Moving it along

Having just finished the 'Frank', here are some photos. I've just realised what an attractive subject this is. It's not as if the Ki-84 is a stranger to me, but it's the first time I've built one with such an obvious camo scheme.

The build did include the Eduard colour etch and flap set and the Vector resin engine - all of which contributed no end to the completed model. The resin engine was not a perfect fit, but with some minor alterations to the cowling I was able to make it work.


The decals for this model are from a Superscale set of which I'm not usually a big fan. I used the defining decals from this set, and then employed the Hasegawa decals elsewhere because they were of better quality, to get the best ultimate result. Hasegawa decals are excellent - see these photos of how well they've gone down on the 'Pete' I'm building:




Whatever the decal origin, I always start with a nice smooth gloss surface, then moisten it with decal setting solution. I apply the decal directly from the backing paper where possible, position it carefully, then gently smooth it down with a wet brush. The decal usually wrinkles at first, but then it starts to conform to the surface. Sometimes it takes more setting solution, but I'm careful not to overdo this. The advantages speak for themselves.

Not all manufacturers include such high quality decals, and the cheaper ones require a different method of fitting, which I'll talk about further down the line.