Yeah, I didn’t really paint that.
Yet another “to archive” kit (really, I have three projects that will be done pretty soon) from the past, the Fine Molds 1/48 Ki-43-II Hayabusa. This was my first Fine Molds kit. I had read good things about this company and decided to splurge on this one when I ran across it at the old Ace Hardware in Berkeley Years ago.
This one lived up to expectations. Great fit, good detail, and best of all, and a great surprise, decals for the camouflage scheme! I've been asked numerous times how I got such a good finish on the paint job. I fess up and say, “Yeah, I didn't paint that. Those are decals.” They are off a little here and there but, they do look pretty good if I do say so myself.
Now, if I could only find some 1/48 camo decals for that Tamiya “Tony.”
Nice build Scott. The decals work extremely well.
Looks great Scott! I would have never guessed the camouflage squiggles were decals. Always wanted to try a Fine Molds kit and thanks to you, I will.
That old downstairs Berkeley Ace Hardware Hobby Shop is still around. It moved along with Ace down the street and around the corner to Milva and Addison. Like most hobby shops, it’s downsized considerably but it still has the clubhouse vibes. One of only two hobby shops left in the entire East Bay.
Nicely done! Hobby shops, an endangered species.
Great looking model. And high marks for landing those decals very well.
I have fond memories of the monthly visit to Berkeley Ace Hardware, then walking down to Shattuck to the Bank of America building for the basement meeting of Golden Gate IPMS. Way back in the early Jurassic, when there were three hobby shops in Berkeley f'r chrissakes!
Very nice result on this, Scott.
Great result indeed, Scott!
Decals look great! But, I bet they took "some modeling skill" to be applied.
Congratulations on this!
Well, miracles do happen! You can never know, we live in the golden era of modeling!
Incredible decals I would say.
It really looks great and saved you from a challenging paint job.
G'day Scott,
Love it.
I wouldn't tell, if I were you.
Paint! We don't need no stinkin paint. Wow decals, she look great, nicely done Scott.
Looks nice - decals and all!
Hi Scott,
Impressive result, very convincing!
Instead of decals, you should have a look on stencils made by Vallejo, AK or Eduard. May help for airbrushing ?
Great work on one of the prettiest radial-engined planes of WWII! I used to love going down into the basement of Berkeley Hardware to check out all the oddball kits they had; I bought a lot of Japanese aircraft there.
Looks great Scott. This scheme would be far above my AB skills at the moment so I would welcome the decals. I did Macchi MC.205 posted somewhere here that made use of smoke ring decals. If you look closely at the decals, the smoke rings look like they are spray painted on