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Bob Torres
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The Empire of Japan 1919-1946 GB: Hasegawa 1/72 Kawasaki Ki61(Tony)

January 24, 2022 · in Aviation · · 22 · 1.4K

This is my and it is a very nice kit that was first released in 1973. It is also one of the first kits that Hasegawa made with complete recessed panel lines in which as we closed in to the 80's Hasegawa, Tamiya, Otaki, Fujimi and other Japanese brands pushed our hobby away from kits with raised lines and rivets.

Some scratch building was done to spiff up the cockpit sidewalls. The original decal sheet looked okay but when I used the instrument panel decal it all fell apart. So not wanting to take a chance I ordered a set. I applied the decals that belong to Chuichi Ichikawa's plane. The green three leaf clover looks pretty attractive to my eyes.

All and all I enjoyed this build very much, a nice kit that needed a little work but nothing really bad. And it looks happy hanging out with my other builds.

The complete build can be read by clicking on this link below, thank you.
https://imodeler.com/groups/the-empire-of-japan-1919-1946/forum/topic/hasegawa-1-72-kawasaki-ki61tony/

Reader reactions:
10  Awesome

12 additional images. Click to enlarge.


22 responses

  1. Great work, Bob! Nice to see the airplane in a different scheme from the usual splotched bare metal.

    I did this one a long time ago, as it's my favorite Japanese aircraft.

    • Jaime, thank you. And nice build on your Tony...from reading your Tony article, I was also at Boeing Seatle close to the time you was receiving your training. I was in the first class for Cal mx training starting around the end of September, 1993.

      • Talk about a small world, Bob! I was with Continental as well. I was in maintenance control then gearing up for the delivery of our new 757's. Got to see the prototype 777 there and it flew the week after I left, June 1994.

        • A small world indeed, I worked the line then, and in 95 I was in the RAM team. Later on I was in Boeing for 777 and 767 training too. I bet you and I have talked on the phone back then. My hours were like 24/7 back then, not a good environment to have a hobby with model kits LOL.

  2. This is one of those kits I have multiple copies in my collection but have never built one. The only one I ever built is the 1/72 Revell version. Nice model Bob.

  3. This turned out very nice, the extra detailing really adds realism to the aircraft , A+ , Bob @v1pro !

  4. Amazing job on this classic kit, Bob!
    Congratulations!

  5. Excellent build, Bob @v1pro
    It was a pleasure to follow your building thread.
    Well done.

  6. Turned out great, Bob. I never realized that kit was that old. I built one in the mid 80s and thought it was new then.

    • Thank you John, this kit was ahead of its time. Back in the 70's I built the old Fujimi 1/72 Ki-61. All of the flight controls can be made to move, not very accurate. This Hasegawa kit blows it out of the water.

  7. very good job!

  8. Good looking Tony - well done!

  9. Bob, @v1pro
    It was a pleasure watching you build this Tony. It is my favorite Japanese fighter. I often call it the Japanese Spitfire ... 🙂

    You did a wonderful job with it, and I checked the "like" button. Thanks for participating in our Empire of Japan group build. Should you so desire, you're always welcome to start another Japanese build. Thanks again.

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