KI-84 Hayate/Halinski

I have started construction on the Japanese Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate fighter, and so far it is proving to be a very enjoyable build. As with all Halinski kits, the print quality and detail is superb. This one in particular has some very nice, subtle weathering.

I started the build with the construction of the cockpit section of the plane's fuselage - as seems to be the recommendation in all Halinski kits. Why not get into some of the finest details right at the start! I wanted to add a higher level of detail and realism to the cockpit, so I decided to use some Eduard photo-etch parts for the seat/seatbelts and instrument panel - as an experiment. Although the Eduard parts are 1:32 scale, they seem to work perfectly in this 1:33 scale model. So far, the fit of all parts is very good - and I like the tab and slot method for the frames in this kit.

Here are a few more photos of the cockpit section, in progress...

I have made some progress on one of the cockpit side walls, as you can see here.

No, I have also built the P-51D "petie" (Halinski) and am in progress with the F-14 Tomcat (Halinski). So this is my third aircraft model - but I am an Architect by profession, so I have many years of experience in building models with paper and scratchbuilding. Thanks for your compliments.

So, my eyes start to hurt a bit while working on all of the small parts in the cockpit and I need to work on something "bigger". Here are some shots of the wing construction...

Here is my attempt at the engine cowling. To me this has been the most difficult part of the build so far, and I'm not entirely happy with the results- but it will do.

There are some additional touches that I am adding to the cowling (and the entire model) to enhance realism. In my research, it appears that the quality of the paint used on the KI-84 was not very good, and it easily chipped and got worn off - exposing the bare metal underneath. The places that were most vulnerable to this wear and tear were: the wing and fuselage side where the pilot would climb in and out of the cockpit, the leading edges of the wings, and the front edge of the engine cowling. To further enhance the already superb artwork on this kit, I am adding a few touches of paint here and there to simulate the shiny bare metal where the paint has worn or chipped away (Tamiya X-11 chrome acrylic). You can see the beginnings of this on my cowling - and I will need to be careful not to overdo it.

Thanks. I did not know this about Japanese aircraft in WWII. Very interesting, indeed! Knowing as much about the aircraft I am modeling makes for a better final product, I think. That's the best thing about these forums - the chance to learn something new.

Well, I have been quite busy with other things lately, so I am making slow progress. I have finished all of the detail parts in the main cockpit assembly as well as the left side interior wall.

Here are a few shots after glueing up the left side wall to the main cockpit assembly. The tiny, fiddly parts of the cockpit are extremely time consuming. Now on to the other side...

My latest progress on the "Hayate": the tail section of the fuselage. Although the cockpit is not yet fully complete, I could not resist beginning work on the rest of the fuselage - to me, this is the most fun part. Here are a few pictures of the assembly, and a few "dry-fit" shots with the rest of the model.

More photos...

The seat, belts and instrument panel are actually made from Eduard photo-etched parts. Initially, I had only intended to use the photo-etched instrument panel to improve upon the one printed in the kit - but I couldn't help myself, and decided to make other improvements with the lap belts and seat. Some may consider it "cheating", but I really wanted the cockpit to be a showpiece.

So, the cockpit side walls are now complete and the cockpit is closed up. It was sort of sad to cover up all of that detail - but at least the instrument panel and seat are still highly visible! The next step will be the exterior skinning of this section of the fuselage..

I first cut out the exterior covering of the cockpit, and colored the edges. Next, I butt-joint glued the rear portions together to make a complete piece with only an opening for the cockpit. I then pre-shaped the part and dry tested the fit. Ok. Now for the most nerve wracking part...

The exterior cockpit covering is now glued in place (and the correct place!), and I am as happy as I could expect to be with the results. Now I can breathe easy and proceed. This part of the build is really fun, but it is also very stressful.

A bit more progress. The central portion (cockpit section) of the plane's fuselage is now glued to the wing construction - so things are beginning to take shape. It is at this time that you can begin to see what fits well and what doesn't. Some small gaps exist, so I will need to perform some final retouching here and there on the seams with a bit of paint.

Danke!

Thank you, and keep watching for more...

More progress...

I have continued the model with the front section enclosure, and underside wheel well enclosure. Just some minor progress, but here are some photos.

The next stage in the build progress is the completion of the fuselage front covering (aft of the engine/cowling). The front section that the engine attaches to is a concentric tapering shape that required careful shaping around a series of oval formers.

The front covering is then attached to the main aircraft fuselage. Because the transition between the two is an extreme change in angle, I attempted to apply a slight "curl" around the outer edge of the front covering - thus making the curve appear smoother and more gradual. This was done with a small burnishing tool against a rubber mat.

I have now assembled the left horizontal stabilizer and attached it to the tail section.

The tail section is now complete, so I have attached it to the main fuselage section. Now it is looking like an airplane!

Quote

Originally posted by YY DAD
Hi,

What a clean work! I like your building.
BTW, I was told there is a error on this model on the bottom skin of main body. A part is shorter than it is supposed to be.

I will keep my eyes open on your building.

Best regards,

YY DAD

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Thanks! As far as an error goes, I think I know what you may be referring to - and it is not a design error, but a builder error. The wing coverings are meant to fold over and the trailing edges should overlap by about 2 mm, instead of joining flush. This is intended to replicate the wing flaps in closed position - and is clearly defined in the building instructions printed in the kit. If you join them flush, you will then have a 2 mm gap on the underside where the fuselage parts meet. This is how exact the parts on a Halinski model fit together. I did not overlap the trailing edges quite enough on my model, and there is now a slight gap on the underside of the fuselage - but nothing too noticeable.

Well, not much progress on the KI-84 lately, as I have been busy with many other things. I did have a moment to sit down and make a few cuts, so I decided to begin tackling the remaining fuselage skinning - and definitely not the easiest part.

More progress photos. The fuselage skin around the wheel wells and wings is complete. Strangely, this has been the most difficult part of the model so far. It requires near perfect shaping of some TINY parts - so my execution is far from what is required, but it will do.