Let's have a look at Sanger's "Nakajima Ki-49 -Helen"
Another intersting subject from U.K. based company Sanger is the Ki-49 in 1/48th scale.
As it comes as no surprise, this is another Vacu kit with white metal detail parts, a decal sheet for 5 aircraft and a scale drawing of the type. Again this a very basic kit that can be build with a lot of patience.
Here is a look of what is in the box;
The Kit
(This is an older offering that came in a box, nowadays these kits come in a bag, though contents are the same)
First we get 5 sheets of plastic on which the main kits parts are on.
Fuselage halves, upper- and under wings, wheels, tail and some bulkheads, cocpit floor, etc...
A close up (with outlined parts with a marker, to show what the parts look like)
Wings have most pannel lines on then, where the fuselage has no pannel lines whatsoever...
Again, no surprise here.
The clear parts are actually not bad. The overall shape of the cockpit canopy looks good, both tail turret fuselage clear parts have the right shape too. Though the clear nose part (that is split in two halves) is useless (for some reason Sanger provides the same nose transparencies for both their Ki-49, Ki-67 and Ginga kits...)
The white metal parts are given for the landing gear, aranament, radio loop, Props and some cockpit parts.
Some are usuable, some will need to be replaced. The guns are all of the later "12.7" and "20mm" type, where the Ki-49 I used other calibre weapons which are not included. detail on these parts is a bit crude.
The decal sheet included has decals for 5 different aircraft, although it is not specified which Ki-67 they are for.
So the modeller has to find out which aircraft markings are for what Ki-49 type.
The Sheet has to have each decal cut out seperatly as there is carrier film all over. The printing is far from sharp, there is bleed on most unit insigna and Hinomaru's. And when checking against refference, most unit insigna ae either simplified are have the wrong shape...
The Instruction sheet is crude, a "A3" sheet is included which has printing on both sides. Recto side gives an (incomplete) 3 way vieuw of the aircraft, the position of the cockpit parts and position of metal parts.
Verso side has some rather crude images of the decal options, no additional info of the subjects is given (I wrote some on it with a pencil)
Ofcourse, with Sanger you know what you are getting. But not all is bad! The overall shape, when compared to other scale plans then those included with the kit, look prommesing. The overall shape of the Ki-49 is there. Fuselage and Wings seam to heve the correct dimensions and the fact that the engine Nacelles are a part of the wing structure, should make construction somewhat easier then their Ki-67.
Here is the fuselage with a drawing of a Ki-58 (Gunship/escort of the Ki-49)
And a look at the wings with some upscaled plans that come from a Russian? publication on the type;
Conclusion
Again something for the more expirienced modeller. Though don't let vacu kits scare you. Once the parts are of their backing sheets and sanded to correct thickness, they are no harder to build then your average "Short Run" kit.
Again a lot of refference material is needed to build this Sanger (or is it Contrail?) Kit.
There is not that much material on the Ki-49 available. There is one known monograph by Bushnell, but apart from the type's history and operational life, there is not much other info in this book, no scale plans, or a lot of interior photograps.
There is however a rather inact wreck situated on one Papua New Ginua that seams to be phtographed a lot and there is a rather substantianal number of pics on line of this wreck. It shows a lot of structural detail that will be very handy when tackling this model.
Also I would suggest to pick up a 1/72 Hasegawa or LS/Revell model of the Ki-49 to heve some idea of the details.
Another intersting subject from U.K. based company Sanger is the Ki-49 in 1/48th scale.
As it comes as no surprise, this is another Vacu kit with white metal detail parts, a decal sheet for 5 aircraft and a scale drawing of the type. Again this a very basic kit that can be build with a lot of patience.
Here is a look of what is in the box;
The Kit
(This is an older offering that came in a box, nowadays these kits come in a bag, though contents are the same)
First we get 5 sheets of plastic on which the main kits parts are on.
Fuselage halves, upper- and under wings, wheels, tail and some bulkheads, cocpit floor, etc...
A close up (with outlined parts with a marker, to show what the parts look like)
Wings have most pannel lines on then, where the fuselage has no pannel lines whatsoever...
Again, no surprise here.
The clear parts are actually not bad. The overall shape of the cockpit canopy looks good, both tail turret fuselage clear parts have the right shape too. Though the clear nose part (that is split in two halves) is useless (for some reason Sanger provides the same nose transparencies for both their Ki-49, Ki-67 and Ginga kits...)
The white metal parts are given for the landing gear, aranament, radio loop, Props and some cockpit parts.
Some are usuable, some will need to be replaced. The guns are all of the later "12.7" and "20mm" type, where the Ki-49 I used other calibre weapons which are not included. detail on these parts is a bit crude.
The decal sheet included has decals for 5 different aircraft, although it is not specified which Ki-67 they are for.
So the modeller has to find out which aircraft markings are for what Ki-49 type.
The Sheet has to have each decal cut out seperatly as there is carrier film all over. The printing is far from sharp, there is bleed on most unit insigna and Hinomaru's. And when checking against refference, most unit insigna ae either simplified are have the wrong shape...
The Instruction sheet is crude, a "A3" sheet is included which has printing on both sides. Recto side gives an (incomplete) 3 way vieuw of the aircraft, the position of the cockpit parts and position of metal parts.
Verso side has some rather crude images of the decal options, no additional info of the subjects is given (I wrote some on it with a pencil)
Ofcourse, with Sanger you know what you are getting. But not all is bad! The overall shape, when compared to other scale plans then those included with the kit, look prommesing. The overall shape of the Ki-49 is there. Fuselage and Wings seam to heve the correct dimensions and the fact that the engine Nacelles are a part of the wing structure, should make construction somewhat easier then their Ki-67.
Here is the fuselage with a drawing of a Ki-58 (Gunship/escort of the Ki-49)
And a look at the wings with some upscaled plans that come from a Russian? publication on the type;
Conclusion
Again something for the more expirienced modeller. Though don't let vacu kits scare you. Once the parts are of their backing sheets and sanded to correct thickness, they are no harder to build then your average "Short Run" kit.
Again a lot of refference material is needed to build this Sanger (or is it Contrail?) Kit.
There is not that much material on the Ki-49 available. There is one known monograph by Bushnell, but apart from the type's history and operational life, there is not much other info in this book, no scale plans, or a lot of interior photograps.
There is however a rather inact wreck situated on one Papua New Ginua that seams to be phtographed a lot and there is a rather substantianal number of pics on line of this wreck. It shows a lot of structural detail that will be very handy when tackling this model.
Also I would suggest to pick up a 1/72 Hasegawa or LS/Revell model of the Ki-49 to heve some idea of the details.
