1/48 SANGER Mitsubishi Ki-67 Vac...It BEGINS!

[Ohm-men]

Hi All,

I'm new here, found this forum while "google-ing" for the Sanger Ki-67 kit and found this topic;
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/start-finish-builds/ki-67-hiryu-peggy-1-48-sanger-kit-39492-2.html

So, since I replied to the original topic, I decided to give this kit a go and start my own topic on it.
Though this will be a slow build due to the difficult nature of this kit. So, don't expect daily updates. I'll do my best to keep you posted on my progress.

Anyway, I started collecting as much as I could find on the www.
I found some nice scans of the 1/72 Hasegawa kit sprues and enlarged these to 1/48 scale.
I also found some pics of the Maru Mechanic book (No. 32) which deals with this aircraft.

So far I found the Sanger kit is quiet accurate in outlines (when compared to the scaled up Hasegawa parts)
This means I will try my best to make a decent representation of the Ki-67 in 1/48.
I will NOT use scale plans (other then those that come with the kit) just to keep my sanity.

 

[Ohm-men]

So, here's the kit's contents;

And the scaled up hasegawa parts, printed as ref. and some prints I made from the Maru Mechanic (found on the web)
Started on the wings, filling some detail (that didn't look correct to my eyes) and adding detail using a callipers needle and a Verlinden scribbing template;

And I also started on the Fuselage. Filling the only pannel line that is on this part as it is incorrect and too wide. Filled it with some Tamiya grey putty.

 

[Ohm-men]

At 1/48 the Ki-67 is quiet a big bird, more or less the size of a B-25/B-26.
Still a medium bomber when compared to Allied machines. Though the Japanese catogorized it as a Heavy Bomber.
Mirrored the Sanger scale drawing to get a "complete" look at the size.
Sanger just gives half a scale drawing.

I think that even though this kit will never build up to a TamiGawa standard, Sanger is to be aplauded for releasing this kit in 1/48.
Nevertheless, it will be a challiging task.

 

[vikingBerserker]

You are off to a great start, looking forward to the build.

 

[Wurger]

Looking foward to the assembling. A nice beginning.

 

[Airframes]

Good start, and should be an interesting build.

 

[ian lanc]

A Sanger model! These kits are men't to test you! Keep it up pal.

 

[fubar57]

Vacs scare the bejaysus outta, will watch from a safe distance.

Geo

 

[Ohm-men]

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll certainly gonna need it.
Though I have a bit of expirience with vacu kits. I've build 2 old MPM vacu Do 217 kits in the past. Converting thier old 217 E kit to a 217 J-1 nightfighter and their 217 K-1 to a M-1 using a set of Koster 217 N engine nacelles and a lot of scratchbuilding.
But this is my first Sanger kit and it seams to need even more work then any other vacu kit I ever encountered. But, I really want to add a Ki-67 to my collection. And 1/72 scale is just too small for my ham sized hands

 

[Crimea_River]

Should be interesting. I'm kinda with Geo...

 

[Lucky13]

Awesome! Looking forward to your progress mate!

 

[vikingBerserker]

I have accidently bought 2 vacu kits and they have stayed in storage.

 

[gbr-22]

I wish you "ganbare".. I'll be watching with great interest!

 

[Capt. Vick]

Very interesting how you used the Hasegawa pictures. Never thought of that.

 

[Lucky13]

I've got the Sanger 1/48 Handley Page Hampden.....

 

[Dukesman]

Wow...this is frightening looking! I could never attempt this, but you are off to a great start! Thanks for posting!

 

[Ohm-men]

I made some progress on this kit. Even though it's quiet difficult to manage, I'm really enjoying this build.
So far I have completed scribbing both fuselage halves and removing them from their backing sheet. They are sanded to the correct thickness as well.
I'm slowly starting on scratchbuilding the interior. The parts given in this kit are far from useable. Either oversized or lacking any detail. I made most bulkheads and started on the bomb bay/ Cockpit floor using the enlarged prints of the Hasegawa kit sprues as a guide.
I luckily managed to get these more or less exact to 1/48th scale. Most Sanger parts fit on these prints, making the big parts of the Sanger Ki-67 rather scale correct for 1/48th scale. So at least I have some idea of what I'm actually building.

Anyway, there are quiet some dificulties ahead andthis kit needs careful planning. Though I will first concentrate on the fuselage and deal witht the wings at a later stage.
The wing diheral (or whatever this is called) will present a real challenge...

 

[Ohm-men]

Scribbed fuselage. This is done with a needle and a Olfa P-Cutter. The panel lines might look a bit too deep, but due to the amounth of primer that most likely will go on the fuselage I decided to slightly overdo this to compensate for the amounth of paint.

Next I started on the interior. I only used a part of the bomb bay floor provided in the kit. Cockpit floor was oversized.
Rest was made from plastic card using the enlarged prints of the Hasegawa sprues.

And I've dipped the clear parts in Sols Plus (local availble alternative for Future here in Belgium. Also Made by the Johnsons company)
Took care of some of the blemishes on these parts.

And some progress on the rest of the parts. one wing is sperated from the backing sheet and sanded to the correct thickness. Though massive surgery will be needed on the wings prior to instaling on the fuselage.

So, that's all for now...Hopefully a next update soon!

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Wow, have done me a little vac kit before but one this size, very commendable and it's looking good.