Hello again, EOJGB! This time I bring you my Shinden in 1/48, and it will be built side by side with my Zero. While only achieving a total of 45 minutes of flying time right in the days before the surrender of Japan, the project was supposedly the answer to the American Boeing B-29. Ironically, it’s enemy was the very thing that kept it from seeing service, as the plants needed to build the aircraft in large number were being bombed to oblivion by the Super Fortress. Only two prototypes were ever made, and of those only one survives today. It resides in the National Air and Space Museum, disassembled, with only the fuselage on exhibit, which various other parts stored in facilities around the compound. I look forward to building this one. Thanks again to Jay Mitchel, who sent this kit along with the zero.

1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

Jordyn, @1corsair64
This looks like a wonderful addition to our Empire of Japan group build. Our friend Spiros @fiveten

has built this very same kit and he did a wonderful job with his. He has a nice build journal and it might show you some neat tricks and tips if you're interested.

I'm looking forward to watching this one (and your Zero) come to life and will be watching for the next installment. That was very kind of Jay Mitchell to send you these kits.

Sign me up to follow this one Jordyn. Looking forward to it.

And thanks Louis and Spiros! I’ll look at his own build on it. I’m sure there is some pretty great stuff there!

Wow, Jordyn @1corsair64, what a great decision on depicting your Shinden after its capture and repairs. I haven't seen it modeled this way before, so I am in eager anticipation for your build!
I just can visualize the final result: it will look fantastic!
Those are some amazing pics above and they will be so helpful in order to build your Shinden.

Hey Jordyn - great choice - I love these planes - as Louis said some footage of the test flight on my currently stalled build!

Apologies for tardy replies - the site is glitchy at present - so I can only post not pm and reply to requests).

Hey everyone! Back with another update. This time, it’s the build of the thing, and not just talking about it! So. What has been done? I have built the cockpit and basics of the fuselage. I removed the small tail wheels just so I don’t lose them. Then, I filled and sanded the seems, making sure everything looked good to my (unprofessional) eye, as well as adding some more (yet to be sanded) putty to some other areas around the nose to flush the parts. And to finish this off, I have sanded all of the raised details off. I plan to scribe all the panel lines after drawing them on with pencil, using my new Tamiya scribing tool! I’m very excited by this. A new skill to learn!

Yep, I knew that tail wheel story. I’ve yet to watch it, as my YouTube is glitched on my phone, but I’ve heard it’s quite the sight to see. Thank you for linking another build. I looked at it, and what a cool build, Paul! I’m following that log too.

And as for the pictures, I spent a great deal of time looking. Lots of cool little things I found in the world web info wise. I even showed Spiros the propeller jettison system for bailout, and linked him the website. Probably my new favorite subject Japanese wise. That’s it for tonight, though. I’ll get more done later this week!

P.S. I am so sorry about the lighting. I need to find a new place after my light died. My new one isn’t as bright. I promise, the final pics will be way way better. Thanks y’all!

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

That’s a good idea to build it with a few dents & dings. In my experience it seems the average real airplane usually has a few , at least the 737s I work on do.

I’ve thought it’d be neat to build a diorama based on photos of wrecked Japanese & German aircraft at airfields at the end of WW2. Those planes had some wear & tear that’d be fun to model.

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.