Aichi Val 1/72

by John Wong

Airfix 1/72 kit of the D3A-1 Val from the mid 1960's (built in response to a Harvey Low challenge of "What Airfix piece of 'bleep', are you building next ?!")

- Rivets and raised detailing removed

- Model rescribed

- engine added after kit's molded-in engine was removed

- cowl flaps added

- scratchbuilt cockpit details

- vacuformed canopy

- scratchbuilt replacement oil cooler intake under the cowling and scratchbuilt bomb cradle

- all flying surfaces cut off and repositioned.

- wings folded

- painted markings apart from the "BI-231" codes on the fin/rudder

- markings for an aircraft flown by Takeshige Egusa from the Soryu during the Indian Ocean operations in early 1942.

- landing gear legs shortened to correct length

- rebuilt tailwheel leg

- finished in Gunze & Tamiya paints of varying shades of IJN Dark Green and IJN Lt. Gray

Other than that, straight from the box.

Click on thumbnails to enlargen.