Subject: Re:
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Dave Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 May 2010 16:31:51 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dave Johnson 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2010 4:29 PM
  Subject: Fw: 

             Play slideshow   Save all photos  Want to save all these photos at once? Learn how  
       Online pictures are available for 30 days  

       

       

       

       

       

  Tamiya

  1/48 Japanese Navy Komatsu G40 Bulldozer

  Product #32565

  Build Review By Dave Johnson ## May 2010

  Imperial Japanese Navy came aware of efficient machines used to construct airfield after capturing US airfields at the beginning of the pacific war. Up to that point airfields in Japan were entirely built by hand. To speed up airfield construction in the future, IJN ordered Komatsu to produce a bulldozer in December 1942. Komatsu already had produced a successful domestic tractor, the G40 Farm Tractor. Komatsu, used the G40 Tractor as their base and equipped it with a hydraulic dozer blade, this gave birth to Japans first ever bulldozer. From January 1943 till the end of the Second World War, Komatsu produced approximately 200 G40 Bulldozers units, which were used by the IJN engineering units in the South Pacific Theater.

  There is only one surviving G40 unit in the world today, which now on display in Japan has a very interesting life.  The surviving unit was captured by advancing US units in the Pacific, and dumped in the sea with other captured  Japanese military equipment, only to be recovered later to clear passage for ships. It was then transported to Australia, where it passed through many new owners. In July 1978 the G40 Bulldozer unit was found working light duties on a farm on the outskirts of Sydney, by the General Manager of WABCO Distribution Australia, who were the representives for Komatsu in Australia. A year later the unit was returned to Japan and restored and  is now  on display in Shizuoka, Japan.

  Tamiya announced around January/February 2010 that they would be releasing the Komatsu G40 Bulldozer in their 48th Military miniature series and then released it in the middle of March 2010. The kit has approximately 50 parts have been molded in dark gray plastic and two small sheets for the decals and metal transfers.

  Assembly is done in seven stages through out the instructions. The Komatsu Bulldozer kit is very quick and simple kit to assemble. The morning I received this review sample, I had it built within 30 minutes during my lunch break at work. I left the tracks and dozer blade unglued for it to be easier to remove later when I painted and weathered the machine.

  I primed the kit with Tamiya'a acrylic XF-1 Flat Black. I made sure that it was well covered for the top coat of the main colour to ahdeld  too. The main body colour was painted with Tamiya's XF-75 IJN Grey (Kure arsenal). The caterpillar tracks were painted in XF-63 German Grey. Once I sprayed the XF-75, it was a very light colored gray which I thought was way to light, but it darkened up quite a lot once I applied a coat of Future floor polish to protect the layer of paint from the black oil wash I was about to apply. The instructions called the seat pads to be painted in XF-1 Flat Black, I didn't like the look of the end result and repainted the seat cushions in XF-10 Flat Brown. Winsor Newton Black oil paint was used to coat the entire kit for its wash process, once it was dry-ish 10 minutes later, it was rubbed down to give it that worn dirty look.

  To seal in the oil wash and prep it for further weathering, I used Testers Dull Coat lacquer. I figured that the bulldozer would be covered in sand/dust and have a few scratches from clearing vegetation for the airfield. Tamiya Weathering set was used to create the dust/dirt and the scratches were done, by using a pencil and a small amount of XF-63 German Grey to give the scratches different tones. I also used the pencil on the tracks. Oil/fuel leaks and spills were added with Tamiya X-19 Smoke.

  The kit also comes with a driver. I did not include this in to my build as I plan to use the Komatsu Bulldozer in a small diorama scene that planed. 

  The end results you can get with this kit are outstanding. In total, I spent no more than hour on this build. The construction process is simple and quick and this kit would be a great kit for a beginner or a child to start off with. The level of detail that Tamiya has achieved with this kit is outstanding. The fine molding of the one-piece track assembly should prove that on this kit. I am looking forward to the next releases that Tamiya announce in this awesome 1/48 Military range!

  The Komatsu G40 Bulldozer would be a great addition to any Japanese airfield diorama that you have planned or captured airfield diorama! I can see it now.. An Komatsu G40 Bulldozering a wreaked Wildcat airframe off a captured US Airfield!

  I would like to thank Hobby Link Japan for providing me this sample for review.Get Windows Live Mail to create your own photo e-mails