I have been in something of a funk the last few months, which is why this is my first completion since June. I had some aftermarket decals for a captured Dora, so I picked up this kit.

Assembly presented no problems, as is the norm with Tamiya kits. I had chosen the D-9 from Karaya decals D4807 Captured Butcherbirds vol. VI. The decals instructions simply said standard D-9 camouflage, so I assumed RLM 76 on the bottom and RLM 75 and RLM 82 on the top. The 76 was my mix of XF-2 and XF-23, mixed 50:50, and I used XF-54 Dark Sea Grey for the 75 and XF-61 Dark Green for the 82. Since this build was intended to get me out of my rut, I wasn't too concerned with getting the colors just right. Except for the wing root, the camouflage was freehanded.

I used Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Finish as the pre-decal gloss coat, and also as the decal setting agent. It worked well. However, while I was constructing the kit, I noticed that the subject required eight red stars, but the decal sheet only had six, so I used two stars from Eagle Strike 48134 Russain National Insignia WWII for the bottom of the wings. When I applied the decals to the side of the fuselage, I realized they were a bit too large - although perhaps the kit is a bit undersized. At any rate, I used two more decals from the Eagle Strike sheet for the markings on the fin.

Page last updated June 15, 2023.