Nichimo 1/48 scale
Aichi E13A "Jake"

by Roland Sachsenhofer

Aichi E13A "Jake"

Tamiya's 1/350 I-400 Special Edition is available online from Squadron.com

Nichimos aging kit is the only opportunity in 1:48 to build one of Japan's most important floatplanes of the Pacific war.

That is rather astonishing because Aichi E13 “Jakes” were flown from the very first reconnaissance sorties after Pearl Harbour to the last Kamikaze attacks. Being built in over 1400 units the Aichi E13 can be rightly called the mainstay of the Japanese navy reconnaissance force.

Besides that Aichi's airplane shows sleek and elegant lines'- I wonder why none of the mainstream kit maker, or even a shortrun producer, seems to have interest in that appealing aircraft.

Choosing the Nichimo offer you have to arrange with a very, very toy like appearance or opt for severe modifications. In particular that refers to the cockpit area. As the pictures show, there is nothing like the real interior to be found.

Nichimo provides - under complete denial of reality - the mountings for an e-motor to drive the prop.

That whole arrangement has to be completely cut out for a following reconstruction.

I did this with spare plastic and resin components, mainly from a no longer needed D4Y Judy.

Further enhancements have been made on the exhausts, the engine and floats, the inter-float struts have been created by stretched sprue.

I liked the precise and thin trailing edges of the plane’s wing, something not too often seen even on mainstream kits! Overall fit was not too bad and, as I have been told by the “rivet counter” division, the kits dimensions should be proportional to the appearance of the real plane.

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Thumbnail panels:

For markings and Hinomarus spare decals have been used. By the way, those being found in the box can´t be used because they are not water solvable; they are intended to be cut out and glued…

If you are interested in the building process and would like to have a look at the kits parts, please have a look on the workbench at the JAM Forum:

http://www.razyboard.com/system/morethread-e13a-jake-nichimo-148-raidenjack-793658-6274627-0.html

That was an eventful and rewarding build, even –or because of- considering the inevitable extra amount of scratch building you have to tackle. After all, it makes me happy to look at this rare bird in my collection!

As ever, remarks will be appreciated: ro.sachsenhofer@gmx.at

Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2014 by Roland Sachsenhofer
Page Created 3 March, 2014
Last Updated 3 March, 2014

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