1:48 Ki-61-ld Hein pylons

The real subject

The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien was a Japanese fighter of the Second World War and an exception among Japanese production fighters: it had a liquid-cooled engine, while the other types relied on air-cooled radial engines. The Allies therefore credited it at first with a European origin and gave it the code name Tony. The Ki-61-Id designation belongs to a late production version of the Ki-61-I series.

What the set contains

This is an accessory set of pylons for a model in 1:48 scale, that is of the underwing pylons on which drop tanks or external stores were hung. In kits these small parts tend to be coarse and inaccurate, because they are thin shapes at the limit of what a mold can do. The material of the parts and the way they are made are not stated here; the manufacturer gives the number of pieces and the fitting procedure.

Building and painting tips

Cut the excess material away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the rest back carefully, so as not to wipe out the shape of the leading edge. Wash and degrease the parts before painting. Choose the glue according to the material the manufacturer states, because cement for polystyrene does not hold on every material. Measure the position on both wing halves from the same fixed point, otherwise the pylons will be asymmetrical, which shows on a finished model more than anything else. Try dry how high the pylon sits as well, so that a store does not rest against the wing.

• 1:48 scale, the subject is the Ki-61-Id Hien
• accessory underwing pylons
• the manufacturer gives the material and the number of pieces
• the position has to be measured symmetrically on both wing halves
• washing and degreasing the parts before painting is advisable

Terms of supply

This is an accessory for a build, not a kit of the aircraft. Paints, glue and the model are not included, unless stated otherwise.