My entry, a 1/48 Imperial Japanese Catapult with Mitsubishi F1M2 'Pete'

[Gundamhead]

I love Imperial Japanese aircraft. They were the only nation to view float planes in any reall serious light. And they were very successful. Not only was Pete a recon plane, it was an attack craft. It has even fought the Wildcat and won. Hasegawa's kit is amazing. I added rigging and belts to the seats. The catapult was used on Battleships, Cruisers, and seaplane tenders. This particular plane was serviced by the seaplane tender 'Kamikawa Maru' 1941.
The catapult is a kit that I mastered (scratchbuilt) and produced (made molds and copied them in resin). This is a build of one of those kits.

So this was the begining... A build in a post!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5773845074/#in/set-72157626836236742

Some of the sub assemblies from the kits.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5773310071/#in/set-72157626836236742

The 'guts' getting finished before assembly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5773335059/#in/set-72157626836236742/

Pete almost there...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5773337355/#in/set-72157626836236742

Pete nearly finished, and IJN catapult cleaned and ready for assembly...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5773336235/#in/set-72157626836236742

Pete all done on the launch cradle...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5773337947/#in/set-72157626836236742

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5777462063/#in/set-72157626836236742

Ready for launch....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5777465809/#in/set-72157626836236742/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5773880826/#in/set-72157626836236742

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5778010046/#in/set-72157626836236742

http://www.flickr.com/photos/19951055@N07/5778009086/#in/set-72157626836236742

 

[Quaralane]

Excellent work on that.
Nice detailing on the catapult, as well

 

[ShutterAce]

Cool!

 

[schweinhund227]

Not enough of those Nippon War Birds.... pretty slick Catapult !!! hand made hey ???

Nice going on all Accounts...

 

[MrNatural]

Outstanding!

 

[Grendels]

Nice work!!!

 

[Gundamhead]

Thanks all! They were actually, fun builds too. Can't really ask for more than that. 8)

 

[Gundamhead]

Thank you SMA. My catapult won me an awesome spray booth and a kit. I may add a few years to my lungs. 8)

I can talk a bit about this build now without feeling too weird or further influencing the vote. It still seems a little odd to me not be anonymous during a build for a contest, but SMA pulled it off.

I gotta be honest though, it still feels a little weird. There were so many build threads, I feared my entry was going to be lost among all those known on the forums. I was weak and cracked. I didn't want to miss out on some kick $% loot. I posted this thread before the contest ended. I regretted it. I still feel like I was cheating or politicking by having posted it. I won't do it again next time around, just out of personal belief and in no way meant as a dig at anybody else. It just felt weird to me.

The Pete itself is Hasegawa's most excellent 1/48 kit. It really does all but fall together out of the box. I only added some PE belts and some rigging for the wings. The paint was amazing. It just went on perfect. A little touch of exhaust. A shade of lighter base paint for all the fabric covered areas. I wish all my paint jobs were as much fun. I had good luck.

I scratchbuilt the entire catapult. I mastered the parts and molded, then cast them. Until this build, I never got to build one for myself. I sold a few, a few were built by others, but this was my fist catapult kit for me. Sounds odd, but if you master a kit, you can't build it. It has to stay in parts for molding and casting. I gotta say, I think my catapult is a pretty decent kit. A kinda typical resin kit, some flash a few little bubbles. It takes a little work, but it turns out really nice. (It's just a pain in the %^#%$ to try to photograh.) Anyway I painted it Kure Arsenal grey, and rusted it up some.

I was motivated to get it started by the contest. I managed to finish it almost a month before the contest end date, and in time to bring it to CAMS for their Spring Contest. At that show it got me the special award for 'Best WWII Pacific Theme'. Not bad, for a kit where I had a lot of interference from life during it's build.

My other 2 entries were in the All Open.

I had the 1/48 B-24 'Fightin' Sam'. For that build I had dropped the flaps, repositioned all the control surfaces, used some aftermarket wheels. I also did the 1/35 Sturmgeschutz IV. I dented it up, and used Academy's individual track links. I had fun beating it up, and I really liked the figure.

Anyway, thank you. 8)

 

[ShutterAce]

You did a great job. That catapult is awesome! No reason to fell weird.

I will admit though. Not being anonymous was kinda odd. Last year I was at a contest and we were standing at the table that a few of my aircraft happen to be on and just as the judges walk up my oldest son say "Hey Dad aren't those yours?" and points right at them. DOH! : Walk away boy, just walk away. LOL.

 

[JMac]

I agree with ShutterAce. I thought you had a totally kick @$$ build. A very cool idea to mount a float plane on it's catapult. Glad you got the booth.

I know what you mean about remaining anonymous, I totally agree. In addition to your reason, I did not post any WiP threads because I was sure that I would not finish my builds on time, thought it would look kind of crazy to have a big old thread and no final entry.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Having seen the Pete on a catapult up close and personal at the CAMS show in May (where it took first in our War in the Pacific theme), I can attest that it looks as good in person that it does in the photos.

 

[13aceofspades13]

man, that looks amazing.

 

[Gundamhead]

Thank you all. 8)

 

[Neo]

Having seen the Pete on a catapult up close and personal at the CAMS show in May (where it took first in our War in the Pacific theme), I can attest that it looks as good in person that it does in the photos.

Wow does that mean you build this kit and the catapult in 1 MONTH !!! Thats fast

I doest look really nice

 

[Gundamhead]

Interesting question. Well it was about a month, but really about 2-3 weeks. I can build quick.
I bought a paper on April 7, 2011...farted around deciding what to build...(about 3/4 down)

http://www.scalemodeladdict.com/forum/index.php/topic,2264.75.html

Then I decided, photographed the kits and paper together and built it for the SMA contest.
Decided I should bring it to CAMS May 28, 2011.
Sent Scott my entry pics on June 30, 2011.

I dunno. I never really timed myself. I do build about 30-50 a year though.

 

[JMac]

I do build about 30-50 a year though.

Wow.

 

[Igard]

30-50 a year! That's damned impressive. 30 is a really large figure in itself!

Anyway, great job with this model. It is stunning! And congratulations.