1/48 Zoukkei-Mura TA-152 H-1

[M1Carbine]

Well we are off to the races, and a bit of a migraine LOL.

Build underway - Sprues are not many. 6 in total not including the clear parts. Initial observation is lots of flash, some part warpage and honking sprue attachment's. The plastic feels "off" to me for some reason.




Off and running with the front office. Details are a bit soft and again a ton of cleanup as the sprue attachment points are freaking HUGE! Before assembling the top half and tanks that sit below the will need to be primed.










Next up you begin working on the engine. This is where the migraine settles in. Way over engineered and took about 3 hours to get the parts cleaned up. fit is not optimal which is a shame as this would be one hell of an engine to display. From what I read there are some differences and better fit on its 1/32 counterpart.



















Have all this set aside for priming and painting as are the fuselage parts. Once the engine and front office have been mated together then a test fit and mate to the fuselage halves, or thirds.....Ahh yes, two sides and a bottom.................good grief!

Stay tuned.

-Bob

[kyledehart5]

Looks like you’re off to a great start! Migraine or not

[M1Carbine]

Jan 7, 2024 18:16:29 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Looks like you’re off to a great start! Migraine or not

Thanks Kyle.

-Bob

[deafpanzer]

Wait Bob! It doesn't have tracks!?!? LOL You have my attention as usual.

[M1Carbine]

Andy I know….lol

-Bob

[TJ]

I'll be watching this one

[406 Silverado]

I've got this kit in the stash and I obviously haven't had a good look at it yet to see the flash that you are describing. I'm pretty surprised at that because every other ZM kit I've seen besides that one didn't have much if any at all. You're right about them being somewhat engineered for sure but I also know that these guys pack a wallop in terms of detail. Great progress on this beastie so far Bob and I'm looking forward to more bud.

[M1Carbine]

Glad to have you along TJ

Joe - I have to pull the ZM 1/48 Pfeil and see what that one looks like. This kit was first released in 2014 but even at that I would have thought it would be a little better.

-Bob

[Joe Rix]

Really solid progress Bob. Appears that you are overcoming the odd issues presented in that kit. Like Joe, I am quite surprised to hear about the molding issues on your ZM kit. That's really the first time of ever heard or seen of such shortcomings in a ZM kit. I have the J2M Raiden kit and it is immaculate. Regardless, you are doing one heck of a job on it.

[handiabled]

I've not heard anything on the 1/48 scale version of this. Hearing about flash and warped part's is really surprising. It looks like you are beating this into submission and winning with great looking progress so far

[brandonk]

I love the 152. I built the Hobbyboss version -C. Great plane and I am totally looking forward to seeing how this kit comes along. Should be quite stunning given ZM's rep.

[M1Carbine]

Joe - I was a bit taken back as I have heard nothing but good things about ZM. Maybe it was a bad QA check at the factory that day.

Handi - thanks bud. Primer on now will have some shots up this weekend.

Brandon - happy to have you along.

-Bob

[406 Silverado]

Jan 11, 2024 21:00:30 GMT -5 M1Carbine said:

Joe - I was a bit taken back as I have heard nothing but good things about ZM. Maybe it was a bad QA check at the factory that day.

Handi - thanks bud. Primer on now will have some shots up this weekend.

Brandon - happy to have you along.

-Bob

  I hear you on being taken back. I would've not been happy about that either. Looking forward to the pics brutha.

[M1Carbine]

Well there absolutely comes to a point when you throw your hands up and go WTF! Well this is that time. I have never in my life fought with a kit as hard as this......ever. This is a horrid kit IMHO.

The fit is abysmal. You could get a old classic Airfix to fit better than this. I am convinced that this for some reason simply was a QA failure. Nothing and I mean nothing on the fuselage fits correctly. Nose affair is a freaking misaligned abject failure!. I fought this mess for three days and that's enough for me. I normally do not throw in the towel but this POS is going to the range tomorrow morning for some 230 grain massaging.

