So, to cut a long story short, while I`m waiting for Paypal to verify my new bank card, (this means a few purchases I need to make are on hold for a few days), I needed something to keep me occupied and then remembered that I had the `left overs` from my Tu-90. I had always planned to do something with these so now seems a good time to start.
Forgive the title, but while I have made my mind up that this will be a late war Japanese aircraft, I haven`t come up with a prefix.
First things first though, and I need to get the two fuselages mated together and then work on the wings joints. Thats the hard bit with the rest being fairly cosmetic. :wacko:
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More soon. :thumbsup:
Wow: a lot of hardwork seems on your way, but have courage and do it! show us! (thanks)
Quote from: Tophe on November 27, 2011, 02:36:28 AM
Wow: a lot of hardwork seems on your way, but have courage and do it! show us! (thanks)
I`ll try Tophe.... ;D ;)
Started on the cockpit area first, going to put the glazed areas on. mask off and then spray. Also worked on a plan to make this a tail dragger, (second picure), as I want to try and get away from a Tu-16/B-29 hybrid look. Hopefully it will have that `Japanese` feel to it at the end of the build.
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More soon. :wacko:
Latest update on the weird and whacky...... :wacko:
Started multiple tasks with the first being getting the tail to fit right. Not a great fit with a lot of trimming involved but ended up with this which looks ok and it`s not even glued together yet......
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Before I glue the tail all together I first had to put on the horizontal stabilizers and work out where I need to put a base plate so I can set the tail wheels into a good position.......
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Next came the engine mounts. To give this aircraft a bit of a `Japanese` look, I`m going to rotate the mounts upside down. In the picture below the two engine mounts are the correct way up while the two on the right are my proposed fitting.......
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..... and inbetween all this I started the long boring task of masking up the cockpit section. This is the bit I really, really dislike. A bit at a time my thinks....
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Next up is the task of fitting the wings. This is`nt going to be easy and will need some major `surgery`.
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More soon. ;D
Really good work! Looks like it fits very well :thumbsup:
Quite a challenge, but it seems it will be a beauty. :thumbsup:
Looks very promising TC!
Paul Harrison
Wow.....that is neat !
:cheers:
Very nice, kind of a happy middle between the Renzan design and the G10N Fugaku'.
i'm with ya on the taping and paintig parts! great build so far :thumbsup:
Watching this with increasing interest
Thanks for the support guys. ;D
Now, with various parts complete, it was time for a quick mock up to look at the dimensions. I`m thinking that the main fuselage needs to be shortened, but would do you think..??
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Jeepers, that's HUGE! :o (Says he having just built an almost 3 fit long 1/144 scale 777...... ;D)
It's 1/144 scale, isn't it? Maybe the fuse could do with a bit taken out aft of the wing, but not too much. Is it a Tu-16 Badger fuselage? I can't think of anything else that would have those big flats on each side.
Quote from: tc2324 on December 02, 2011, 03:32:19 PM
Thanks for the support guys. ;D
I`m thinking that the main fuselage needs to be shortened, but would do you think..??
This is great! Yes, I would take a little rear fuselage off. Perhaps where the triangle cut out is.
Quote from: sandiego89 on December 02, 2011, 06:54:44 PM
Quote from: tc2324 on December 02, 2011, 03:32:19 PM
Thanks for the support guys. ;D
I`m thinking that the main fuselage needs to be shortened, but would do you think..??
This is great! Yes, I would take a little rear fuselage off. Perhaps where the triangle cut out is.
Good thinking! Theres where I would do it plus you don't have to fill it. Shorter is a little more shelf friendly too :cheers: This really looks Japanese, very good vision on your part.
Proceeding nicely. Turning the cowls upside down is quick-on-your-feet thinking. I'll go with a slight pruning of the fuselage too, with the ideas already posted. You could in fact try taking 20 or 30mm at a time and doing a quick layout check like you pictured and see how the total vibe is.
Quote from: RussC on December 03, 2011, 01:26:01 AM
......and see how the total vibe is.
I like the concept of 'the total vibe'. :thumbsup:
I'm sure we all use it when we're in the early build stage but I've never heard it given a title before, well thought out RussC. ;D
Quote from: PR19_Kit on December 02, 2011, 05:11:46 PM
Jeepers, that's HUGE! It's 1/144 scale, isn't it?
