Yokosuka D3Y1-K by Valom in 1/72

[fastmongrel]

I can pretty much guarantee most won't have heard of this aircraft. I spotted this when I was looking for another Valom kit and thought I would have a go as it was both cheap and rare.

The D3Y1-K was an attempt to build a training version of the Judy dive bomber out of non essential materials. In this case Maple wood and Mild Steel. Only 2 or 3 were built by August 1945 but if the war had carried on I am sure the USN and RN would have been dodging Kamikaze versions.

Yokosuka D3Y - Wikipedia

 

[fastmongrel]

I have made a start on the engine cowling which is a resin cast item. It had a huge casting plug which I sawed off. Then drilled a daisy chain of holes to remove the waste. I had a squashed oval shaped hole so needed to do a bit of filing. Not wanting to file too much I coated a slightly tapered round marker pen body with marker pen ink and used it as a check block. I carefully scraped away the ink marks left on the cowling when I slid the cowling over the marker pen body.

I hope you can just see the ink marks on the cowling.

My tub of water for sanding and filing resin

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff, and you're certainly churning out some interesting subjects.

 

[fastmongrel]

Good stuff, and you're certainly churning out some interesting subjects.

The usual Spitfires, P51s, Ju88s and Zeros bore me. Nothing against the usual crop of kits but I like the might have beens, never weres and the"what the heck were they thinking ofs"

 

[Wurger]

 

[fastmongrel]

Engine assembly not quite up to flight standard.

 

[Wurger]

Looking good though.

 

[Snautzer01]

But this is a pretty plane. .

 

[fastmongrel]

But this is a pretty plane. .

Japanese didn't build honkers like the French

 

[Snautzer01]

1 shot lighters yes, ugly no. I agree, your eyes and brain need a rest from the french cupcakes, but only one. Then back to the wonderfull french clonckers you go.

 

[fastmongrel]

1 shot lighters yes, ugly no. I agree, your eyes and brain need a rest from the french cupcakes, but only one. Then back to the wonderfull french clonckers you go.

I need to find some more frightful French kits to build.

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[fastmongrel]

The instructions say to paint the interior in Interior Metallic blue an28. I don't have any such paint but a quick Google gave me a rough idea of the shade. One part of Vallejo 71.090 deep sky, one part Vallejo 71.065 steel and one part Vallejo 71.279 white gave me this colour

Looks about right for a first coat.

 

[Rogi]

Great progress so far

 

[fastmongrel]

Drilling a hole in the fuselage to fit a length of 0.70mm brass wire to reinforce the horizontal tails, which are only butt jointed.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fastmongrel]

Had a bit of a mare fitting the cockpit. It fitted when I did a dry run but after painting it didn't fit. Lots of filing and cutting later I have a slightly offset cockpit interior. Hopefully the canopy will hide it.

 

[fastmongrel]

I think I have worked out why the cockpit interior didn't fit. The fuselage is twisted and slightly curved it doesn't photograph very well but I think it shows up in the photo above. Nothing I can do now unless I cut the fuselage glue joint and try again but that will be a lot of work.

As the original was built in the dying days of the Empire by inexperienced workers perhaps I can claim it's supposed to be twisted

 

[Snautzer01]

Must be a french kit. Bended.

 

[fastmongrel]

I have fitted the exhaust pipe moulding. The fuselage needed filing so the exhaust could fit flush to the firewall. Nothing is mentioned in the instructions but that's what you get in a short run kit. It's not like a Tamiya kit you can't just stick part 69 to part 70 and expect it to fit.