Hasegawa

1/32 Ki-43 II Oscar

Kit Number: 08175

Reviewed by  Dick Montgomery, IPMS# 14003

MSRP: $20.99 Review kit graciously supplied by Dragon Models USA ( www.dragonmodelsusa.com ). This is an old kit and for its time it was well designed. But that was then and this is now. This release lacks the amount of detail that one is likely to find in a more recent, newly produced kit. Understanding that this offering is not an advanced product, please know that this kit can produce a nice replica of a classic WWII fighter. It lends itself to the beginner as well as those modelers who are more advanced and experienced and who can appreciate a basic kit which can be super detailed. Of the 85 (approx) parts in the kit, about 25 parts make up the power plant. The end result is that one has a nicely detailed engine to hide in a tight fitting cowl. Not much of that detail can be seen but you have the satisfaction of knowing it's there. There are two optional cowls, one of which is a resin casting. There is very little discernable difference between these two parts, that is, until one looks at the interior of the parts. The injection cowl has a large "lump" of plastic on the interior surface backing up the air scoop. The resin part has a much smoother and more realistic appearance than does the injection cowl. One will also note that the gun barrel outlets and the air scoop are in a slightly different location on the resin cowl. The resin cowl has a larger opening through which more of the engine will be visible. The inclusion of the resin cowl is a nice touch by Hasegawa, replacing a part in the original kit that has a significant design flaw. In addition to having a choice between two cowl flap "rings", these are parts A9 and A10. One part features the cowl flaps in the closed position and the other has the flaps in the open position.

The interior is rather spare but contains all of the important components that one should expect to find. A decal is provided for the instrument gauges but I chose to highlight the bezels with an artist's pencil. There are some levers and knobs which one glues to the floor, and there is a rather simple control stick. In the end, not much of the interior is visible. The tires are molded in halves and have a minimal amount of detail. The landing gear struts are acceptable. Molded in one piece, it is necessary to spend some time removing the mold separation lines on both struts. The tail wheel strut and tail wheel are molded in place on the left fuselage. This proved to be a problem. The strut is rather weak and had to be strengthened with some wire before it was strong enough to bear up to any handling. The canopy consists of two parts, both clear and well formed. The canopy frame is molded on these parts with the lines being very easy to see and very slightly raised. The exception to this praise is a poorly located frame line on the rear right side of the canopy. If one looks at the canopy frame lines from astern there is a noticeable offset, the frame appearing well above where it's counterpart on the left side is located. Unfortunately the canopy does not snug down to the fuselage very well. It will be necessary to either reshape edges of the canopy or fill in the resulting gaps. Lastly, there is only a slight and passing relationship between the decal sheet and the markings which are shown on the kit instructions. One cannot complete the kit in any of the three separate aircraft markings featured in the kit instructions without supplementing the decal sheet from an outside source. One does have, however, all of the markings on the decal sheet to complete the model as it appears on the box top. The appearance of the decal sheet was cause for concern as soon as the box was opened. There appeared to be several distinct lines across some of the Hinomaru markings as if some sort string or thread coated with a clear varnish had been laid across the decal sheet. Those lines did not disappear when the decals were applied, and in order to minimize the damage they were applied on the underside of the wings. It is advisable to trim the decals as closely as possible to minimize silvering in the border of clear carrier film. The decals are very sticky and are difficult to remove from the backing material, but after application they snuggle into and over the engraved and raised detail very nicely. I'd recommend pitching the decal sheet and replacing it with some after market decals.

In conclusion, this kit is not competitive with its 1/32nd scale rivals from other manufacturers which have produced excellent kits in recent years, but then at the suggested retail price it is a good option for those who are on a tight budget. The Ki-43 is recommended for those who are beginners or who wish to have a relatively simple kit that can be detailed with after market parts. The builder can look forward to an enjoyable modeling experience with this offering from Hasegawa and the modeler's efforts will result in a very nice looking model.

Information, images, and all other items placed electronically on this site are the intellectual property of IPMS/USA ®.