JASDF Trainer Aircraft T-6 Texan Platz 1/144

I will make a 1/144 scale airplane plastic model after a long time. This time it’s Platz’s Texan trainer aircraft T-6. This means that the Air Self-Defense Force and the Maritime Self-Defense Force have a lineup of Texans in the series called Japan’s Wing Collection 4 of the F-Toys confect. There are a lot of kinds in this series called F-Toys confect. It contains mint gum, so it’s a kind of candy toy. When I looked at the website, there were many other things, such as warships and tanks. It was overwhelming.

If I could buy a colored finished product for about 500 yen at that time, why would I buy an unpainted model? I’m a modeler who likes to build plastic models, so I bought it. If I can get it with various kinds of candy toys, I thought it would be good to buy and line it up without forcing myself to make it. The number of parts is small, and it comes with a display for decoration of flight conditions. You can choose from 2 types depending on the type of canopy you make.

I bought this kit long ago, but the decal is still beautiful and delicate.

There is nothing to be called an assembly, so I will wait and see while painting little by little. Is the quality of the plastic somewhat like vinyl chloride? The material is a little sticky if you cut it with a nipper. I can file without any problem.

I painted the inside color of the airplane; it might be better to paint the front of the cockpit flat black. I tried covering it with a canopy, and the canopy of this aircraft is rather extensive; it doesn’t look very detailed inside.
(2020/09/06)

I painted the engine black and then dry-brushed it with silver.

This Texan has a lot of canopy frames and is thin and difficult to paint, so I thought that if I diluted the masking sol with water and poured it only into the glass part, at first, I could mask it well, but it didn’t work. I will mask the whole canopy and think about it later. I guess I have to apply it with a thin brush while using masking tape. It’s a hassle to paint both the interior and exterior colors of the fuselage.

It’s better to fill the hole for the display at the bottom of the plane by myself.

It is better to paint this airplane white before blowing it yellow.

The decal is too fine to stick. It can’t be helped. If there is a gap or missing part, I will adjust it by painting later. The process of applying decals is not much different from the 1/48 scale. If we ignore details in this area, it will be the same as confect toys, so on the contrary, it is a good thing for a person who likes plastic model building.

I attempted to paint the canopy frame with the interior color of the aircraft. I can’t recognize it.

Even though it’s a 1/144 scale, I think it will be more precise if I add some inking effect in the panel lines. But I’m getting worried.

When I see candidate Biden’s speech, I don’t feel any ambition from it. Even if he has dementia, it is hazardous to become a president. But this is usually the case with presidents of large companies and organizations. I think Trump is the type of person who can count profits and losses and act rationally. If a nuclear war were to break out, it would have been during this kind of senile president… Are there any young, talented candidates?
(2020/09/08)

The Self-Defense Forces Texan has been completed. To summarize from the assembly instructions of Platz’s Texan kit, it was developed before World War II. After the war, a reciprocating trainer trained many pilots worldwide.

The total production was over 15000, and during World War II, they were used in the initial training of pilots in the United States, Britain, and many other countries. In the movie “Tora! Tora! Tora!” a modified textile appeared as the Zero.

In Japan, after the war, more than 200 planes were provided by the United States for use under the name “Matsukaze.” Some of the aircraft, which will be retired gradually, continued to be active as rescue and search aircraft until around 1970.

The first markings are North American T-6G Texan “Matsukaze,” Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Air Rescue Group, Komaki Base, in 1968.

I installed it with a feeling similar to the Zero fighter, and it was a little lower. Maybe I should have put the landing gear cover a little higher. The parts are too small to repair now, so I left it as it is.

I’ve never seen a toy plane, but I think this kit has fine decals and a sense of precision.

The second markings are North American SNJ-5 Texan “Matsukaze,” Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya Air Group, in the 1950s.

It seems that you can choose two types of Texan from 7 kinds. Most of the planes are yellow, so it doesn’t make much difference, but there are some silver Texan colorings.

It’s a very detailed marking letter from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

I put it in the mirror and took a photo.

I think there is a navigation light on the front edge of the wing, so I added silver. Since it’s a small scale, I can’t draw everything in detail, but I noticed and tried it.

I don’t know about the JMSDF planes, so I didn’t use antenna wires, but I used an extra fine fishing line for this JASDF plane. The connection with the airplane got a little dirty, but I tried it anyway.

Finally, I did a clear coating to protect the decal. I made it a little shiny this time; it was about 80% shiny. The color of the decal is beautiful, and there are a few parts, so I think it’s good that you can enjoy it easily.
(2020/09/10)