1/48 Hasegawa Kawasaki Ki-100 Otsu

by Bill Lachance

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This is my build of Hasegawa's Ki-100 Otsu. It was a very different aircraft, having been converted from the Ki-61 "Tony." The liquid-cooled engine was replaced by a radial, which accounts for the bulbous appearance of the nose.

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I used an Eduard photoetched detail set and a Squadron vac canopy. The kit was started in '98, but I put it back in the box when I lost one of the landing gear scissors. When I restarted building it, I replaced the lost part with one made from the metal of a pastry tin. The photoetched flaps were a chore to build, but look good in the end. I replaced the gunsight "glass" with one made from thin clear sheet.

Based on photos of a restored aircraft, I painted the cockpit and wheel wells with Model Master Olive Drab, rather than the "sandy brown" suggested in the directions. The hydraulic lines on the landing gear legs were made from micro solder. Ignition wires were added to the engine with fine copper wire.

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I painted the aircraft with the out-of-production AeroMaster Warbird acrylic Kawasaki Green for the topside camo, and Red Brown Primer for the prop and spinner. I mixed a slightly lighter green for the fabric control surfaces.

The lower surfaces, flaps, and landing gear were painted with different shades of Alcad. Some panels received Dullcote to vary the sheen a little. The bottoms of the ailerons and elevators were painted with Model Master Japanese Army Gray.

Weathering, especially paint chipping, seems to be taken to extremes on many Japanese aircraft builds. The paint used by the Japanese chipped no more than other aircraft in the same theater. Paint that did chip was due to a lack of primer. I have included a wartime pic of this aircraft. You can find nearly 3,00 wartime pics of Japanese aircraft here: http://www.warbirdpix.com/armynavy.htm It is very useful for answering questions of what degree of weathering is appropriate for a particular aircraft. It is one of my main sources for WW II reference pics.

This was an enjoyable build of a unique aircraft. I hope you enjoyed it also.

Bill

Visit my website to see other models of mine, I also build models on commission.  http://www.pix.prettyneatinc.com/

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Photos and text © by Bill Lachance