Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Training aircraft have not made a big splash in my collection. I have a few die cast, but nothing in plastic that I've built. But this kit was the exception. I have a small, but much loved, collection of die cast JASDF aircraft in 1/72. For some reason I've had a thing for the Kawasaki T-4 trainer - probably because it is such a trim and tidy little plane (imho). Hobby Master makes a nice example of the type, but I am not about to pay the prices I've seen it at. Amercom also makes one in plastic, but I thought I could do as good a job myself. So that's what I tried to do here.
The Kit
This kit is from Hasegawa, is in 1/72 scale, and was released in 1989. The instructions are nicely done (only a couple illustrations could be improved upon to show the proper angle of some parts during assembly). The kit has marking for two different aircraft from the Hamamatsu Training Wing. Decals are plentiful and well done (although some were printed a tad off-center and required a lot of trimming). Panel lines are lightly done. The cockpit lacks much in the way of details, however, you do get some nice decal control panels. There are no PE parts included.
The Build
I chose to build the aircraft shown on the box-art. It is aircraft 605, from the 31st Training Squadron, 1st Air Wing, JASDF. I hesitate to criticize this kit as it is well-thought-of in many reviews. However, I will say it gave me more than a few problems or, shall we say, challenges, throughout the build. For example, if you are used to kits having fuselage assembly's that come in two halves that glue together, well, think again. This kit has SIX parts (cockpit tub, two forward halves, two rear halves, and bottom)! A little over-engineered which requires a lot of filler and extra work fitting parts together.
My skills at filling and sanding are really not up to scratch. So I hate having to do it for kits when I don't think it is necessary in the first place. But I did what I could. There are really a lot of things I need to learn to improve my builds. Here, I wish I was better at rescribing panel lines, along with the aforementioned filling and sanding. Decals I am okay with, except when you get those decals which require special effort to make right. In this case, all the day-glo orange decals which didn't fit the best to begin with. The decals at the top of the vertical stabilizer were especially difficult. I used some orange paint to touch-up the decals where I damaged them during application / fitting. The orange paint (acrylic ) didn't match, but it is hard to see unless you have the model in hand.
The clear parts had become loose in the box, so they were pretty scratched when I got to using them. I had to use plastic polish to polish out many of the scratches to make them clear again. They had also lost their shape a bit over the course of time. This made them difficult to attach correctly to the fuselage.
Right now the model is in its shiny clear-coat best. The weather here isn't right for using Dulcoat, so I think I may need to get some brush-on matt finish to make it look correct. A few of the decals didn't go into their correct positions (per the instructions) owing to them being a tad larger than they should have been (you can only trim so much). But that isn't too noticeable - at least that is what I keep telling myself.
For a relatively small model it took a lot of time and effort to build. Still, I like how it turned out. That said, there is still a lot of room for improvement.
Please feel free to offer any constructive criticism you may have so I can learn. Thanks!
Photos
Here's a pic of the cockpit before the canopy went on. You can see the nicely appointed decal cockpit.
The Kit
This kit is from Hasegawa, is in 1/72 scale, and was released in 1989. The instructions are nicely done (only a couple illustrations could be improved upon to show the proper angle of some parts during assembly). The kit has marking for two different aircraft from the Hamamatsu Training Wing. Decals are plentiful and well done (although some were printed a tad off-center and required a lot of trimming). Panel lines are lightly done. The cockpit lacks much in the way of details, however, you do get some nice decal control panels. There are no PE parts included.
The Build
I chose to build the aircraft shown on the box-art. It is aircraft 605, from the 31st Training Squadron, 1st Air Wing, JASDF. I hesitate to criticize this kit as it is well-thought-of in many reviews. However, I will say it gave me more than a few problems or, shall we say, challenges, throughout the build. For example, if you are used to kits having fuselage assembly's that come in two halves that glue together, well, think again. This kit has SIX parts (cockpit tub, two forward halves, two rear halves, and bottom)! A little over-engineered which requires a lot of filler and extra work fitting parts together.
My skills at filling and sanding are really not up to scratch. So I hate having to do it for kits when I don't think it is necessary in the first place. But I did what I could. There are really a lot of things I need to learn to improve my builds. Here, I wish I was better at rescribing panel lines, along with the aforementioned filling and sanding. Decals I am okay with, except when you get those decals which require special effort to make right. In this case, all the day-glo orange decals which didn't fit the best to begin with. The decals at the top of the vertical stabilizer were especially difficult. I used some orange paint to touch-up the decals where I damaged them during application / fitting. The orange paint (acrylic ) didn't match, but it is hard to see unless you have the model in hand.
The clear parts had become loose in the box, so they were pretty scratched when I got to using them. I had to use plastic polish to polish out many of the scratches to make them clear again. They had also lost their shape a bit over the course of time. This made them difficult to attach correctly to the fuselage.
