After completing the Academy Bf 109G-6, I decided I had had enough of 1/72 scale. I actually packaged up most of my 1/72 stash and put it up for sale on Hyperscale and ARC. I found that building a 1/72 kit took almost as long as building a 1/48 kit, masking - particularly of the canopy - was harder, and it did not look as impressive on the shelf once completed. I kept a few, mostly ones that I'd already started or ones that I could use to practice a NMF. While the kits were sitting in boxes, waiting for me to list them, I pulled this one out and started it. I wanted to try yet another technique for NMF.

The kit was pretty easy to assemble and it went together quickly. I used a Tamiya mix I had lying around for the cockpit. It wasn't the critical, since there really is no cockpit - just the tub. I used Mr. Color C-58 Orange Yellow for the IFF bands on the front of the wings, and for the drop tanks. It was actually difficult to cover the primer. After masking the bands, I used Tamiya X-1 Black as a primer, thinning with Tamiya Lacquer Thinner. I masked the anti-glare panel and the walkway marking on the wing, and used Testors CreateFX Aluminum for the NMF. I wanted to see if this paint was repackaged Floquil Old Silver, or close to it. It wasn't, and didn't spray well at all. I tried using a Xylene substitute, which I've successfully used with other enamel paints, and also lacquer thinner. Neither worked terribly well.

The propellor blades and spinner were painted Mr. Color C-131 Propellor Color. The landing gear was painted CreateFX Aluminum, the same paint that was used for the exterior. I think I used Model Master Acryl Flat Black for the tires. For the exhaust, I used Testors Rubber from the 1/4 ounce jar. I had used this paint for tires before and noticed it is actually a very dark brown. I thought the exhausts came out well, both with regards to color and keeping the paint where it belonged!

I had to enlarge the holes for the drop tanks. I used a #55 bit, which was perfect.

I used Model Master Metalizer Sealer for the gloss coat. The decals were from Aeromaster, and are from the kit. Apparently, at some point Hasegawa released a series of kits with Aeromaster decals. There were a couple in the batch of 1/72 kits I sold that also had Aeromaster decals. According to the instructions, these decals represent an aircraft from 70th Hiko-sentai, 3rd Chutai, Kashiwa Airfield, Chiba, Japan in June of 1945. The pilot was Chutai leader Captain Yoshio Yoshida. This aircraft was also an option in the Otaki/Arii kit - as a matter of fact, I used those decals in one of my builds - so I assume it was a well-documented plane. I used Right Step Matte finish, thinned with Jason Jones reducer, for the flat coat.

If you look closely, or even not-so-closely, you will notice there is no antenna mast on the cowling. I could not get the mast to attach, so I just left it off, as I was rather frustrated with the kit by then.

Page last updated June 15, 2023.