Fine Molds 1/48 Ki-10 ‘Perry’
This is a beautiful kit that exudes quality, from the box-art to the presentation of the instructions. Parts are moulded in a grey-green and exhibit beautiful sharp trailing edges to the flying surfaces, delicate recessed panel lines and very crisp detail throughout. There are a couple of prominent sink marks on the upper-wing which is unfortunate, since they require some quite dexterous filling/sanding to avoid eliminating the subtle rib texture.
I couldn't find much information online on the ‘Perry', just a few photos here and there. However Arawasi, Issue #5, an English language Japanese magazine, had a useful article about the Ki-10 including colour profiles and cockpit drawings, and referring to these I added a few wires and cables.
Just an example of the kit's detail, this is the intake assembly which fits under the nose. Unfortunately I went ahead and glued the fuselage together, forgetting to install it! Doh. I had to rip the fuselage open again, fortunately the damage was repairable.
Such is the precision fit of this kit that I was able to fully construct the undercarriage before assembly, and it virtually clicked into place on the model in perfect alignment. Can you tell I'm impressed?
A couple of panels had to be reinstated on the fuselage undersurface due to sanding, but nothing too onerous.
The model was painted with Tamiya acrylics, with just a hint of weathering as the real aircraft looked pretty clean in the photos I could find.
Rigging is stainless steel wire, fitted into pre-drilled holes; the aerial wire is stretched sprue.
Gorgeous Mike! What color is that exactly?
Thanks Greg. I followed Fine Molds' instructions and used Tamiya XF-14 Gray Green.
OUTSTANDING Mike !
Cheers Phil!
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
Thanks Nikola!
Damn, you build some great models, what's next. Nice one Mike.
Thank you Marc 🙂
love your superb work mike
Cheers Bob!
Incredible, I have just started working on this rather rarely seen kit. Feel very encouraged by your asessment of its quality!
May I ask what Tamiya shade did you use for the exterior grey?
Also, I the rigging anchored in the wings and the little fairings (which are separate parts) attached later, or vice versa? Can't figure it out from the instructions
Thanks Martin, I used Tamiya XF-14 Gray Green for the exterior. I drilled out the holes in the fairings a little more then attached them. It was possible then to flex the stainless steel wires slightly and fit them into the holes without gluing.
Thanks Mike, that's a useful piece of info.
Exquisite craftsmanship, sir...never seen one of those built before. Photography is excellent as well.
Thank you Craig, much appreciated.
this one is a pure beauty
Thanks Milán.
Mike, what a beauty! First one I've seen built, and I'm impressed with the radiator and the cockpit interior. Prewar IJAAF, not frequently done or seen, thanks!
Thanks Bernard, glad you like it.
Wow, that's excellent work Mike
Thanks Tom!
Fine quality as you say and an excellent build. As usual you apply the 'value added' with great attention to detail and fine finishes.
Thank you Rob.
Another masterpiece Mike, I like your style
Thanks Milan 🙂
Lost for words! Outstanding. Thanks for sharing this beauty.
Cheers Lukasz!
Having done two, that kit really is a stunner. For those who don't know, the Ki.10 was the main JAAF fighter in China prior to the introduction of the Ki.27 in 1939. Most of the top JAAF aces of the first year of the Pacific War had cut their teeth in combat with this. It was supremely maneuverable and outperfomed even the I-15 that had been supplied to the Chinese.
Thanks Tom.
Thats clean and perfect modelling art ! Awsome build !
Cheers Bernd!
What a cracker ! I've had this kit in the stash for years (I think it was a cover star in Model Airplane International a long time ago?) and never got round to it. Having seen your effort I think it may well be my next project.
Beautiful finishing - really first rate !
Thanks Robert; yes, it was in MAI a while back.
This is true!
beautiful and meticulously clean in your style true colors and details.
Great!
in my stash is still missing FINE MOULDS Ki-10.
P.k
Thanks P.k 🙂
Great build Mike! I posted mine here on imodeler a while back, but yours is miles ahead! very clean build and a super finish.