First I`d like to thank you all for your input and ideas, Kit, it`s 1/72 and being Japan`s answer to the `Amerika` bomber, it has to be big. :wacko:
So here` where it`s at tonight.
The major surgery got under way with masking off and then using a marker pen for a clean cutting line.
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I made sure I cut just outside of the bomb bay doors to avoid problems later with their fitting. Filed the edges down so they are resonably smooth and straight
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Needed to build a main wing spar to help with getting the wings on and to stay on. Turned to my old pal sprue, got the drill out and set about making sure that were straight and level.
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Next I turned towards the back end and with the help of some sprues I again built a platform for the rear u/c to sit on.
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Last but not least, glued the rear and mid fuselages together and then glued the sprues into place.
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More soon. ;D
STREWTH! :o :o :o :o :o
That is excellent work :thumbsup: Sprue can be a lifesaver
Amazing watching this work in progress
Thanks guys. :thumbsup: As with all whifs and builds, as long as it`s entertaining and fun, you can`t go wrong.
Have to say that this is a lot of fun my end and so far no probs.
So..., with the kids at their granparents today I can crack on with the delicate matter of mating the fuselage halfs and later the wings together.
Back to my trusty mate Sprue, where would I be without him...
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and then the task of connecting it to the rear section.....
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....set at room temp, leave for a few hours and then check all ok....
Have you checked that the incidence of both the wings and tailplains will look ok?
Gondor
Great work :thumbsup:
wow, thing indeed looks frikkin huge :o
i think the IJN would have been capable of attacking LA from bases in Japan with a weapon like that.
looks very impressive :thumbsup:
Quote from: Gondor on December 04, 2011, 04:29:57 AM
Have you checked that the incidence of both the wings and tailplains will look ok?
Gondor
I hope so..... ;D
Tonights update. Below is a shot of the final layout. Everything is now stuck together, (excluduing props), so it`s now a case of waiting overnight and seeing if I got my sums right and the wings stay on.
From the trailing edges to the joined area is the bomb bay which has kept some length to the aircraft but I didn`t see the point of flying all the way to America and only being able to dropping litter on your target. I`m also having to adjust and lengthen the main u/c legs so that the props clear the ground. :banghead:
Incase your wondering what the brown thing is beside the cockpit..., well, thats an SE.5 fuselage to give you an idea of the scale. :blink:
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Neat ? *ahem* I meant frickin' awesome ! It's bloody huge !
:party:
Quote from: Captain Canada on December 04, 2011, 02:57:25 PM
Neat ? *ahem* I meant frickin' awesome ! It's bloody huge !
What he said........ ;D
sweet looking bird :) i'll be monitoring this build closely :)
It bears a resemblence to a couple of real Japanese 4 engined projects, which will make it fun if it graces a table at a show :thumbsup:
Pretty impressive! Keep up the good work. That is a *LOT* of aircraft you are dealing with!
Years ago I had envisioned a whole set of "viermotors" of various nationalities for my collection, but realized that they take up a lot of shelf space and require a lot of work that could better (for me) be put into single-engined planes or twins. Doesn't mean I don't respect the effort, certainly.
Hmm- Actually, you have something close to the Kawasaki Ki-91. Remember, this never got farther than preliminary drawings and what appears to be a wind tunnel model. Shorten the fin, and see if you can find some earlier style nose turret. You would be close enough for whiffery.
Quote from: royabulgaf on December 05, 2011, 02:44:58 PM
Hmm- Actually, you have something close to the Kawasaki Ki-91. Remember, this never got farther than preliminary drawings and what appears to be a wind tunnel model. Shorten the fin, and see if you can find some earlier style nose turret. You would be close enough for whiffery.
There is a resin kit from Anigrand of the Ki-91.
Some of those postwar prop designs for bombers in Russia resemble this as well, as they assimilated the B-29's they acquired into the Tupolev 4 and then developed further. Plus some designs of the late war like the Douglas Raidmaster were like this too, and again , Anigrand seems determined to resin cast all of these, see their catalog.
