1:48 Ki-61-Id wheels

1:48 Ki-61-Id wheels — Eduard resin set

This item is not an aircraft kit, but a detail accessory: resin castings of the wheels for a model of the Kawasaki Ki-61-Id in 1:48 scale from the Czech brand Eduard. Resin wheels replace the plastic parts from a kit and tend to be more cleanly cast than the two-piece plastic halves, on which the mold seam always shows. You will find the contents of the set in the enclosed instructions.

The real subject

The Kawasaki Ki-61 was a Japanese single-seat fighter of the Second World War and, among Japanese machines of its day, it was an exception: instead of the usual radial it had a liquid-cooled inverted V12, which gave it a slim, pointed nose reminiscent of European designs. The Ki-61-Id version belonged to the later batches and differed from the earlier forms in its armament and in a number of structural changes, among other things. The landing gear wheels, with their fairly prominent tires, are clearly visible on a finished model, so replacing them is worthwhile.

Building and painting tips

Wash the resin castings first in warm soapy water to remove the mold release agent. Cut off the casting blocks with a fine-toothed saw or a cutting disc and tidy the surface with abrasive paper; sand wet and protect your breathing. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue — plastic cement does not dissolve resin. The rims are usually painted separately from the tires, so either careful brushwork or a circular mask comes in handy. Do not paint the tires pure black: a dark gray shade with a fine dusting pigment looks more convincing in scale.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building the Ki-61 in 1:48 scale
• Those who want to be rid of the mold seam on plastic wheels
• Builders with experience of resin accessories
• Anyone after a straightforward improvement to a clearly visible detail

This is an accessory for the build, not a model in its own right. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.