Nakajima Kikka - Japan’s Last-Ditch Jet Attack Aircraft (1945)

As World War II drew to a close, Japan desperately sought new weapons to counter the growing Allied threat to its home islands. One such project was the Nakajima Kikka, a twin-engine jet aircraft developed for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Inspired by Germany’s Messerschmitt Me 262, the Kikka was smaller and designed primarily as a fast attack aircraft against Allied shipping. Its intended employment included tokkō (special attack) missions, potentially involving a one-way flight carrying a bomb beneath its fuselage.

An unusual chapter in the Kikka’s development involved the Japanese submarine I-29, which was returning from Germany carrying advanced aviation technology, including jet engines and technical documents. After reaching Singapore, a Japanese naval officer disembarked with selected drawings and notes. On July 26, 1944, the submarine was torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine USS Sawfish, taking much of its valuable cargo to the bottom. Working with the limited technical information that survived, Japanese engineers developed the Ne-20 turbojet engine that would eventually power the Kikka.

The first Kikka prototype successfully flew on August 7, 1945, just eight days before Japan’s surrender. A second attempted flight ended in an aborted takeoff, and the program was subsequently abandoned. Only two prototypes were constructed, with additional aircraft in various stages of assembly. None entered operational service. Although the Kikka was originally intended for special attack operations, its bomb could be released, making a conventional bombing mission technically possible.

My 1/48-scale Fine Molds Kikka represents a speculative production aircraft as it might have appeared had the war continued. Finished entirely in acrylics, its uneven green camouflage and restrained weathering suggest a hastily completed aircraft prepared for its first mission rather than a veteran of repeated combat sorties. I omitted tail numbers to reflect its intended expendable role on this particular aircraft. A Japanese Type 99 bomb mounted beneath the fuselage completes my interpretation of this unusual aircraft and its intended anti-shipping mission.

King Tiger No. 453

The Tiger II, better known as the King Tiger, entered service in 1944. Weighing nearly 70 metric tonnes, it carried a crew of five and was powered by a Maybach V12 engine rated at roughly 700 horsepower. Its standard armament was the formidable 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71 gun. For this build, I chose Takom’s optional 10.5 cm (105 mm) KwK L/68, representing a proposed upgrade that never entered production - a starting point for imagining a King Tiger serving beyond the war’s actual end.

The war has continued into late autumn 1945. No. 453 belonged to schwere Panzer-Abteilung 515 in the western foothills of the Harz Mountains, near Oserode. It was becoming common practice for tank crews to take shelter under roadside trees from ever increasing Allied aircraft patrol overhead when available. Its story ends during a withdrawal and subsequent mechanical failure forced the crew to abandon it. Allied troops subsequently recovered the tank for examination, and it was eventually scrapped as was the case with so many other tanks of the era.

I built the model from Takom’s 1/35 Late Production King Tiger kit, beginning with a black base and red oxide primer before applying the three-color camouflage. All the markings, including the yellow turret numbers and national crosses, were airbrushed using masks; no decals were used. Missing sections of side skirt expose the running gear and help give the tank a worn, working appearance.

The weathering combines accumulated dirt, restrained wear, dusty surfaces, and metallic highlights on the tracks. I also paid attention to the intact tow cables and added a light scattering of autumn leaves without burying the details. A final matte finish brings the camouflage and weathering together, completing the appearance of a heavy tank nearing the end of a long campaign.

Kawanishi N1K1 Kyofu Type 11: A Floatplane Fighter for the Imperial Japanese Navy

This is the Tamiya 1/48 Kawanishi N1K1 Kyofu Type 11 finished as a heavily weathered Imperial Japanese Navy floatplane fighter.

The Kawanishi N1K1 Kyofu Type 11, known to the Allies as “Rex,” was developed as a float-equipped fighter for the Imperial Japanese Navy at a time when Japan still expected remote island bases and forward anchorages to need air defense without the benefit of prepared runways. It was a bold and unusual concept: a true single-seat fighter built around a large central float and stabilizing wingtip floats, intended to provide localized protection in areas where conventional land-based fighters could not easily operate. Although the type arrived too late and in too few numbers to influence the course of the war, the Kyofu remains one of the most distinctive and fascinating Japanese naval aircraft of the Pacific conflict.

