Otaki 1/48 Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate "Frank"
Another old build that I decided to do a little work to. This was originally finished as a factory fresh build since the markings are from the second prototype of the Ki-84. This is an Otaki kit that was first released in 1973. Not too many parts with recessed panel lines and lots of recessed rivets! When I built it in 1986, I remember enjoying the build very much and it did not take too many days to build.
This past week I decided to bring it to our club meeting and the theme was "A Touch of Silver." Before taking it to our meeting I went ahead to do some work to it since it has been on the shelf for a long time and ignored. The finish at the empennage area had some dark tarnished water stains. I was able to clean off some of it but the factory clean look was gone. So I went ahead and used some of Tamiya's Panel Line Accent (black) on it and rubbed off the extra by using low odor thinner. Any accent on the recess lines removed by the cleaning process was touched up by using a black pencil. I was trying to limit the dirtying process and still have it look like a plane that was near the factory and used for test flights.
The silver applied was done by using Testor's Silver Spray can and the flight control surfaces I airbrushed Tamiya's acrylic grey silver. Future was used for the gloss coats and the flat black anti-glare was airbrushed with Poly-S paint.
I think high lighting the lines and rivets helped it and the water stains blended in with the rest. Another old build brought back to life!
What a great refurbishing, a regeneration, might I say, my friend Bob! Looks like it was finished yesterday and looking excellent all over!
Well done!
Thank you Spiros!
Nearly fourty years and still in perfect shape, Bob @v1pro
A great looking Frank.
Thank you John, yes this one is holding up nicely.
Nice as always Bob!
Thank you Marcus!
I've built several Otaki kits and enjoyed building them. Back in 73 the rivets were made fun of. Flash forward and rivets and recessed panel lines are the norm. Otaki was ahead of its time. The parts count is not excessive and some of the kits are reasonably accurate. The Hellcat comes to mind.
Bob, your Phoenix Frank looks like a contemporary build. Looks like you had some fun in bring back this kit into the light.
Stephen, thank you! I am glad this build was in good shape. Some of my other reworks needed new undercarriages, propeller blades, antennas and aerials. This one was a tame one. And yes I agree with the Otaki kits, the Hellcat is a great looking kit.
That's a great restoration Bob @v1pro! π And, it inspires me to take a second look at some of my old models. Good show indeed! π
Thank you Gary, I like seeing some of the older builds come back to life again.
looks really good for an old set!
Thank you Lis!
That's a cool refurb Bob great finish. I like the old Otaki kits small number of parts and always a pleasant build π Nicely done π
Thank you Guy, those old Otaki kits were a joy to build.
Excellent work ! Otaki / Arii kits are some of the best from their time period. They still build up nice today and donβt have the huge parts count many modern kits do.
Thank you Jay, totally agree on the Otaki's parts count. I've always enjoyed seeing a built Otaki kit at the club meetings or an the bigger events shows.
Well done on the "touch-up" job, Bob.
Thank you Gary.
Good to see this old Frank enjoying a second life, I wish I could be refurbished so easily.
George, yes it is good to see it back.
Nicely done, great refurb.
Robert, thank you.
Nice refurb, and a good-looking model!
Greg, thank you.
I love it Bob. The Hayate is my favorite Japanese Fighter by far and those OTAKI kits are great.
Thank you David. I really enjoyed building these old Otaki kits back then. I still think they are great kits to build.