Interesting observersations chaps. :cheers:
Spent the day spraying, (gone for a green and grey underside scheme), and jacking up the u/c so that the props didn`t hit the ground. Waiting for that to dry hard, hence the elevated look. Added a few bits and demasked the front end. Here`s how she looks tonight. (Apologies for the photo but the flash was too bright)
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Wow. :o I still can't get over how Japanese that looks. Is there anything left to do before throwing the Meatballs on there? Thats going to bump this to an 11.
On the mating of east and west planes:
I had the idea of Mating a 1/72 B-50 nose to a Tupolev Bear as a imperial Japanese super bomber... great minds think alike. I just haven't had the guts to start it... you may have given me the push I needed. :cheers:
This I am liking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup:
Quote from: NARSES2 on December 05, 2011, 07:27:06 AM
It bears a resemblence to a couple of real Japanese 4 engined projects, which will make it fun if it graces a table at a show :thumbsup:
Indeed. It looks like the missing link between the G8N and the six-engined G10N. ;D
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.warbirdphotographs.com%2FNavyJB%26amp%3BW%2FG8N-5.jpg&hash=d97e8125741891fa25eba50709a431ce01792a04)
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A great bit o' whiffing. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Super Sweet & Too Cool :thumbsup: :thumbsup: have you come up with a Name or Reporting Codename Yet? for Reporting Codename, i'd use Alexis! Dan
Very impressive.
Interesting. The fuselage shape is rather unusual with the squashed in sides. However, it looks very impressive.
Quote from joncarrfarrelly "Indeed. It looks like the missing link between the G8N and the six-engined G10N"
Yup those are the ones I had in mind.
It really does look Japanese with that cockpit and nose glazing - a wiffie nomination in progress me thinks :thumbsup:
Quote from: Cobra on December 05, 2011, 09:35:06 PM
Super Sweet & Too Cool :thumbsup: :thumbsup: have you come up with a Name or Reporting Codename Yet? for Reporting Codename, i'd use Alexis! Dan
For this magnificent aero project a primer on Japanese plane nicknames
For heavy bombers, think about using and combining the Japanese words for mountains or oceans or castles , big heavy immovable things.
It was weather, especially violent that became the names for the fighters and attack types and seaplanes. Kind of like the US and UK!
fugaku - name for fujiyama = g10n
Renzan - Mountain Spring (I think) = G8n
Shinzan - Mountain recess = Nakajima 4 engine design G5n
Tokai - Eastern Sea = Q1w recon bomber
hayate - gale , Ki84
raiden - thunderbolt , J2m
Senden - Lightning bolt, Experimental fighter
shoki -- demon , but also tempest, Ki-44
denko - Lightning storm, Aichi night fighter design
reppu -Hurricane, A7m fighter
shinden - magnificent lightning, J7w fighter
shiden - violet lightning, N1k fighter
kyofu - mighty wind, earlier float version of shiden (Also Russ after a bowl of chili)
There were exceptions such as the Ki-43 Hayabusa (peregrine falcon) or the kikka jet (orange blossom) or the shirigaku trainer (White chrysanthemum)or the ki-61 fighter being called hien or (swallow), also cannot find translations for goshikisen - Ki-100 fighter or reisen - the omnipresent zero A6m! although its sounding like a lightning name type.
The later more suicidal planes were named for edged weapons - Ki-115 tsurugi (sabre) or the Shusui rocket fighter (sword swing or sword stroke)
The mediums and heavy fighters tended to get those bird, flying lizard and other mythical creature names
donryu - Ki-49, storm dragon
toryu - Ki-45 , killer of dragons
hiryu - Ki-67, flying dragon
But not all-
Gekko - J1n night fighter - moonlight
Tenrai - J5n heavy fighter - heavenly thunder
Ginga - P1y bomber - Milky Way
Myojo - D3a Dive bomber later version - Venus
ryusei - shooting star - B7A carrier plane
tenzan - heavenly mountain - B6n carrier plane
saiun - painted cloud - C6n carrier plane
suisei - comet - D4y dive bomber
To compose a word , here is a good online translation dictionary -
http://www.englishjapaneseonlinedictionary.com/wa-pan.htm
has slang phrases, variations and the traditional and some ancient meanings too.