This 1/48 Tamiya build is finished with acrylics, pigments, and oil weathering to capture a hard-used late-war appearance. The model is heavily weathered with multilayer chipping that reveals both bare metal and brownish-red primer in worn areas, suggesting prolonged exposure to salt air, sun, spray, and maintenance traffic. This effect is also consistent with known shortcomings in late-war Japanese aircraft finishes, where primer quality and paint adhesion were often less than ideal, leading to accelerated wear, flaking, and exposed underlying surfaces in operational conditions. All markings with the exception of the rudder were airbrushed. A replacement rudder was incorporated into the story of the aircraft, with the tail number having previously been repainted over and the newer rudder fitted afterward, leaving only a partial unit ID visible. The result is a more narrative-driven finish that suggests an operational aircraft repaired in service rather than a factory-fresh machine, emphasizing the Kyofu’s rugged maritime role and the visual character of a weather-beaten seaplane fighter.

 

Seagull Test Scheme: Weserflug P.1003/1 Maritime Patrol

Weserflug P.1003/1 build based on a real German VTOL paper project from the late 1930s. While this aircraft never progressed beyond the drawing board, Weser Flugzeugbau did in fact propose the P.1003/1 as an experimental convertiplane design, with the wings intended to rotate for vertical takeoff and landing before transitioning to normal forward flight. That unusual piece of real aviation history made it a perfect subject for a believable Luftwaffe what-if finish.

For this build, I imagined the P.1003/1 as an operational test aircraft single seat version meant for German Luftwaffe maritime coastal reconnaissance patrol duties (Seeaufklärung) and finished it in a custom “Seagull Test Scheme” meant to look plausible without straying too far into fantasy. The model was painted entirely in acrylics, then weathered with enamels and oils to give it a restrained, lightly used appearance. Tires were weighted, a small maritime antenna array was added along with seatbelts and buckles and all major markings were airbrushed rather than decaled, with only the tiny placards and warning stencils coming from a spare German decal sheet, helping the finish look more painted-on and natural.

B-25J Mitchell USAAF “Ave Maria”

The North American B-25J Mitchell “Ave Maria” represents the rugged, hard-working medium bombers that carried a huge load in the final stretch of WWII. The “J” model was the late-war refinement of the Mitchell family - still compact and tough, still able to operate from rough forward bases, and versatile enough for everything from classic medium-level bombing to aggressive low-level work depending on the mission. “Ave Maria” wears that unmistakable late-war USAAF look, with nose art that adds a personal, human touch to an otherwise all-business combat aircraft.

This build is the older Monogram/Revell 1/48 kit which has its origins from the new tool kit of 1977. An iconic subject, but definitely not a modern “shake-and-bake” experience. This kit became an on-again and off-again shelf queen for over a year. I finally finished it using acrylic paints and oil for weathering, Ammo Shaders and some VMS pigments, aiming to salvage a believable in-service look of an otherwise disaster of a model. Subtle fading and tonal variation across the olive drab, restrained grime and streaking where it naturally builds up, and scale exhaust staining were done in an attempt to tie everything together without overpowering the airframe, although the “real deal” personally I think looks even more battered and used than mine depicts! Stars and bars markings were airbrushed depicting some repaints throughout her life along with the upper fuselage fading, and antenna arrays added along with seatbelts for the interior and brake lines along the main gear. It fought me hard in spots and I must have used half a tube of plastic putty but in the end it still builds into a Mitchell with real presence - especially once the “Ave Maria” markings are on and locked in. By far the most frustrating and time consuming kit I’ve made to date.

No, this build can’t compete with the new tool builds by HK, so it is what it is - a nostalgic resurrection from the past and I wasn’t about to spend $60 worth of aftermarket stuff on a $14 model kit. As a note, about the only thing that didn’t fight me with this entire build were the aftermarket Kits World decal set. They went down beautifully.

J-10C “Vigorous Dragon” - China’s Frontline Workhorse

The Chengdu J-10C is the most modernized version of China’s J-10 “Vigorous Dragon,” a single-engine, lightweight multirole fighter that fills a similar mission space to other agile 4th-generation fighters. The “C” upgrade focuses on better sensors and avionics, improved electronic warfare capability, and the ability to employ newer beyond-visual-range missiles, giving the type a much stronger punch in modern air combat. In PLAAF service, the J-10C is widely seen as a key frontline workhorse - fast, maneuverable, and flexible enough for air defense, strike, and patrol duties. The J-10C variant presented here entered operational service in April of 2018.

This 1/48 J-10C was finished entirely with Tamiya acrylics and weathered with a restrained, operational look - just enough to tell the story without burying the finish. I went with a bold, modern “shard” style camouflage layout that keeps the jet looking believable while still giving it a unique, eye-catching personality on the shelf. Tires were weighted and static wicks added as well. The biggest fight on the whole build was the canopy: a floor-finish dip experiment turned into a full-on recovery mission, but with careful cleanup, polishing, and touch-ups it came back around and the final result looks clean in the display case.

