Unveiling the Hidden Treasures of a Vintage Classic: Airfix 1/72 Aichi Val Model Kit Build

Airfix Aichi D3A1 "Val" Vintage Classic Full Build 1/72 Model Kit
Airfix Announced this year that they will be releasing the Aichi D3A1 "Val" into their Vintage Classic range of scale models and this doesnt disappoint.
Released first in 1965 it has been released 6 times in the 67 years its been around. Last time we saw this model was in 2011 and now since retired to the Vintage classic range. The tooling is more than satisfactory for an aged tool.. With a fresh set of decals and good instructions, this Airfix Aichi D3A1 'Val' will be enjoyed by modellers of various skills and experience
To Buy this Airfix Aichi D3A1 'Val' prf.hn/l/8xov3Q0
In the months which preceded the start of the Second World War, the Imperial Japanese Navy were arguably the best equipped force of their kind in the world, especially when it came to the carrier-borne aircraft they could call upon. In addition to the exceptional Mitsubishi Zero fighter, the Japanese Navy also possessed the Aichi D3A1 '˜Val'™ dive bomber, an extremely rugged aircraft which was ideally suited to the rigors of flight operations at sea and one which was agile enough to defend itself once it had delivered its deadly payload. With the capabilities of its aircraft coming as an unwelcome surprise to Allied military planners in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack, the well trained crews of '˜Val'™ dive bomber units would take a heavy toll of Allied warships over the coming months, posting incredible bombing accuracy statistics which were approaching 90 percent hit rates. With around 129 Aichi D4A1'˜Val'™s'™ taking part in the two Pearl Harbor strike raids, many of the aircraft were sent to target the several American airfields on the Island of Oahu, using precision strikes to ensure as many US aircraft were destroyed before they could take to the air, thus minimising potential losses to the aircraft assigned to attack '˜Battleship Row'™. Unfortunately for Val crews, their period of dominance in the Pacific would only last a few short months, as increasingly accurate anti-aircraft fire and more capable Allied fighters soon relegated this once feared bomber to secondary duties and kamikaze missions.
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Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing

[@MOS6510Models]

To Buy this Airfix Aichi D3A1 'Val' prf.hn/l/8xov3Q0

[@trudecades6829]

Classic kits are a challenge but value for money

[@BBBILLY86]

Currently building for a P-40 vs Val over Pearl Harbor diarama. Enjoying it even with simple details.

[@Riccardo_Silva]

Nice build! I always liked these old Airfix kits. Although very basic, they are usually very nicely shaped and resemble closely the real thing. And- of course one can always detail them up a bit with some research and scratch building.

[@MOS6510Models]

Thanks for your comment Riccardo Silva It really is good to hear from you

[@Amgyt12]

Same

[@charliebowman785]

Absolutely stunning

[@joseluiscastanorestrepo]

Great work

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@runesvensson1244]

I bought the same kit. I think I will "thin" the cowling in front of the cockpit and scribe the "louvres" on the cowling.

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you Rune Svensson for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't as yet.. It really helps the channel grow.

[@AndysJourneys]

Man I use to do tons of models back in the day. Great build video. Coming to you from Chattanooga Tennessee USA

[@MOS6510Models]

Get back building them matey :)

[@damien5748]

Going to have a beer or 2 while watching thisvwhen it goes live

[@MOS6510Models]

nice brew that ]

[@damien5748]

@@MOS6510Models yep.👍👍👍

[@FrankJCarver]

I like the wheel trousers on this plane.

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you @FrankJCarver for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't yet :)

[@sericono9077]

Beautiful model. Thanks for posting the video. I think that for a better finish the wheel spats should have been painted after gluing the two halves and masking the painted wheel (and filled the gap with putty). I wonder if it would be possible to mask the cockpit for airbrushing in such a small scale.

[@Walkyria_station_modeler]

Claro que se puede enmascarar una cabina a esa escala🙄

[@AreeyaKKC]

Excellent build. Finally someone builds with the accurate color.

[@MOS6510Models]

Ah Thank you :) Hope you are well

[@curtmartinson5441]

Love the color . I know early and pre war the IJN had different colors schemes for each carrier

[@MOS6510Models]

i didnt know that matey...

[@ModelkitStuff]

That turned out a good little kit

[@MOS6510Models]

Yes, its a fun build and I wanted to try the lacquer paints lol

[@huwtindall7096]

Bloody hell for a vintage kit that looked like it went together really well!! Had more modern kits which gave me more issues (or user error!?)

