded by 70 years to the fall of Carthage at the 3rd Punic Wars designed originally by the kit. The Battle of Cannae was widely known as the battle that the Carthage troops led by the great commander Hannibal annihilated the superior Roman troops with his carefully drawn up tactics. On the face of the figure, the astonishment and the terror to lose the battle after their victory seemed certain came over. I did a contrasty painting on his face to emphasize him sized suddenly with terror. I was not sure to do such a contrasty painting at that time since nobody did it. However. I aquired my confidence in the contrasty painting owing to the Gold award.

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Essential Techniques for the Model Builder

Building a model can be a pretty solitary task - most of us work by ourselves in a corner of the basement or a hobby room. When you finish a model, though, there's nothing like showing it off at a contest or club meeting. However, that means removing the latest masterpiece from the safety of your workbench and exposing it to the seemingly endless hazards of the outside world. Sooner or later, you'll probably "prang" a model when you're unpacking it far from home. Antennas and canopies get knocked off, seemingly secure parts let go, and perfectly applied finishes get dinged. And although most contest judges will overlook problems if you add a "damaged in transit" note to your model-entry form, no one wants to put out a freshly broken model for display.
Thankfully, a lot of traveling damage is minor and can usually be repaired in the field if you have the right tools. Traveling with a small well-stocked "model first-aid kit" will help you restore your models to fighting trim.

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Max Modeller Issue 3

One of the many designs produced to the same RLM reqirements that eventually saw the Me 163 go into production, was this one from the firm of Skoda-Kauba. It was to be a ram jet aircraft that was trolley launched and fitted with retractable skids for landing. Produced by A & V resin, this kit was a joy to build with the minimum amount of filler and only a little extra detailing of the cockpit required. A standard 76/81/83 camouflage was applied using Xtracolor and an Aztec airbrush. A launch trolley is not included with the kit, so one was scratch built using evergreen plastic of various types and some wheels and RATO rockets from my collection of spares. After painting in RLM02 the trolley adds the finishing touch to a good looking model.

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