1/32 Aichi D3A1 (type 99) Val. (Infinity Models) Final bits.

[Clunkmeister]

A bit of an update, folks.   
As I promised, I’m going to give my thoughts on what I find, as I find it.  There ARE a few numbering discrepancies between the instructions and the sprues.  The part numbers on the sprues are quite soft, so you need to look carefully.  However, they are there. 
So far, everything fits nicely with no real issues.  
I was looking sideways at the instrument panel, because I’m never a real fan of kit supplied instrument decals, especially with the superb Airscale decals always available at my fingertips.  If you have never experienced the sublime Airscale instrument decals, I HIGHLY recommend you give them a try. They’re available from 72nd right up to 24th scale, and are sold as a package based upon nationality and era.  So logically, this needs WW2 IJN instrument decals.

So we first tried the kit decals on the stock panel…..

aaand yes, the kit decals seem slightly out of register and it all looks like Hammered SH!T. 

 

So now we go whole hog.  I had purchased the accessory “PE set” for the Val, which consisted of a brass PE instrument board, so I sanded off the molded on detail, and applied the brass. 
Things are definitely taking a turn for the better.  You don’t need to use the PE, the kit derptail will look great with some drybrushing and Airscale decals, but I bought the PE, so I’ll use the PE.

 

And now, a shot of paint, and the first few Airscale decals.  They are still soaked and under the influence of Micro Sol, so they’re a bit wrinkly, but hey, so am I, so whatever. 
This’ll look mighty fine, I think. Especially after a bit of picking stuff out, the rest of the decals, and maybe a placard or two go busy it all up.  
The panel looks very basic, and I’ve seen Cessna 185s with a better equipped panel than the Val.  I’m thinking it needs a fully slaved flight director with RNAV, moving map, Stormscope, and be Mode C compliant. How they ever thought they’d enter US airspace and not be Mode C compliant is beyond me. 
And NO backup HSI!  WTF, Over! 

Seriously though, it looks orders of magnitude better. 

[Clunkmeister]

A word to our aftermarket guys.  The seats are two pieces each, and I see no reason why that is, except for molding limitations.  The seat halves fit OK, but then the fun with Tamiya extra fine starts. 

[BlrwestSiR]

Just catching up on this Ernie and you're really off to a flying start. 

Looking at your progress on the cockpit and all the individual parts you've already added, it makes me think that HpH is the anti Kotare. Where Kotare have simplified their cockpit in terms of the number of parts, HpH is using as many as they can. Whether it's mould limitations or philosophy or a bit of both, it's interesting to see the difference in approach.

I'm still no the biggest fan of early war Japanese planes but I may just have to get one for the challenge of the build. 

[CrankyCrafstman]

This is looking mighty fine Ernie. 

Ron G 

[Clunkmeister]

Thanks Carl and Ron.  Special Hobby does it the same way: multiple little pieces to be added.  To me, it’s pretty prototypical.  If you look at cockpit pics of the real D3A’s, they were quite cluttered. 

[Spitfire]

Nice progress, seems to be coming along nicely.

Cheers

Dennis

[Irishman1]

Can’t wait to see more!!

[Clunkmeister]

I hope to see more of these getting built soon. 🤣

[Clunkmeister]

She’s gonna be a big girl.

Her wings are as big as the Helldiver, but her fuselage is much slimmer.

The wing is held together by this absolutely massive spar. The correct dihedral I’d molded into place, and it all fits beautifully so far.  For every major component that goes on, I check the fit before, during, and after cementing the component in place.  That way, if we run into a fit up issue, we’re not scratching our heads at the end, wondering where we screwed up.

Quite honestly, if more people followed this method, there would be so much less frustration happening during a short run kit build. Special Hobby kits would get BUILT, and not end up on the SOD.

With this kit, I have yet to have to adjust anything. Literally everything fits so far. 

 

[Peterpools]

On 5/16/2023 at 1:44 AM, Clunkmeister said:

A bit of an update, folks.   
As I promised, I’m going to give my thoughts on what I find, as I find it.  There ARE a few numbering discrepancies between the instructions and the sprues.  The part numbers on the sprues are quite soft, so you need to look carefully.  However, they are there. 
So far, everything fits nicely with no real issues.  
I was looking sideways at the instrument panel, because I’m never a real fan of kit supplied instrument decals, especially with the superb Airscale decals always available at my fingertips.  If you have never experienced the sublime Airscale instrument decals, I HIGHLY recommend you give them a try. They’re available from 72nd right up to 24th scale, and are sold as a package based upon nationality and era.  So logically, this needs WW2 IJN instrument decals.

So we first tried the kit decals on the stock panel…..

aaand yes, the kit decals seem slightly out of register and it all looks like Hammered SH!T. 

 

So now we go whole hog.  I had purchased the accessory “PE set” for the Val, which consisted of a brass PE instrument board, so I sanded off the molded on detail, and applied the brass. 
Things are definitely taking a turn for the better.  You don’t need to use the PE, the kit derptail will look great with some drybrushing and Airscale decals, but I bought the PE, so I’ll use the PE.

