Soviet Air Force MiG-25 "Foxbat" 'Red 31'/Lt. Viktor Belenko, Hakodate Airport, Japan 1976 1/144 Revell

Right after Soviet Air Force Lt. Belenko defected to Japan in 1976 there were MiG-25 scale model kits available too, and I recall I built one in 1/72nd scale at the end of 1970's. Later I thought it might be fun to have a Revell Foxbat model again, so picked up this in 1/144 scale this time. The kit is quite simple but captures the brutal style of MiG-25 very well. The motion-blur runway background is an A3-sized color print I made after real Hakodate runway dimensions and it should be at least roughly in 1/144 scale too.

Real Asahi Shimbun pictures of Belenko's MiG-25 at Hakodate

Jiro Horikoshi Design III: IJN Mitsubishi (made by Nakajima) A6M5 Model 52a Zero-Sen 'Zeke' 653-III 1/72 Tamiya

Jiro Horikoshi (Wikipedia)

This Tamiya 1/72 Zero-Sen kit (60779-1400) is possibly the best scale model kit I've ever built: no putty, no problems, no fuss. And the final result sure looks like a Zero!
Not only this model rounds up my anime-inspired 'The Wind Rises' Jiro Horikoshi project, but it nicely dovetails with my other models that were made after the photos and color profiles in the old "Aircraft in Profile" series. There is even a photo of the orignal 'Zeke' aircraft at Ohita Air Base, Japan on October 13th 1944!
Built out-of-the-box with kit decals, airbrushed Revell and Humbrol enamels. Turpentine umbra washes sealed with Revell matt varnish clearcoat.

Aircraft in Profile vol. 12 original photo caption: --Photographed on October 13, 1944 at Ohita Air Base, Japan, Zero-Sen Model 52a (A6M5a) fighters of the 653rd Naval Air Corps are being readied preparatory to embarking on the ill-fated imperial Japanese Navy carriers which took part in Operation Sho - the Battle of Leyte Gulf - two weeks later (Photo: via Takeshi Miyawaki)

Jiro Horikoshi Design (top to bottom): Mitsubishi J2M 'Raiden', A6M 'Zero', A5M

Mitsubishi 'Jack', 'Zeke', 'Claude'

Tamiya Zero 1/72 scale item 60779 1400

Tamiya 1/72 scale war bird collection 79 Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero Fighter Zeke

Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Ta-152H 1/72 Revell (Frog)

Revell 1:72 Focke Wulf Ta 152 H 00981 Aircraft illustration D. Frka

Revell 1:72 Focke Wulf Ta 152 H 03981 Skill level 3

This is a model I've wanted to build for a long time, the Kurt Tank designed Focke Wulf Ta-152H. It looks like no other fighter plane with the sailplane-like wings. So it was a nice coincidence for Revell to re-release the old Frog kit of this subject. Built out-of-the-box except wing guns and leftover tail swastikas (which may not be the right kind & size for this particular plane, but didn't want to end up buying a whole sheet of these 'evil' markings...)

Again an old kit that was really enjoyable to build and looks like a really nice Ta-152H to my eye when finished, even with those raised panel lines and all that stuff. There are slight washes to enhance these lines, the only details I sanded away were fictional circular details on wing undersides.

At first I thought about doing the vintage Frog instructions camouflage and markings but I wonder if the RLM 74/75/76 scheme was really used as late as 1945 for the latest and finest Luftwaffe "Butcher Bird". It's certainly not impossible, but on the other hand there really was a Luftwaffe full orange-red painted Ta-152H like this model, with the possible inaccuracy of the actual color used, of course. Eagle Cals Decals suggest FS21310 but I think Humbrol 100 works just fine.

"Orange-Red Ta 152, a striking Ta 152 H flown by the Kommodore of JG 301 Obslt. Fritz Auffhammer on 22 March 1945 to the Luftwaffe proving ground at Rechlin, Germany, returning this aircraft along with complaints of construction problems and unfulfilled delivery dates. The purpose of ths bright Orange-Red color was to prevent trigger-happy German flak gunners from shooting down this unusual Luftwaffe fighter. On this flight Auffhammer was escorted by Hptm. Roderich Cescotti who flew Fw 190 D-9 "Green 1". Recommended FS number 21310 for the Orange-Red color" (Coopersmodels.com)

Jiro Horikoshi Design II: IJN Mitsubishi Raiden 'Jack', Genzan Flying Group ケ-1107 (Ke-1107) 1/72 Nichimo

Jiro Horikoshi (Wikipedia)

This is my 2nd Japanese anime-inspired old-school model of a plane designed by Jiro Horikoshi, Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden, American name 'Jack'. This kit was a bit more difficult to build than the A5M4 Claude, parts fit was poor sometimes and the fuselage halves were warped out of alignment too. That's why I had to augment this kit with scratch-built items like a new tailwheel and guns, although tried to follow the out-of-the-box principle as long as possible. Original decals - coated with Micro Decal Film - were used, except the yellow leading edge stripes. These decals needed a very long soaking time in water before the backing glue let go. The three-part canopy was hazy and ill-fitting to the fuselage, so that's why this kit is perhaps more suited for a collector's item. The finished model isn't too bad overall, but obviously modern kits are preferable.

And yes, I've no idea what the real historical Ke-1107 Raiden looked like, but for this project the box art was quite adequate source for decal placement information. Here is another, perhaps more accurate Nichimo Raiden model in the Arawesi-Wild Eagles blog. Two Mitsubishi models ready now, Tamiya Zero 'Zeke' still to go!