Q: 1/32 Ki-43

[Artful69]

As most of you are probably aware, GWH (Great Wall Hobby) is releasing an early war (pre-war if you’re from USA) P.40 … 

These, of course, saw combat over China in volunteer roles … the aircraft they were to find as dancing partners were Ki-43 Hayabusas.

Hasegawa makes one in 32’ … is this the right version? OR can it be made INTO the right version with minimal fiddling?

Any known issues otherwise?!

Rog

[BradG]

64th Sentai tangled with the AVG on occasion with their Ki-43s, they were one of the first squadrons to receive them from I think (sorry I don't have my reference with me it's packed away) from mid 1941, so they would have initially got Ki-43-1's. The Hasegawa kit is a Ki-43-II, which didn't start to show up until very late 1942.

You'd need to change the cowling, no upper oil cooler (I think) intake, that was on the bottom of the cowl lip, 2 blade prop, the gun fairings on the upper cowling are different as the -1's just mounted light machine guns, no droptank or bomb racks (for early model -1s) and you'd need to find a flat topped main canopy and I think maybe windscreen and long telescopic gunsight too. UMI Resin did the prop and cowling with some other little items, but that's long OOP and you'd still be on your own for canopy and windscreen.

[GazzaS]

I'm thinking you need the earlier version, Rog.  The AVG was disbanded in mid-42.

[Artful69]

2 hours ago, BradG said:

64th Sentai tangled with the AVG on occasion with their Ki-43s, they were one of the first squadrons to receive them from I think (sorry I don't have my reference with me it's packed away) from mid 1941, so they would have initially got Ki-43-1's. The Hasegawa kit is a Ki-43-II, which didn't start to show up until very late 1942.

You'd need to change the cowling, no upper oil cooler (I think) intake, that was on the bottom of the cowl lip, 2 blade prop, the gun fairings on the upper cowling are different as the -1's just mounted light machine guns, no droptank or bomb racks (for early model -1s) and you'd need to find a flat topped main canopy and I think maybe windscreen and long telescopic gunsight too. UMI Resin did the prop and cowling with some other little items, but that's long OOP and you'd still be on your own for canopy and windscreen.

Awww crap! ... I knew it ... I have seen that conversion kit also on Scalemates - looks sweet too ... I really wish people who made masters for this stuff would sort out some sort of succession plan!! ... I have 2 Hase' Oscars en-route from Japan ... one is an "early" which apparently has a slightly different cowl included compared to the standard Hase' kit ... and the other is a standard one ... 🤷‍♂️ ... oh well! ... I guess a Nate will have to do it on a side by side!

1 hour ago, GazzaS said:

I'm thinking you need the earlier version, Rog.  The AVG was disbanded in mid-42.

Yeah ... gutted ... if anyone has the conversion and hasn't used it yet - they're probably going to hang onto it anyway

Rog

[BradG]

If that's the 'early version' with the resin cowling Rog then it's still wrong for a -1.

[Artful69]

2 hours ago, BradG said:

If that's the 'early version' with the resin cowling Rog then it's still wrong for a -1.

Yes I know … it’s an “early” version of a Ki-43-II

Rog

[Bomber_County]

Hey Rog, did you ever start your Kursk diorama? …….

[Artful69]

On 2/14/2022 at 9:45 PM, Bomber_County said:

Hey Rog, did you ever start your Kursk diorama? …….

Started some preliminaries on the builds … but work has been in the way with too much to do on the R&R week … and yes I’m supposed to be starting a build thread, I know 🙄🙄🙄 … I will get around to it shortly I think.

Rog