Scale aviation modeller international

sprues A and B, with just a limited

contribution from D. In total I

would be using just 77 parts.

This overall very favourable

initial impression was further

confirmed by the accompanying

20 page instruction manual, a

monochrome bi-lingual booklet

conveying the 34 assembly stages

in an extremely clear and superbly

illustrated manner, with fully

annotated build and final sub-

assembly drawings throughout.

THE BUILD

This was certainly not to be my

usual project, which involves a

nice complete scale model straight

from the box, with full finish and

markings. My Zoukei-Mura Shinden

was intended to accomplish two

fundamental objectives: to be

a companion to my two earlier

1/48 scale kits from Hasegawa (a

conventional propeller-driven

example and a jet conversion

version), and, first and foremost,

to produce an aircraft with all its

principal novel internal fuselage

features fully exposed to view.

Despite my reservation about

not completing this expensive

model as the manufacturer

intended, it would enable me

to reveal a wealth of detail that

faithfully captures the salient

aspects of this unique design.

Obviously the painting of individual items and sub-assemblies

as the build progressed was essential to enable a clean final

finish

With my partial build well in hand the various sub-assemblies

are gradually merged together revealing the potential of a

fascinating ‘exposed’ display piece

Each 30 mm cannon was a well-crafted single piece, along with

the integrally moulded detail seen in their concentrated nose

mounting

The core behind my partial build, to have the concentrated

quadruple 30 mm cannons in the nose and elongated complex

engine aft all fully exposed

Without any consideration towards additional wiring or

plumbing, I found the high degree of detailing present in the

basic multi-part engine more than enough

Right from the start I was deeply impressed by the high degree

of quality integral mouldings presented, with the complexity of

the one-piece main frame quite astounding

“THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY

NICE UNCOMPLICATED BUILD,

AND I ENDED UP WITH A

WELL-DETAILED EXAMPLE

OF THIS IJNAF FIGHTER

IN MY COLLECTION”

A striking nose view, of particular modelling

interest here in its clear notice of the non-

symmetrical undulating demarcation line

between the dark-green upper and light-grey

lower surfaces

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