From WWII to Cold War: USS Cutlass (SS-478)

In this build I depicted USS Cutlass (SS-478) in the early 1960s, during her Cold War service after the U.S. Navy’s GUPPY II modernization program. GUPPY upgrades were designed to make late-WWII fleet submarines far more effective underwater, with a more streamlined shape and major improvements to submerged performance and operating systems - turning proven WWII hulls into practical Cold War workhorses. 

Cutlass arrived at the very end of WWII: she sailed to the Pacific, began her first patrol toward the Kurile Islands, and entered the patrol area just after Japan’s surrender, remaining on observation patrol into late August 1945. Decades later, after U.S. decommissioning, she was transferred to Taiwan as ROCS Hai Shih (SS-791) - a boat often noted for still being operational and for achieving an unmatched service lifespan among submarines. This model was finished in acrylics and oils, with restrained weathering to add depth and scale realism while keeping the overall look true to an in-service U.S. Navy submarine of the period.

Stretching the Mark IV: The WWI “Tadpole” Tank

The British “Tadpole” was an experimental WWI tank concept based on the Mark IV. The idea was simple: make the tank longer by fitting extended rear track frames, which increased trench-crossing ability and helped reduce the tendency to “nose in” when climbing out of shell holes or wide ditches. In theory it would handle broken ground better than the standard Mark IV while keeping the same basic layout, crew arrangement, and armament options.

In practice, the Tadpole concept didn’t move beyond trials and limited prototypes. The added length and altered weight distribution brought handling and reliability issues, and it didn’t provide enough real-world advantage to justify the complications compared to standard production tanks and evolving designs. Still, it remains one of the more interesting WWI “field improvement” experiments - a snapshot of how quickly tank designers and crews were trying to adapt to trench warfare realities.

Field trials Tadpole “T2” depicted here during testing (hence the lack of battlefield mud and grime as so often seen) with stowed canvas cover and asbestos wrapped exhaust - typical of the times - seen at Tank Corps Central Workshop in Erin, France, 1918. Kit by Takom in 1/35 scale.

Type IX-B: The Long-Range Hunter

This HobbyBoss Type IX-B U-boat build is now complete and mounted on a simple “dock plank” style cradle display base, finished entirely with acrylics. I went for a clean, realistic presentation that lets the long, purposeful lines of the boat do the talking, with subtle tonal variation and restrained weathering so it still looks like steel and paint instead of “effects.” The base includes a national identifier flag and a QR code so visitors can quickly jump from the model to the real-world context behind the subject. A 1/350 scale human is included on the base for size comparison.

Historically, the Type IX-B boats were Germany’s long-range ocean-going submarines - built to prowl far from home waters and strike Allied shipping across the vast reaches of the Atlantic. Operated by the Kreigsmarine, they were bigger and longer-legged than the more common Type VII, and they became a key tool in early-war commerce raiding before Allied technology, tactics, and air coverage steadily tightened the net. Even without a specific boat number attached, a Type IX-B represents that tense era of undersea cat-and-mouse - quiet patrols, long transits, and the constant pressure of being hunted while hunting.

H.L. Hunley (1864): The First Successful Combat Submarine Attack

My 1/350 scale H.L. Hunley build is finished and on its display base, with a simple “dock plank” style cradle, a country identifier flag, and a QR code so viewers can jump straight to the real-world story behind the model and as always a human scaled down to 1/350 in order to see the relative size of the submarine (just to the top and right of the flag). The goal was to keep the presentation clean and museum-like while still showing off Hunley’s distinctive riveted iron hull and cigar-shaped silhouette. In this small scale, I focused on crisp construction, a convincing dark iron finish with subtle variation, and a restrained, realistic look that fits an 1860s prototype built for hard use rather than show. The kit is resin and was manufactured by 3D-Wild. I added the wooden upper spar and supports along with the rope to adjust the lower boom for attack along with the copper canister filled with explosives and the tiny detonating line along with the rudder steering mechanism.

Historically, H.L. Hunley was a Confederate (Civil War-era) hand-powered submarine that became the first submarine to sink an enemy warship in combat, when it attacked and sank the USS Housatonic off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. The mission was successful, but Hunley did not return and was lost with her crew, turning the little submarine into one of the most haunting “what exactly happened?” stories of naval history. The Hunley was just under 40 feet and had a crew of 8 men. Today, the recovered vessel is preserved and studied, and even in 1/350 scale it’s still an eye-catching reminder of just how experimental (and dangerous) early undersea warfare really was.