1:35 Fukuiraptor (Clic Loc Kit)

Fukuiraptor 1:35 with the Clic Loc joint from Tamiya

A plastic dinosaur kit that Tamiya has built around a snap-fit joint: the parts fit into one another by themselves and glue plays no part. A base for display is included. The shape of the body and the surface of the skin were created in cooperation with the dinosaur museum in Fukui Prefecture and under the expert supervision of the university there, so the model is not free fantasy but a reconstruction according to the current state of knowledge.

The real subject

The Fukuiraptor was a medium-sized predator whose remains were found on the northern coast of Japan and whose age is estimated at roughly 120 million years. It grew to a length of about 4.7 meters, had a slender body, long hind limbs and short forelimbs with pronounced claws. It was precisely because of those massive claws that it was originally taken for a different kind of predator from the one it turned out to be.

Building and painting tips

A snap-fit joint does not mean the model cannot be refined. It is a good idea to fill and sand the seams on the body, otherwise they show through the paint. The skin comes alive with a base shade complemented by a glaze in the recesses and a dry brush over the raised scales; the eyes and the jaws deserve attention of their own. The base completes the impression if you add pigment and a little vegetation to it.

Who the model is for

• anyone interested in prehistoric animals and paleontology
• parents looking for a build without solvents
• collectors of display curiosities outside military hardware

The set comes in pieces and unpainted. Buy the paints separately; thanks to the snap-fit joint you will not need glue.