 

And now, a shot of paint, and the first few Airscale decals.  They are still soaked and under the influence of Micro Sol, so they’re a bit wrinkly, but hey, so am I, so whatever. 
This’ll look mighty fine, I think. Especially after a bit of picking stuff out, the rest of the decals, and maybe a placard or two go busy it all up.  
The panel looks very basic, and I’ve seen Cessna 185s with a better equipped panel than the Val.  I’m thinking it needs a fully slaved flight director with RNAV, moving map, Stormscope, and be Mode C compliant. How they ever thought they’d enter US airspace and not be Mode C compliant is beyond me. 
And NO backup HSI!  WTF, Over! 

Seriously though, it looks orders of magnitude better. 

Ernie

PE and AirScale gauges are an awesome combination.

The Vals panel might be a bit plain and none of the latest goodies but when it comes to plain jane and needle, ball and airspeed; the J3 panel is King of the Hill. I spent many hours behind J3 panels and most of the time the old eyeballs are looking outside with only a quick scan squeezed in.

 Online Flying Magazine Photograph

 

[HubertB]

Nice progress, Ernie. 
Yes, the photo-etched IP looks crisper than the plastic one, but just adding Airscale decals would already have produced a convincing result.

It just shows that Infinity are on the (normal) learning curve of a new kit manufacturer, with each new one better than the previous one. Roden, ICM, and even Special Hobby - or Tamiya for that matter - did not do any differently.

Keep it coming, as Peter would say 

Hubert

[Peterpools]

Ernie

Right with Hubert and the Val is looking mighty good.

 

[Clunkmeister]

A bit of an update, y’all.  Didn’t get much building done yesterday, as I had a car show to attend, but this afternoon, I got a couple hours bench time in. 

I’ve been doing a bit of work assembling the optional resin radial engine, and also tarting up the various radios and black boxes scattered all throughout the cockpits. 
Airscale decals do wonders for the instrument board. 
As always, I should buy Tamiya stock!  I easily go through three rolls of tape per build. 

[BlrwestSiR]

That looks really good there Ernie. Huge improvements over the Helldiver.

[Clunkmeister]

16 minutes ago, BlrwestSiR said:

That looks really good there Ernie. Huge improvements over the Helldiver.

Thanks, Carl.  Yes, it’s a pretty big improvement so far, with nothing bad occurring yet at all.

I actually ordered another Helldiver yesterday, this time it’ll be an Atlantic Bird with folded wings.

I’m quite psyched about the D3A so far. It’s been quite nice. No issues, no oops moments, just fairly decent fit with little trimming needed here and there.  These short run kits are never “exact”, but close gets You in the ballpark, then simply fiddle with it a bit. 

[GazzaS]

Very nice looking progress, Ern.

[Spitfire]

This is looking mighty good, it bodes well for Infinity sales.

Cheers

Dennis

[Clunkmeister]

On 5/22/2023 at 4:52 AM, Spitfire said:

This is looking mighty good, it bodes well for Infinity sales.

Cheers

Dennis

I’m thinking the same thing.  The cockpits are a bit tedious, much like the Tamiya Corsair.  You CAN blow through it and stick it together, or you can spend a bit of time and doctor it up a bit. 
Other than Airscale decals, I’m trying to build this kit completely OOB, and document any goofy areas.  
There are a few spots that require a bit of care, but no more than any typical Czech short run kit, and so far, and difficulty wise, it reminds me of a two seat version on the SH 1/32 Brewster Buffalo, or even their 1/32 Tempest.  Tons of detail, and acres of room to go farther if you want. 

[CrankyCrafstman]

This is looking great Ernie. Fine work as usual.

Ron G 

[Clunkmeister]

9 hours ago, CrankyCrafstman said:

This is looking great Ernie. Fine work as usual.

Ron G 

Thanks, Ron!  Good to see you back!

[CrankyCrafstman]

14 hours ago, Clunkmeister said:

Thanks, Ron!  Good to see you back!

Hey Ernie 

  I've been back, kinda lurking in the corners so to speak. Check out my 1/16 Andys HHQ Tiger 1 build and my 1/16 Trumpeter Panzer IV ausf H builds. They haven't been easy to do with my eyes messed up like they are, but I'm muddling through them, lol.

Ron G 

[Clunkmeister]

9 hours ago, CrankyCrafstman said:

Hey Ernie 

  I've been back, kinda lurking in the corners so to speak. Check out my 1/16 Andys HHQ Tiger 1 build and my 1/16 Trumpeter Panzer IV ausf H builds. They haven't been easy to do with my eyes messed up like they are, but I'm muddling through them, lol.

Ron G 

I’m having a peek… 😄

[Clunkmeister]

My advice?

Just keep adding parts until there are no more to add. 
Lots of touch ups to do, followed by a decent oil wash. 

[Clunkmeister]

The cockpit looks suitably busy.  Started with a few oils and dirt to dirty it up a bit.  I’d say it’s a bit much, so a mice wash with turpenoid dulls it all up.

One thing to remember with Japanese D3A aircraft:  up until mid 1941, the aircraft were natural metal with red fins and meatballs with no white band. 
Mid 1941, they were repainted at the Squadron level with the grey-green and a clear lacquer protection applied over top.

Stencils we’re masked and still appeared over bare metal.

NO primer was used. Paint applied directly to the skin.

[Clunkmeister]

So the age old question… which Grey-green?

I’ve heard three possibilities:

1. Tamiya XF-76

2. Gunze’s RLM02

3. Floquil Concrete.

Well, Floquil is made of unobtainium, and both of the other two look pretty good.

Comments?