Nakajima J1N ’Gekko’ – Tamiya 1/48

Started by Paul Barber · 15 · 4 years ago
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    Paul Barber said 4 years, 7 months ago:


    Possibly the least inspiring box art on a model ever!


    The side view is much more enticing!

    Nakajima J1N1 Gekkō (月光 "Moonlight") was a twin-engine aircraft used by the Japanese Imperial Navy during World War II and was used for reconnaissance, night fighter, and kamikaze missions. The first flight took place in May 1941. It was given the Allied reporting name "Irving", since the earlier reconnaissance version the J1N1-C, was mistaken for a fighter.

    I got one as a kid - from Selfridges in Oxford Street (for those who know London) - a bribe for behaving well through a whole day of shopping with my mum!

    It was 1/72 and made by a Japanese company - I am guessing Fujimi - it had mottled camo. I had no airbrush, no skills and no chance of building it even slightly well!

    Anyway, many years later here I go again!

    I will use Aotake on the interior - although I know this is a matter for debate, and will add to the research here (that intro was straight out of Wikipedia)!

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    George Henderson said 4 years, 7 months ago:

    Looking forward to this Paul. Yet another kit on my growing list thanks to this GB

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 4 years, 7 months ago:

    That's great, Paul @yellow10. Got the same kit too, intending to build it for this GB. I would love to see your progress.
    All the best!

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    Paul Barber said 4 years, 7 months ago:

    Hey Spiros - I’ll look forward to yours too!

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    Louis Gardner said 4 years, 7 months ago:

    Hey Paul, @yellow10
    I'm right there with Spiros, I have the same kit in the stash...looking forward to seeing this one.

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    Paul Barber said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Ok so way too busy to get much bench time at the moment - but school hols on the horizon in a fortnight. Couldn’t resist cracking the seal on this one.

    Here’s some aotake to get the ball rolling!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Good start, Paul.
    I love this Aotake!

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    Erik Gjørup said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Off to a great start@yellow10! I shall be tuned in here Paul.

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    Paul Barber said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Starting some interior detailing. Picking out the moulded components with a small brush, and minimal wear and tear on the crew seats. Drilled out the holes on one of the seats after looking at pictures.

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    Pedro L. Rocha said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Paul, the Tamiya Gekko is a very good kit, with all of the brand hallmarks In it. Saying this out of the experience building it some 2 years ago and posted in these pages also. My box was another but the differences should be minimal from what I see. Oddly Tamiya made several versions this night fighter had, unlike many of their other kits. Good luck, it will be a stunner for sure

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    Paul Barber said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Thanks for the heads up Pedro, I will have a look at your build - I very much admire your work.

    Edit: that’s an incredible build Pedro, I have been pondering just how to make the monotone more easy in the eye - yours certainly managed that with some impressive shading and weathering! Hard Act to follow!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Lovely interior, Paul @yellow10!
    Just read Pedro's @holzhamer posting of his wonderful build.
    I am more and more tempted to start mine!
    Got to finish my Jake first, though...

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    Louis Gardner said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Hello Paul, @yellow10
    This is some incredible work ! All of your builds are spectacular, and I can see that this one will be no exception. I really like the colors you have picked out for this one. Looks fantastic with the seats drilled out. Very convincing interior... as per your usual, and after reading these build journals, it's tempting me to pull out mine. I have the early and the late version that Tamiya offered. One has a solid dark green overall finish, and if I decided to pull one out of the stash, that would probably be the one.

    During the course of looking at the Japanese stash section, I bumped into a 1/48 Hasegawa Ki-45 "Nick"... Hmmm. You guys have me thinking.

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    Pedro L. Rocha said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Thank you Paul, I’m quite sure your Gekko will be a splendid model also. If I can be of assistance in any doubt during the build feel free to ask

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    George R Blair Jr said 4 years, 5 months ago:

    Looks great, Paul @yellow10. Like several of the others, I also have this one in my stash, so I am looking forward to your build. Must have been fun aiming and firing those cannons this plane had in the back end.