Continuing the IJN floatplanes theme with a splendid and superbly photographed 1/72 model of the Aichi E7K2 'Alf' Type 94 Reconnaissance Seaplane Model 2 made from the 2022 AVI Models kit AV72021 by Rob Ronconi. Rob also built AVI's E7K1 in parallel...
Continuing the IJN floatplanes theme with a splendid and superbly photographed 1/72 model of the Aichi E7K2 'Alf' Type 94 Reconnaissance Seaplane Model 2 made from the 2022 AVI Models kit AV72021 by Rob Ronconi. Rob also built AVI's E7K1 in parallel which will be featured here shortly.
Rob made the model pretty much out of the box noting a few fit problems to overcome but appreciating the final result. He added a Fine Molds Type 92 machine gun from their plastic Nano Aviation series with some photo etch ring and bead parts, Uschi Van der Rosten rigging and an Albion Alloys custom pitot tube.
The model represents an aircraft ??-83 (KaShi-83) of the Kashima (not Kashiwa) Ku using the decals of one of the kit's three markings options. An IJN seaplane training base had been established at Lake Kasumigaura in 1938 with the Kashima Kokutai formed there in May 1938. Traces of the seaplane slip still remain and the photo below shows a Kashima Ku 'Jake' KaShi-96 being prepared for launching from the catapult on the slip.
With special thanks to Rob for sharing these images of his excellent model.
Image credit:- All model photos © 2023 Rob Ronconi; Jake photo Web; Aerial photo Google Maps