N1K2 Reference Material? Greebo?

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Salute Gents,

Im starting to put together my reference list for the new Nik (read as eBay bids on books, magazines, ect.) so I can commence t' skinnin when she is released.  I find that I am coming up incredibly short on the traditional reference material though.  My local hobby supplier found that neither Osprey nor Squadron Signal offer material on that aircraft.  I have actually had to order material from Tokyo (past magazine issues, ect.) and even that will not give me a decent list of color profiles for skinning.

I do realize that, being late war, there will not be a great variety of skinning options that do not look unique from others (nightmares of yet another green Niki skin with only a number change, ect.)  So I guess the following questions apply.  I appreciate any input or direction any of you could make...

o  Reference material for color profiles?  (not the .ru website.  Something more physical, perhaps Decal sheets?)  I looked at the aeromaster offerings but only find the traditional green standards.

o  A good walk-a-round view of the details of the bird.  The Nik pics that were posted last week were very helpful, but I need more 

Lord Greebo, I hope this is something you can answer outside of any NDA paperwork you may have signed with HTC...

o  Resource you used for panel line and riveting layouts that you did?  I dont think this would be a taboo for me to ask about?  However, if it is I apologize and will take my virtual smack with a smile

o  Any mirroring issues to be advised of prior to starting the skin work (kind of a "preventitive measure".)

Of course, I know you may be unable or unwilling to to let that info go before the release.  Just trying to get my ducks in order.

Also, does busa still fly in the game?  I know I could just pull him up on the HTC monthly ranking to find out if he does, just looking for the easy answer   I would like to skin one of his Orange Niki's but realize he should have the priority slot for it IMO as he did the originals.

I would really like to do a heavily weathered bird with lots of metal peeking through the green paint but have been unable to find anything remotely close (again, being late in the war, I understand why.)

Anyway, I guess thats it for now.  Any help or direction appreciated.

ReDhAwK

[FTJR]

Busa is still on most weekdays...

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Thx FT 

ReDhAwK

[Greebo]

HTC supplied me with a load of stuff which is probably subject to copyright so I won't pass it on without their permission. I'll ask them though, maybe they can say where they got it.

I did find some other info on the N1K. The Osprey book Imperial Japanese Navy Aces 1937-45 has a few photos and profiles in it. Not sure if there is enough in there to make it worth getting unless you would also be interested in doing A6M skins whenever that gets redone.

There's a couple of web pages with Museum photos of the N1k:-

http://airpower.callihan.cc/HTML/Spotlight/N1K2George.htm

http://www.warbirdpix.com/champ11.htm

Three-view and other diagrams can be found at this website:-

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://www.airwar.ru/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://www.airwar.ru/index.html%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Click on drawings, then Fighters of World War 2. This site is a really useful resource for all skinners BTW.

Apart from the orange training squadron scheme, the N1K is pretty much a one scheme aircraft. The top surfaces were painted dark green with the underside left in bare metal. The reason the paint chipped so badly on the N1K is that they didn't use any primer below the green.

There wasn't a lot of individuality with the markings either. The elite 343rd wing had a system of diagonal stripes on the rear fuselage that denoted flight leaders (one stripe) and squadron leaders (two stripes). Each of the three squadrons used different colour stripes, yellow, white or red. Sometimes there were numbers painted within the fuselage national markings for formation practice. A lot of models and profiles show kill markings on N1Ks too, but there is nothing but anecdotal evidence they ever existed in RL.

There are no mirroring or stretching issues with the N1K skin, or the F6F for that matter.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Good stuff ur Greeboness! 

I was just looking at Imperial Japanese Navy Aces 1937-45 online.  Guess I will go ahead and buy it just for the future references.  I have tracked down multiple sites with info on the 343rd, but it all seems to repeat itself.  Also, very little period graphics of the unit.  Although, I now understand how the unit markings were made with the identity of the a/c.  I just hate the idea of skinning 343/15 when there will be another just like it, but will be 343/31 or similar.  Anyway,

I appreciate your response sir.  I will try to get in contact with Busa to see what his plans are in respect to skinning the new version.  I appreciate your time bud.

I will start hitting your links after work today.  Looking forward to them    Thanks for the heads-up on no mirroring.  Thats a relief to know.

Regards,
ReDhAwK

[Greebo]

Here's where Waffle and Superfly got their info:

http://www.jaguarmodels.com/martsp.htm
Model Art magazine special #587

http://www.hlj.com/top/Boo
Just select the series name in the pulldown menu to the left.
Maru Mechanic series: Famous Airplanes of the World #53
Aero Details series #26

The Model Art and Maru Mechanics books have got some good closeup museum photos of the aircraft and also a reasonable number of original WW2 photos. They have a lot of drawings too, but you will get most of these at the website I suggested. The Maru Mechanics book has more profiles. The text of both these books is in Japanese and much of the info in them concerns the N1K1 and NIK1-J aircraft.

The Aero Details book is intended as a modeller's guide. It is written in English and only concerns the N1K2-J aircraft. It has lots of closeup museum photos and drawings of specific parts of the aircraft (undercarriage, cockpit etc.) It is also a good source for colour info and has quite a few profiles. There are no WW2 photos however.

Of the three books I would say the Maru Mechanics book would have more of the sort of info you are after.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Great links Lord Greebo, Thanks!

I actually have a bid in on the Maru Magazine on eBay right now.  I thought it was funny that you mentioned it    Glad to see I was pretty much headed in the right direction.  I have really got the "skinnin juices" building up.  Better go get some more memory for Photoshop

Thanks for all the answers sir.

ReDhAwK

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Won the auction for:

Maru Mechanic
JNAF Kawanishi N1K1/N1K2 "George" Fighter Interceptor
#21

Tickled and cant wait till it gets here for my research.  Thanks for the heads up Lord Greebo 

ReDhAwK