Yokosuka K5Y Akatombo 赤とんぼ (Red Dragonfly) “Willow” Build in 1/72 Scale Part II

The major subassemblies were left separate for painting and decals.  This is the AZ kit under primer.  Turns out the kits have two different float designs but both are correct.  The AZ floats have a single step, the LS floats have two and are more slender.

This is the LS kit with Hinomaru masked with Maketar masks.  I prefer the masks especially for simple insignia like these.

Later in the war the K5Y had their upper surfaces camouflaged in various degrees and patterns.  Here I have used Floquil Reefer Orange and Mr. Color 15.

The beaching gear was painted Sasebo Gray with dark brown blocks and weathered.  Colors are just a guess but plausible.

I used the AZ decals for the codes on both kits with no issues.  The floats and upper wing went on well, this one still needed a little refinement when the picture was taken.  I used Uschi elastic line for rigging but found it difficult to work with so I will likely go back to rigging with Nitenol wire on future biplanes.  Use the box art for a rigging diagram, the diagram in the AZ instructions reverses the tail rigging and misses the aileron wires.

Here are both finished models together.  They need a little TLC but either can be build up into attractive models.

More completed pictures here: https://inchhighguy.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/ls-yokosuka-k5y2-akatombo-%e8%b5%a4%e3%81%a8%e3%82%93%e3%81%bc-red-dragonfly-willow-in-1-72-scale/