It really is a great kit - Fine Molds did an amazing job on this kit, and i HIGHLY recommend it to anyone into Japanese a/c or bipes. To those who have it in the stash: BUILD IT, you won't regret it 🙂
PS - there is an excellent little reference book out on this a/c that I would also highly recommend:
"Kawasaki Ki10 Perry" by Tadeusz Januszewski, published by Tenzan ISBN 97883906259-1-1. I ordered it a while back directly from the publisher online.
Your build looks great Paul, I was in two minds as to which scheme to do myself. Thanks for the heads-up on the book, too.
Wow. I'm gonna get one now too. Love the subject, and the work. Congrats. 🙂
Thanks Paul, you won't regret buying this kit.
A smooth silky professional paint job. Combined with a tight clean build= a museum quality model or something that would belong on the cover a magazine.
Mike, another strong piece of work that is in the running for "Model of the Month". If only you'd give us some wiggle room as we stand in your shadow...could you leave a stain or a mark or some imperfection next time?:)
Two thumbs up.
Thanks Stephen, you're too kind 😉
Super nice build, very elegant
Thanks Mike.
Very nice Mike. You have done a marvelous job on this one.
Thank you Terry.
A very fine build Mike, it looks a great kit to build.
Well done mate.
Cheers Simon.
Good work! Very neat and beautiful!
Thank you Maxim!
Very nice Mike! Was thinking about getting this myself actually? 🙂 Love the paint work, detail and rigging! Plus very nice to fly in war thunder 🙂
Thanks Mike! Don't know if you've ever built a biplane, but this kit would make an ideal first candidate – I think you'd enjoy it 🙂
Beautifully done and neat as a pin. Hope I can do mine the same justice.
Thanks ReneDK!
That is really nice Mike. I've always liked the look of the Finemolds kit but I haven't seen that many built. I think you may have convinced me to go and find one. Really tidy build and paint. Well done.
Mick
Thanks Mick. Based on what I've seen of your other models on this forum, you'd do a brilliant job of it.
beautifully done Mike, in your usual flawless style that is uniquely your own.
btw, i know it is of no help to you now, but a publisher from Poland, Tenzan, did a fine book on the Ki-10. your work is always inspiring
Thanks for the kind words, Roger. I wondered where you were posting online these days. I've just enjoyed a good half hour studying your models here on iModeler – brilliant, as always. You're the second person to recommend the Tenzan book, and I may get hold of a copy for a future build of the ICM 1/72 kit.
Good grief that's a stunning model Mike! Really. I just love these pre-war biplanes. I have 8 or 9 in my stash, lot's of Classic AIrframes kits, and they do intimidate me a bit. I would love to add one of these! Dayum, I love that model! 🙂
Gary
Nice clean job Mike! Beautiful
It's simply stunning! I love how You can balance out cleanliness (own natural aesthetics of a model) and weathering (reality). I want to be like You when I grow up! 🙂
Beautiful work. I've recently finished this excellent kit myself (your photos helped inspire me to build it), but I've been seriously considering redoing the rigging. I was wondering where you got your stainless steel wire? I considered 0.010" guitar string, but it has too much curvature , even after being on one of my guitars for a couple of months. I settled on 0.008" brass rod, which has the right diameter and straightness, but after painting looks slightly too rough to my eye, and can bend easily. I acquired some 0.2 mm nickel-silver rod thinking it would be perfect as it's harder than brass, but it turns out it's also considerably more flexible. EZ Line is about my last option, since I don't feel like spending $76 on 50, 0.5 m stainless steel rods for this one model.
Thanks Steven! I bought my .005" stainless steel wire from Small Parts Inc, almost 15 years ago. I remember it being quite expensive at the time, especially since the wires were 30" long and were shipped via FedEx from the US to Canada. However, I've used the stuff many times and still have several lengths left. I do like EZLine too, and more recently have been using Uschi Van Der Rosten rigging thread, which seems more to scale for the 1/72 stuff I mostly build. Good luck with your Ki-10.