Note too that designs predating WW2 had no nicknames , just kitai (airframe or Ki) names or Naval designations only. Maybe the nicknames started because the leadership didn't want the crews picking up and using the allied code names !
Anyone want to compile the allied code names? So the taken ones are known.
I vote for Dorothy, as in the Wizard of Oz character (And my mum!)
Guys, thank you very much for the comments. Still plenty of `little bits` do do on this and I`ll update accordingly.
Russ, excellent reply with a wealth of information. :thumbsup:
It seems however we were working on the same topic as I have now come up with the designation and name. So from hence forth, I name this aircraft.........,
Mitsubishi G7M1 `Katana` (Sword) Allied code name `Ellie`
Reasons will explained in the short backstory once complete. Just hope I got my data correct..... ;)
Mitsubishi G7M1 `Katana` (Sword) Allied code name `Ellie`
:wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub:
Banzaiiiiii !
Ellie, after the character in Carl Sagan's "Contact" ?
Quote from: RussC on December 06, 2011, 03:35:06 AM
Ellie, after the character in Carl Sagan's "Contact" ?
As this is the Japanese `Amerika` bomber, I thought that naming after the First Lady might be apt... ;)
Quote from: tc2324 on December 06, 2011, 04:25:43 AM
Quote from: RussC on December 06, 2011, 03:35:06 AM
Ellie, after the character in Carl Sagan's "Contact" ?
As this is the Japanese `Amerika` bomber, I thought that naming after the First Lady might be apt... ;)
Devious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The IJA and IJN had separate naming conventions, with the Navy having the more complex scheme with separate categories:.
Blossom-Special Attack Plane (Kamikaze)
Cloud-Reconnaissance Plane & Seaplane
Grass or Tree-Trainer
Light-Night Fighter
Mountain-Attack Plane (the G7M would be in this category)
Sea-Land-based Patrol Plane
Sky-Transport
Star-Bomber
Thunder and Lightning-Land-based Interceptor Fighter
Wind-Carrier Fighter and Fighter Seaplane
In the case of the A6M Zero, Reisen is a contraction of REI SENTOKI, literally Zero Fighter as the full
official name of the aircraft was A6M Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter.
Similarly Goshiki-sen is a contraction of GOSHIKI SENTOKI, Five Fighter as it was the Army Type 5 Fighter.
The 0 and 5 are from the Japanese calendar years in which the aircraft were introduced 2600(1940 C.E.) and 2605(1945 C.E.).
Nodachi
Quote from: joncarrfarrelly on December 06, 2011, 12:31:31 PM
The IJA and IJN had separate naming conventions, with the Navy having the more complex scheme with separate categories:.
Blossom-Special Attack Plane (Kamikaze)
Cloud-Reconnaissance Plane & Seaplane
Grass or Tree-Trainer
Light-Night Fighter
Mountain-Attack Plane (the G7M would be in this category)
Sea-Land-based Patrol Plane
Sky-Transport
Star-Bomber
Thunder and Lightning-Land-based Interceptor Fighter
Wind-Carrier Fighter and Fighter Seaplane
In the case of the A6M Zero, Reisen is a contraction of REI SENTOKI, literally Zero Fighter as the full
official name of the aircraft was A6M Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter.
Similarly Goshiki-sen is a contraction of GOSHIKI SENTOKI, Five Fighter as it was the Army Type 5 Fighter.
The 0 and 5 are from the Japanese calendar years in which the aircraft were introduced 2600(1940 C.E.) and 2605(1945 C.E.).
Nodachi
Thanks for those!
Ladies(?) and gentleman..., I give you the.........,
Mitsubishi G7M1 `Katana` (Sword)
Allied code name `Ellie`
By September 1944 the Japanese high command commissioned a directive to aircraft manufacturers to design and produce a four engine bomber that could reach the west coast of the United States, drop a weapons load of at least 18,000 lbs and return to it`s home base or one of the home islands around the Japanese mainland.