[@MOS6510Models]

It does need a far amount of work.. mine was just a put it together and see build

[@MorrowindES17]

Looks like a brilliant kit its on offer on amazon for £9.30 gonna buy it soon.

[@peterpimentel5881]

Nice job, I recently built the same kit but with different markings apparently Air fix did the same kit back in the 90s with a green topside an a IJN grey bottom and a black engine cowl but the kit had a red tail with yellow bands on it sorry cant post the picture but don't know how on KZbin land how to do it anyway glad that Air fix reissued the same kit was kind of hoping that they will reissue the kit with new tooling like they did with their Zero an Kate torpedo bomber before I expire but would also add the VAL by Air fix has been reissued several times in fact MPC back in 1974 issued the same kit in a diorama of the plane attacking a P-40 back in the day with plastic figures the kit in the MPC box had a paint scheme of silver with black colored landing gear legs.

[@MOS6510Models]

Yes i saw that scheme.. very interesting.. I think a new tooling would go well in the range

[@chrisdoney8578]

Loved watching this build up in fast forward, bit of therapy at the end of the day! Going to get one for the stash from a local toy shop 👍 Currently building Airfix 1/72 Harrier FRS.1

[@MOS6510Models]

Not a bad kit that harrier, will need a bit of work but great experience build

[@chrisdoney8578]

@@MOS6510Models it's to go on a stand along with their A4 skyhawk kit in Argentinian markings for a Falklands conflict anniversary memorial build 👍 I noticed you didn't paint the bomb on the Val!

[@MOS6510Models]

@@chrisdoney8578 it was painted with the silver from humbrol..

[@chrisdoney8578]

@@MOS6510Models my mistake! Soz for not paying full attention! Just received the classics Beagle Bassett. Looks like a nice kit.

[@MOS6510Models]

@@chrisdoney8578 na mate its cool.. i think ill paint it a darker silver before it goes on display anyways now you mention it.. The Bassett had the glass reverse engineered as it was lost over the years.. send me pictures when you get it built :)

[@jeff72_]

She turned out well, nice kit to be fair. Have one on the way so looking forward to having a look at it. Great job MOS.

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you

[@MarMightyGood]

Nice, these were hard to get in the South Pacific until recently and I’ve now got two. Needed some inspiration.

[@MOS6510Models]

You can do it! nice mojo build indeed

[@MarMightyGood]

Finding the right colours on these aircraft…What a rabbit hole.

[@MOS6510Models]

@@MarMightyGood have to agree.. hit and miss but there are communities out there that seem to know whats good :)

[@phillipsiviter2024]

Nice little mojo builder this one MOS, keep up the great work.

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you

[@SprueFascinationChannel]

Great job 👍

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@georgecoventry8441]

I built that kit way back in the late 1960's. At the time it seemed fairly good. By present standards, it's not very good at all, but it's probably still fun to build. Its worst feature is the canopy parts, with way too thick framing on them and just generally poorly done. Being quite inexperienced at the time, I painted it white...but it should be a light "cream" colored grey, as shown in the new instructions. There's much more information available about historical aircraft now than was the case when those kits first came out. The best models of the Val presently available are by Hasegawa (in 1/48) and Infinity (in 1/32).

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you @georgecoventry8441 for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't as yet.. It really helps the channel grow.

[@jefthing]

Oldie, but a goody and you’ve done a cracking job. I used the Tamiya Japanese grey but had to lighten it to about 50/50 to get the right ‘scale’ appearance otherwise it’s too dark. I think it still has the type 2 (?) pilot.

[@jefthing]

Just rewatched the vid and yes, it still has the type 2 crew!

[@MOS6510Models]

Thanks matey.. i can see it would be a shade too dark.. im happy with this dark yellow.. can see more japanese plane in my stash getting a coat of it.. awful pilots though lol

[@jefthing]

An improvement over the type 1 alien creatures from the early 60s, though! 🤣

[@user-du6yr1qx5d]

,Айрфикс, с паровозной клепкой ...иногда хочется собрать!!

[@joesanchez979]

Looks great 👍

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@KillerQueenDBD]

Hey! Great video. You do awesome work!

