Yokosuka D3Y1-K by Valom in 1/72

• Nov 14, 2020

• #1

fastmongrel

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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

 

Last edited: Nov 14, 2020

• Nov 14, 2020

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• #2

fastmongrel

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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

 

• Nov 14, 2020

• #3

Airframes

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

 

• Nov 14, 2020

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fastmongrel

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Airframes said:

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

Click to expand...

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"

 

• Nov 14, 2020

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Wurger

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• Nov 14, 2020

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fastmongrel

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Engine assembly not quite up to flight standard.

 

• Nov 14, 2020

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Wurger

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Looking good though.

 

• Nov 14, 2020

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Snautzer01

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But this is a pretty plane. .

 

• Nov 14, 2020

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fastmongrel

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Snautzer01 said:

But this is a pretty plane. .

Click to expand...

Japanese didn't build honkers like the French

 

• Nov 14, 2020

• #10

Snautzer01

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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.

 

• Nov 14, 2020

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fastmongrel

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Snautzer01 said:

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.

Click to expand...

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

 

• Nov 14, 2020

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Gnomey

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Good work so far!

 

• Nov 15, 2020

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fastmongrel

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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.

 

• Nov 15, 2020

• #14

R

Rogi

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Great progress so far

 

• Nov 15, 2020

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fastmongrel

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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.

 

• Nov 15, 2020

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Wurger

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• Nov 16, 2020

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fastmongrel

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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.

 

• Nov 17, 2020

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fastmongrel

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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

 

• Nov 17, 2020

• #19

Snautzer01

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Must be a french kit. Bended.

 

• Nov 17, 2020

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fastmongrel

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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.