With the advent of the introduction of the B-29 Superfortress by the United States on the 5 June 1944, Mitsubishi designers come up with a radical idea. By copying some design features of the large American bomber, not only did this save some time from a design point of view, but it also provided their new bomber with a silent defense when within range of the US. It was considered that any American aircraft or boat flying or sailing off the West Coast would possibly mistake the Katana for one of their own. While it was realised that this ploy had only a very limited shelf life, it was felt that the impact of a strike like this may have the same moral boosting effect that the Doolittle raid on Japan had for the Americans three years prior. Given the name `Katana`, meaning sword in Japanese and also breaking away from traditional naming of aircraft, it was hoped that this aircraft could deliver a precision strike anywhere on the continental United States.
Other defences included a remote top turret positioned just aft of the pressurised cockpit with the gunner controlling it by sight from a Perspex dome. A rear gunner sat in a pressurised capsule at the rear. The main defences however were `internal` with sophisticated electronic radar jamming equipment housed in two domes. One was placed under the cockpit area while the second placed underneath the rear fuselage. The standard foreseen tactic was to fly to the target area at high altitude using the jamming devices to avoid detection. If the aircraft was seen it was hoped, as stated previously, that it may be mistaken for a friendly. If this failed, speed, altitude and defensive armament were the last option.
The aircraft had two bomb bays, the main one aft of the main wing and a smaller one just forward of the main wing.
Powered by four Mitsubishi Ha-204 18-cylinder radials with 2 turbine driven turbochargers with a maximum speed of 396 mph at 30,000 feet, the seven man crew had little in the way of creature comforts as fuel tanks were placed in any conceivable area that was considered spare. The designer's only objective in the new bombers layout involved getting it to the target and delivering the bombs. The crew would always come second.
Production of the prototype and new aircraft started at the Mitsubishi Steel and Arms Works in Nagasaki, a quiet sea port relatively untouched by the war up to that time. All the parts were to be built and placed onto barges which would then sail up the west coast to a final assembly point and the finished aircraft flown from there.
Due to the shortage of materials, only 3 examples had been built and produced by June 1945. Two of these examples are listed as missing while on active service while the third was grounded due to lack of spares. No documentation has ever been found with regards to the first two examples, although a small reference in a Top Secret document did mention the use of the type on a one way Kamikazi mission to Washington DC during January 1945. There were no details as to the target and no such attack took place, but this led to the type gaining the the Allied code name `Ellie` after the US First Lady at that time.
The third aircrafts predicament was due largely to the events of August 9, 1945 and the use of the second Atomic bomb on the city of Nagasaki. With the Mitsubishi factory destroyed, along with the next sixteen examples of the Katana sitting on barges ruined in the blast, the final remaining example was captured by the Allies at the end of the war. Many of the electronic features from the design were reverse engineered by the Americans and used in their future designs.
Placed into storage for the next 40 years, the partly stripped airframe was `found` and work has started to replicate all aspects of this advanced Japanese four engine bomber so that it can go on public display at the National Air & Space Museum in Washington by 2016.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi888.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac81%2Ftc2324%2F009-38.jpg&hash=487d68d933c91251c13b777dba2632b15eab5099)
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Hope you enjoyed, decals were old and a complete nightmare, but overall, it turned out nicely in the end. ;D
Most impressive. :thumbsup:
Imagine , with that very long bomb bay- a G7M carrying 3 Ohka model 22's or 4 of the radio controlled I-Go bombs which were like the Henschels or Fritz-X. That plane could stand off of a fleet anchorage at high altitude and remove the flagships precisely at one raid.
The little-known 4th Katana, stripped of its weapons, was standing ready to participate in the Imperial Army uprising and palace coup on the last day of hostilities. The generals wanted to kidnap the emperor - for his own divine protection - and fly him deep one-way into South America to a undisclosed location where a village of Japanese emigrants awaited. With Hirohito out of the way as a peace initiator, the conflict could be dragged into its miserable 1948 termination by the Warlords. This was thwarted fortunately by factions in the Army loyal to the throne vs the Imperial general staff.
The 5th machine while doing long range testing over China and Manchuria, strayed over Vladivostok and landed by accident thinking it was the aerodrome at Harbin. The Russians added the plane to their cache of superfortresses for Tupolev to use on his way to the design of the Bulls, Badgers and Bears, oh my!
What did you actually use for parts?
