Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 GB]

Runs November 15th to December 31st
GB Leaders: Kruaxi, DirkPitt289
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Dirkpitt289
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Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 GB]

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

Luft 46 is one of my alltime favorite subjects. The aircraft boggle the mind and streches the imagination. German aircraft designers put forth many aircraft project ideas, which ranged from the
practical to the bizarre. Some of these ideas were ahead of their time and reached a more advanced
design stage, and even affect aircraft today. So when Bruce (Brews) suggested a GB so long ago I was in. No ands, ifs, or buts..

Now the time is upon us and I can't decide on what I want to build. I have 3 or 4 subjects in my stash but nothing that is calling out to me at this time. I'm sure those of you that have a stash of kits of any size know what I'm talking about. :roll: It's bad enough to start a kit and to loose intrest at some point durring the build. But to start a kit (any kit) with no intrest is even worse.

It was off to my LHS during my lunch break to see if there was anything that would cause the juices to flow. To my dismay they had little Luft 46 subjects in house and what they did have I already had. Depression started to set in. What timeing it is to have lost my desire to build one of my most loved subjects. Then it happened. Somthing on one of the upper shelves caught my eye. :shock: Oh, my god this could be the one. This could be the kit. I felt a stirring in my imagination. yes yes yes, THIS IS THE ONE!!!! :mrgreen:

User Name: Dirkpitt289
First Name: Dirk
manufactur: hasegawa
Scale: 1/72
Model Type: Kyushu J7W1
After Market Items: OOB

History

The Kyushu J7W1 Shinden (Magnificent Lightening) was the only aircraft of a canard configuration to be ordered into quantity production anywhere in the world during the second World War.

Work on the J7W1 began in earnest in June of 1944 and the first prototype was completed within a mere ten month period. The nose, to which the horizontal stabilizers were attached, was to contain four 30 mm Type 5 cannon and housed the nose wheel. The pilot sat in the middle of the fuselage forward of the aft-mounted swept wings. The main undercarriage legs and wheels retracted laterally into the wings and small auxiliary wheels retracted into the base of the two vertical fins and rudders attached to the wings. The 2,130 hp Mitsubishi MK9D eighteen cylinder radial engine and its supercharger were installed in the fuselage behind the pilots cockpit and drove a six-blade propeller via an extension shaft. Engine cooling air was supplied by long narrow obliquely mounted intakes on either side of the fuselage. The navy, disparately needing a heavily armed high-performance interceptor fighter, decided prior to the aircraft's maiden flight to order it into production at Kyushu's Zasshonokuma factory and at Nakajima;s Handa plant. Considering the difficult conditions under which the Japanese aircraft industry was working at the time, the anticipated monthly output of 30 Shindens from Kyushu and 120 from Nakajima appears to have been overly optimistic and the Japanese surrender put an end to them.

Difficulties with engine cooling on the ground and the unavailability of some items of equipment delayed the first flight until August 3, 1945, when Captain Tsuruno took the aircraft for a short flight at Fukuoka Airport. Two other short flights were made bringing the total test time to some 45 minutes prior to the end of the war and revealed the need to correct a strong torque pull to starboard on takeoff and marked vibrations in the propeller and drive shaft. At wars end a second prototype had been completed but not flown and it was eventually dismantled and shipped to the United States. This aircraft is currently stored and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. awaiting eventual restoration. Plans were also made for a J7W2 version in which the radial engine was to be replaced with a 900 kg thrust Ne-130 turbojet.

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More to follow once I get home.
.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
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kruaxi
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by kruaxi »

Amazing subject. I'm sure you will do a great job.
Salute e Latinum per tutti !
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Martin R
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by Martin R »

Interesting. But I'm sure a Tiger Force Tempest II would give it some problems! Ooops sorry! Back to the Boston . . . :ha:
Martin R

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Dirkpitt289
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

With my Mustang 2+2 all but destroyed I decided rather than sulking over dead plastic I'd try and be somewhat productive. My choice was to start my Shnden.

Nice Box Art

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The parts are in gray molded plastic, well detailed with no flash at all. The panel lines are recessed but in my opinion not overly stated.

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As usual I started with the interior

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.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
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TimJ
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by TimJ »

Looking good. Another one of my favourite WWII project aircraft.
2020 A:35 B:18. 2021 A: 51 B:25 C:21 2022 A:63 B:23 C:11 2024 A:9 B:4 C:15
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Dirkpitt289
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

The cockpit is in place and so is the instrument panel decal.

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I forgot to post this in the beginning so here it is now. Looking at the instructions and the colors called out doe the build I found this one. Anyone know what color this is?

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.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
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Dirkpitt289
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

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That's all for now. Thanks for looking
.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
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flakmonkey
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by flakmonkey »

Dirkpitt289 wrote:Anyone know what color this is?
I didn't, but I do now.
Would ya like to learn to fly? Would ya? Would you like to see me try?
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Dirkpitt289
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

I must be getting old. Its kinda hard to make that out. Is it that brown/ rust like color?
.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
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flakmonkey
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by flakmonkey »

yes, it's a reddish brown that looks very close to Tamiya XF-9 Hull red to me.
Would ya like to learn to fly? Would ya? Would you like to see me try?
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Dirkpitt289
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

That was the exact color I was going to use. Tamiya Hull Red.
.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
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kruaxi
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by kruaxi »

Great building, Dirk
Salute e Latinum per tutti !
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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

I'm really disappointed that you didn't use this kit instead .
John Ratzenberger :???:
It's my model and I'll do what I want with it.
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Dirkpitt289
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

jRatz wrote:I'm really disappointed that you didn't use this kit instead .
Ya know my parents have expressed a similar disappointment in me over the years but it was never over my choice of kits. :ha:
.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
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Dirkpitt289
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Re: Dirk's Magnificent Lightening [The Twist in the Luft46 G

Post by Dirkpitt289 »

Well the hassle and bustle of the Thanksgiving weekend and the girlfriends birthday have subsided so I was able to do a little work on the Shinden

This is the best masking I think I've ever done.

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Canopy mounted

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This kit is a lot better fitting than I read and expected but there was still a little filler needed. I admit I applied it a little heavy but it'll come off easily enough with the acetone (Nail Polish Remover)

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Removed the excess filler

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Sprayed the canopy with the interior color

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After the canopy dried I applied the primer.

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.... Dirk

Beware of the DOG's of WAR

My Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/user/ModelingGu ... rid&view=0
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