Banzai!…1/48 Nakajima B5N1 Type 97 Model 1 “Kate” Imperial Japanese Navy

June 19, 2020 · in Aviation · · 18 · 2.9K

14/2020

After the Sonia, here´s my dad´s second contribution to the Empire of Japan group build.
This time an early version of the Kate bomber in an unusual and rare camo scheme, operated by the 12th Flying Group over southern China in 1939.

Hasegawa kit, Eduard seatbelts, camo done with MRP Silver, Tamiya XF-52 Flat Earth and Gunze H59 IJN Green. The decals of this specific kit weren´t good. Tended to tear apart and especially the outer areas of the roundels slightly popped up again. So partly removed them again, used roundels form another Hasegawa Kate kit. The ones for the fuselage were slightly smaller so had to do some repainting too.
Antenna wires were done with EZ Line.

Build thread here
https://imodeler.com/groups/the-empire-of-japan-1919-1946/forum/topic/hasegawa-1-48-nakajima-b5n1-kate-imperial-japanese-navy/

Reader reactions:
15  Awesome

19 additional images. Click to enlarge.


18 responses

  1. A great job all around

  2. Those antenna wires are awesome, those always drive me nuts! Great build!

  3. This is a great build, Reinhard.
    This technique of masking would have been a good idea for my recently build D.XXI
    Yours looks beautiful.

    • Thanks! Well you nevertheless achieved a nice result 😉
      My father does it often. Scanning the painting instructions, bringing them to model size, printing them, cutting out the patterns and fixing the pieces onto to model with bits of UHU patafix/blue-tac.

  4. Now THAT'S camo !

  5. Fantastic camo scheme - you do not see that everyday. Great job indeed.

  6. Excellent - love the different camo scheme, and the weathering looks great!

  7. Not a kit one sees built up that often. Excellent work, and I love the out of the ordinary camo scheme, which is beautifully realized.

  8. Very well done, I really like your B5N! That´s a modelling gem!

  9. Just love the whole model, from camo style to contrasts and details.

  10. Very sharp work, I really like the camo scheme.

  11. Reinhard, @grimreaper
    Your Dad has completed a real masterpiece here with this Kate. I have had the pleasure of watching it come to life with your fabulous build journal. What I really like the best about this build is the last thing he added... the antenna wires. The camouflage is perfect...and the asymetric bomb load is rather odd.

    I'll bet you are very proud of him and his work. Well done my friend, and I thank you again for joining our group.

    "liked"

  12. Excellent work, Reinhard!
    It was a pleasure to follow your build from the start.
    The paint scheme is unusual and very beautifully executed too.
    Comgratulations!

  13. Thank you for sharing the journey over in EoJ GB. What a nice result! I will have to pust the "like" button on this one!

  14. Many thanks to all of you for your comments, kind words and likes!

  15. Best looking camo scheme I have seen for ages.

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