Excellent build, tc! My only nitpick is the flat areas on the sides of the fuselage - they're a bit distracting IMO, and detract from the final look of the beast. Perhaps you can come up with a backstory reason for them, and then it won't matter so much?
Superb stuff nonetheless! :cheers:
Quote from: pyro-manic on December 06, 2011, 07:47:42 PM
Excellent build, tc! My only nitpick is the flat areas on the sides of the fuselage - they're a bit distracting IMO, and detract from the final look of the beast. Perhaps you can come up with a backstory reason for them, and then it won't matter so much?
Superb stuff nonetheless! :cheers:
Quick fix, the large fuselage hinomaru straddles the sharp curve line where cylinder meets flats. Go with a smaller marking and put it exclusively on the flat area.
Potential backstory, the flat sides are a manufacturing simplification so that G7 fuselages can also be adapted into the H12K Sudoku flying boat by extending those flat sides down to meet the planing bottom hull and fitting the wing at the shoulder position.
Well that turned out pretty superb!! :wub:
Its a "winner" very well done on the construction too, that was FAST! I think I would have taken months to do the same thing :bow:
Thanks for your comments chaps. :thumbsup:
Quote from: royabulgaf on December 06, 2011, 04:23:21 PM
What did you actually use for parts?
I used the left overs from my Tu-90 project earlier this year, a combination of a B-29 and Tu-16.
Quote from: pyro-manic on December 06, 2011, 07:47:42 PM
Excellent build, tc! My only nitpick is the flat areas on the sides of the fuselage - they're a bit distracting IMO, and detract from the final look of the beast. Perhaps you can come up with a backstory reason for them, and then it won't matter so much?
Superb stuff nonetheless! :cheers:
No offense taken at all pyro, the flat sides annoy me as well. Played with the idea that they helped the aerodynamics, was a special componant of the bombay or was going to get the filler out and round it off which would have taken forever and a day. In the end I just thought that it is what it is and left it, although I do like Russ`s Flying Boat answer.
The props might be better replaced with shorter 6 blade contra-props. Spitfire or Shackleton might be best.
I really like this :thumbsup:
Quote from: RussC on December 06, 2011, 10:16:31 PM
Potential backstory, the flat sides are a manufacturing simplification so that G7 fuselages can also be adapted into the H12K Sudoku flying boat by extending those flat sides down to meet the planing bottom hull and fitting the wing at the shoulder position.
Sounds reasonable to me
There is technically less surface... savings in strategic materials? :lol: My Idea would be it was a consequence of a very strong bomb bay with straight sides so preped "clips" of bombs could be uploaded easily. If the fuselage is straight you can attach the internal structure directly to the sides rather than having to have it mounted separately within
Great work, and very well idea. ;) Remember me that dreamed japanese project; the Fugaku.
What´s the overall colour?.
Cheers
Fran
Stunning; Beautiful and Superb.....
Quote from: PACOPEPE on December 07, 2011, 12:27:31 PM
Great work, and very well idea. ;) Remember me that dreamed japanese project; the Fugaku.
What´s the overall colour?.
Cheers
Fran
Although an Imperial Navy machine, the color is more like that used on Imperial Army aircraft, an olive green, versus the more forest blue-green of the navy.
Thank you all for the comments, it was nice working on this one but now I have to partake in a GB on another forum and do a real world build, so thats my last whif of 2011.... :banghead:
The good news is that after that one, I have two GB`s running side by side and both are whif`s for 2012.... :thumbsup:
Quote from: PACOPEPE on December 07, 2011, 12:27:31 PM
What´s the overall colour?.
Cheers
Fran
Used Tamiya olive drab 2 for this one Fran and Tamiya Royal light grey for the undersides. I also think the flash from the camera had a helping hand.... ;) ;D
Wonderful work. Stunning. :thumbsup:
Cheers James. ;D
The Hasegawa Rita is well worth building - IF you can find it at a reasonable price ie under £20! Mine was going to be a Luftwaffe one operating from the Japanese islands.
Highly commendable work!!! :thumbsup:
Oh dear this is another one I'm going to have to build !
Don't I have too many already queued up ? My workload is going through the roof, too much inspiration, not enough time- Have you no pity ??
I feel the same way.