Even the fit of all the interior parts was just abysmal. Managed to get that done. The CP decals are horrible and will not stick so I painted everything by hand (no biggie)

You have to see it in your hand to really see how bad it is.







After that it went sideways real fast. I mean sh!t through a goose fast!























I don't expect every kit to go together like a Tamiya, not by any stretch. This kit is from 2014, this should have been better. I have heard nothing bad about ZM.......maybe its me? I usually stick with it and hammer any issues out, but this is one thing after another No joy in this build and no sense going any further on this.

Joe - Ill pick another kit for the FW group build if that is permissible.

-Bob

[kyledehart5]

Wow Bob!! Firstly I am sorry about the kit. That is miserable. The engine looks great in there and then the more photos I scrolled through the worse it got. That is brutal and I don't blame you for wanting to move on. Supposed to be fun after all.

[M1Carbine]

Kyle - Its like you are teased to a point with the engine and CP......Then slowly thrown into a torture chamber trying to fit 3 pounds of bologna into a half pound bag. Sad really.



-Bob

[kyledehart5]

I like your description. And it seems to be appropriate. The first couple photos showing off the engine in its home were stunning.

[thug626]

Oh brother, I am so sorry to hear of this. One would expect more of this kit. I was going to go with 10 pounds of you know what, in a 5 pound bag.

Cheers
Dave

[deafpanzer]

Oh no! Your post started out great with beautiful details on the engine then it started to go downhill. Oh man! I am so sorry it has happened… it is unusual of kits by that maker to go bad. Yes you are allowed to build another kit for the GB… actually you can build as many as you can!

Now here’s the important question… can I join you at the range?

[M1Carbine]

Dave my brother, that would be an accurate assessment.

Brother Andy - cool, have another on rout now and yes by all means you are welcome to join me!

You too Dave, been a while since you and I threw some lead down range.

-Bob

[Joe Rix]

That is indeed unbelievable. Hard to imagine how that got so jacked up. Don't blame you one iota for sending it to it's demise. Just glad to hear that you will be rebooting with a new 190.

[TJ]

Yikes. This reminds me of the 1/72 Ta152 from Dragon

[tcoat]

I know with all that nice interior detail how I would use that kit!



Could be a jem.

EDIT:There are a pile of reference pics of this aircraft. I am tempted to go buy one just to do this.

www.asisbiz.com/il2/Fw-190D/JG6/pages/Focke-Wulf-Fw-190D9-Geschwaderstab-JG6-aircraft-lies-abandoned-at-Frankfurt-1946-01.html

[406 Silverado]

Jan 14, 2024 17:11:19 GMT -5 M1Carbine said:

Well there absolutely comes to a point when you throw your hands up and go WTF! Well this is that time. I have never in my life fought with a kit as hard as this......ever. This is a horrid kit IMHO.

Joe - Ill pick another kit for the FW group build if that is permissible.

-Bob

Can't say I blame you at all after seeing the all the issues you're having with this one Bob!! Just WOW!! As far as selecting another kit for the GB ....you bet man. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

[handiabled]

That sucks! A big disappointment in a ZM kit for sure. Use tannerite, take video.........

[reserve]

I've tossed 'em for a whole lot less than that, so much for ZM being the best thing since sliced bread. Absolutely awful

[tcoat]

Jan 15, 2024 16:45:25 GMT -5 reserve said:

I've tossed 'em for a whole lot less than that, so much for ZM being the best thing since sliced bread. Absolutely awful

LOL In the past that would end up on my shelf of doom but now I would most certainly do it as that crashed one. It is perfect for the picture since the abandoned one is mostly opened up so all that nice interior would be visible. I wasn't joking earlier when I said I may grab one and then wreck it!

[hasenpfeffer]

Damn, that's never fun. Not sure a 1:48 kit is gonna handle too much "massaging" from a .45 (assuming). Maybe make a game of it at 100 yards?