SPA Modeler

Had the pleasure to be Zoukei-mura´s guest at their booth again this year. Always a happy thing to talk to the guys from face to face! Nice chaps all around!

I immediately went to the masterly build of the coming 1/32 scale Dornier Do 335 "Ameisenbär" (ant eater) when on their booth. Mr Naoki Kobayashi again shows his fabulous skills on a build up first (!) test shot, also printed on their actual leaflet of products:



I only had my iPhone with me, but I think the pictures of this early test shot give an impression of what a well researched and detailed kit we can expect:







As always: click the pictures to see larger ones!

This is a shot I really like: one clearly sees the painstakingly reproduced front engine cooler mesh, as it is seen on the restored example. This is no photo etch part, but has been done in injection moulded plastic! The competitor kit already on the market only shows a blank "nothing" here! Booo...

Nice detail on the bulkheads, both sides, of course! No need to buy after market for this area. The detail given here vastly differs from the lack of the same in the competitor kit.





Aside from the about 3 metres long drive shaft from the rear engine to the rear propeller Zoukei-mura also has reproduced the gear the propeller is attached to. Again the competitor kit has nothing to show here...

Some shots of an early test shot sprues on show:









So far I am exited what is already given in this early test shot pictures. The final corrections are almost done, so the kit should be available in a few months. Hopefully!!!

Wow! Very nice indeed. I wonder how they'll build up? That detail looks mighty impressive to me! I wonder if 1/48 version might be forthcoming? Thanks for sharing the news Thomas.
Gary

I dont know about a 1/48 335, but they do have a forthcoming F-4J in 1/48 to be released...

http://www.primeportal.net/models/thoma ... ukei-mura/

Let's just say I am most interested

Texgunner wrote:Wow! Very nice indeed. I wonder how they'll build up? That detail looks mighty impressive to me! I wonder if 1/48 version might be forthcoming? Thanks for sharing the news Thomas.
Gary

You are welcome, Gary!

I have no confirmed information but I am pretty sure we will see a Zoukei-mura 1/48 scale Do 335 some day. Indeed I would be surprised if not!

Stikpusher wrote:I dont know about a 1/48 335, but they do have a forthcoming F-4J in 1/48 to be released...

http://www.primeportal.net/models/thoma ... ukei-mura/

Let's just say I am most interested

I also did some pictures of this 3D prototyping first shot. News on Zoukei-mura doing a F-4J is out since about a year?!?
Talking to them they are excited to get this kit done as soon as possible. The boss loves the F-4!
Only, the chances to get this one in their preferred 1/32 scale are rather small, if there are any...