1/35 Nakajima B5N (Allied reporting name "Kate") carrier-based torpedo bomber
Building this Nakajima B5N2 Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber in 1/35 scale was an immersive dive into the structure, texture, and fatigue of late-war Japanese naval aviation. Known to the Allies as “Kate,” this aircraft played a key role from Pearl Harbor to Midway, and persisted through the grim final chapters of the Pacific air war.
I chose to depict a heavily weathered late-war aircraft, inspired by actual historical photos showing chipped paint, salt damage, and field-repaired surfaces. The fuselage and wing surfaces were treated with layered chipping and hand-applied fading to simulate repeated flight operations under harsh maritime conditions.
🔧 Interior Details
The interior framing and crew positions were a build highlight. The open-frame design reveals the three-crew cockpit structure and gave me the chance to use oil and acrylic washes to build tonal contrast. I kept the tones worn and darkened, reflecting both age and the late-war production materials.
🛠 Structural Elements
You can also see the inner wing spars and tail assembly, left exposed during early construction. These show the model's fine engineering and provided a great opportunity to highlight the structural logic behind the aircraft's silhouette.
📸 Reference-Inspired
One of my main visual inspirations came from a vintage wartime photo (included above), showing a B5N2 in combat-worn condition—paint stripped from engine heat and flight fatigue, with crewmen still climbing aboard.
🎨 Finish
The final paintwork was done using airbrush fading and layered chipping, followed by hand-applied brush streaks and panel accents to break up the symmetry and add realism. I aimed to capture the exhaustion of the plane as much as its structure—this was no longer a pristine Pearl Harbor attacker, but a tired veteran in the final days.
Super job, Alex!
Wow. Excellent work.
Superb build, Alex @superdad1688
The weathering is done nicely, giving it a realistic look.
This is an amazing build, Alex @superdad1688. Just like you i love the Kate (though i only have the Airfix versions) and i never add weapons like bombs to my planes.
Sometimes i look at all my planes and i try to imagine what it was like to kill and die in them.
Beautiful weathering work, Alex. I did not see the manufacturer produced this kit. There stressed skin effects look beautiful.
I always approach WW2, or any combat aircraft as a learning platform, to teach about the past and to honor the men who sacrificed everything for what they believed in, a lot of good men died and deserve to be remembered in some way. Building models is my small way of doing that, never to celebrate war, but to honor good men from all sides of the conflicts these subjects were part of.
Your words gave me goosebumps. After enduring years of wars—both against foreign powers and within our own country—my family suffered deeply, losing loved ones both directly and indirectly. I truly share your pain and understand your feelings.
1/35: It's a rare scale in airplane models, and the cost is surprisingly affordable. The level of detail and quality of the materials far exceeded my expectations.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/border-model-bf-005-nakajima-b5n2-type-97-carrier-attack-bomber-kate--1425540
A lovely build - the paint and weathering work is excellent.