[@MOS6510Models]

Thanks for the visit, your channel is doing really well

[@KillerQueenDBD]

@@MOS6510Models thank you. I’m glad to be back. Hoping to grow a lot more

[@MOS6510Models]

@@KillerQueenDBD ill be watching

[@KillerQueenDBD]

@@MOS6510Models awe thank you so much!

[@oldbaldfatman2766]

April 25, 2023----Got the same kit in my unbuilt stash. Started building models back in '74 when I returned to the states from Panama while4 in the Air Force. Believe me, I got A LOT of the OLD Airfix kits. Thing is, trying to learn CAD for my 1/35 scale zombie/apocalypse interest. However, would like to also design interiors for some of my armor stuff which has no interiors but also, interiors for my older aircraft kits. Remember, back then, Revell, Monogram and Airfix were the big dogs on the porch while Tamiya, Hasegawa and LS were just starting out with even simpler kits. As in doughnut looking tires and L shape pieces for seats. Imagine them with state of the art interiors?

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you Old, bald fat man for leaving a comment. Please subscribe if you haven't as yet.. It really helps the channel grow.

[@the300poundleprechaun9]

👍👍👍

[@FENCERscalemodels]

Really nice👍

[@MOS6510Models]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@christopherjones4767]

Hi Mos, Nice ! A couple of points noticed - 1. why have you left the canopy unfinished ? are you going to add the crew ? 2. Do you ever use the pilot figures in your aircraft builds ?. I myself like to display my aircraft 'in flight' so pilot/crew are 'essential' for the effect, for me (I like to try & replicate - ish the box art 😄), but it's all down to taste...

[@MOS6510Models]

Canopy needs more work!! its held on with maskol because i want to rework it.. I dont use pilots as i build them grounded..

[@aqueousgrape1291]

what colour did you use for the cockpit?

[@MOS6510Models]

Humbrol cockpit green I think

[@adriankaill9413]

Colour is too dark...needed some white in the mix

[@MOS6510Models]

Interesting..

[@1hackmodeller557]

Rear gun? Didn't see it.

[@MOS6510Models]

wasnt one in this kit sadly

[@1hackmodeller557]

@@MOS6510Models Yikes!

[@user-xk3nn8sp6d]

悪くは無いキットだと思いますけど、キャノピーが酷い。 当時のエアーフィックスはクリアーパーツが全てをぶち壊してた。 1/72では貴重なキットなので何とかならないか？

[@Andy.Gledhill.Models.]

Sorry Moss. But I think it is not a nice kit. Definitely showing its age. One thing that puzzled me. Those Black stripes on the wheel covers. The box art shows them as all being Black, no stripe? As for the correct colours. MRP do an excellent range of proper Japanese colours. The light Brown colour was called Olive Grey, with 2 versions. A Mitsubishi and a Nakajima versions. Also the cowling colour was not Black. But a really dark Green / Black colour. You made a few mistakes, if I can be critical lol. Wing joints on the leading and trailing edges could have done with clean up work. Unpainted plastic was showing at the back of the cowling. Seams on the wheel housings should have been filled and got rid of. Cockpit and canopy could have been neater. Apart from that it looks OK.

[@MOS6510Models]

Hi Mate.. Its a Vintage Classic.. I built the kit, i'm no expert on schemes.. Did you watch the entire video as i went into the three different colours of the plane show within this kit alone? lol Back of the cowling pissed me off as i left it bare as i thought it would butt up to the fuselage.. I was wrong.. Just also point out that my builds are never competition standard. I fact I am a very lazy modeller, if you cant see it I dont paint it.. I aint a plasmo matey and dont really want to be, I build kits because I love scale modelling, and If i can make you laugh or entertain you in some way within my videos I've done my job surely :)

[@Andy.Gledhill.Models.]

@@MOS6510Models Yes mate. I did watch it all. Funny that there were differences in the paint scheme guide. Esp that weird curved Black bit on one side behind the cowling. I too am no modelling expert. I make mistakes all the time. But I do think that Airfix are re-releasing a lot of these very old kits as Vintage Classics. Lots of them were bad kits when they first came out, and are just as bad today. EG I would advise any newer modellers, to NOT buy the Airfix Vintage 1/24 Harrier model. They will pay close to £100, only to get it home and find that it needs tons of work to make it look decent.

[@peterstaklis3712]

There’s nothing “vintage” about bad fit and raised panel lines. But if you can get the kit cheap and improve your skills while building then good for you. At least you didn’t experiment on a 125 dollar 200 part model. Even old kits can improve your skills.