Right now the model is in its shiny clear-coat best. The weather here isn't right for using Dulcoat, so I think I may need to get some brush-on matt finish to make it look correct. A few of the decals didn't go into their correct positions (per the instructions) owing to them being a tad larger than they should have been (you can only trim so much). But that isn't too noticeable - at least that is what I keep telling myself.
For a relatively small model it took a lot of time and effort to build. Still, I like how it turned out. That said, there is still a lot of room for improvement.
Please feel free to offer any constructive criticism you may have so I can learn. Thanks!
Photos
Here's a pic of the cockpit before the canopy went on. You can see the nicely appointed decal cockpit.
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Excellent work. Very neatly done
On The Bench
Takom 1/35 M247 Sgt. York.
Takom 1/35 M247 Sgt. York.
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Very good looking. Especially the cockpit. Plus a great run-up narrative.
Besting 60 years of mediocre building of average kits in the stand off scale
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Looks good to me.
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!!
Owner of Marky's Model Emporium since 2013!.
Owner of Marky's Model Emporium since 2013!.
-
- NOT the sheep
- Posts: 26188
- Joined: November 26th, 2011, 6:11 pm
- Location: Pontefract West Yorkshire
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Nice one, PW. I'm of the opinion that trainers make for great subjects. Not every model has to be bristling with bombs and guns to light my fire
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
- Migrant
- Happily Landed after Many Circuits and Bumps
- Posts: 2428
- Joined: April 5th, 2011, 8:33 pm
- Location: Calgary, Canada
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
That's a really nice, clean build PW.
- Clashcityrocker
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 10816
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 12:31 am
- Location: Adelaide. South Australia
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Smart looking finish.
Nigel
Nigel
-
- Active Participant
- Posts: 504
- Joined: April 17th, 2013, 12:41 pm
- Location: Nelson, New Zealand
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
I was going to say that I saw you had some fit problem, but a great paint job, then I got my google fu cranked up & found this photo http://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/air ... .jpg?v=v40, so now I'll say great paint job & I reckon you've been too hard on yourself on the fit thing, its a pretty neat job all around.
Steve.
Steve.
- pmmaker
- Active Participant
- Posts: 788
- Joined: October 11th, 2017, 11:14 pm
- Location: Somers, Connecticut, USA
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Another great project Bret - looks really neat. Fit problems did not subtract from a very well done paint job. Good work!
pmmaker
pmmaker
The Mad Hatter: "Have I gone mad"
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
Alice: “I’m afraid so. . . you’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. . . All the BEST people are.”
- Old_Tonto
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:41 pm
- Location: Middlesbrough, Peoples Republic of Teesside.
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
What a smart looking aircraft and rather impressive build history too.
Not something you see everyday.
Not something you see everyday.
2023 - A:0 B:0 C:0
Current Projects:
East German Air Force (1956-90)
South African Air Force (1958-93)
Current Projects:
East German Air Force (1956-90)
South African Air Force (1958-93)
- jamesaw
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 1117
- Joined: October 16th, 2011, 1:30 pm
- Location: Ontario, Canada
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Nicely rendered. Almost looks like a cross between a Jaguar and a Skyhawk.
- Migrant
- Happily Landed after Many Circuits and Bumps
- Posts: 2428
- Joined: April 5th, 2011, 8:33 pm
- Location: Calgary, Canada
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
It could be that the reviews you read are of the later version of the kit, PW. Like most Hasegawa toolings the T-4 comes in a myriad of different boxings with various marking options, but the kit was also completely re-tooled by Hasegawa in 1996. The box top you show in your images is from 1989/90, so definitely the old tool. I know all of this courtesy Scalemates.I hesitate to criticize this kit as it is well-thought-of in many reviews. However, I will say it gave me more than a few problems or, shall we say, challenges, throughout the build.
- skypirate
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 7299
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 6:13 am
- Location: Port Macquarie, Australia
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Now that's a pretty thing, rarely seen!
Well done!
David
Well done!
David
- Spaceowl
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 1081
- Joined: July 1st, 2011, 8:41 am
- Location: Middlesbrough, Peoples' Republic of Teesside
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
What a neat looking aircraft - nice build too.
Overhead a rainbow appears...in black and white.
Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
Current Projects:
Aircraft of VMA-542, USMC
Peru-Ecuador War 1995
THK 1939-2023
Polish Air Force 1939
Re: Hasegawa 1/72: Kawasaki T-4 JASDF
Thank you all for your kind comments regarding my build.
Migrant: Thank you for that additional bit about the kit (and I'll also start to make better use of Scalemates). Makes sense about the little issues I seemed to have with the kit.
ShaunW: "I'm of the opinion that trainers make for great subjects. Not every model has to be bristling with bombs and guns to light my fire." - I think you are on to something.
Migrant: Thank you for that additional bit about the kit (and I'll also start to make better use of Scalemates). Makes sense about the little issues I seemed to have with the kit.
ShaunW: "I'm of the opinion that trainers make for great subjects. Not every model has to be bristling with bombs and guns to light my fire." - I think you are on to something.