Doyusha 1/4 Scale Samurai Armour Tokugawa Ieyasu WIP *DONE*

[ILModels]

Whatho all!
Just incase you have probs seeing the pics, Wip gallery on my site starts at the link thing below:

http://www.ianlawrencemodels.com/wipsamuraiarmour.html

Ok, subject wise a bit off the beaten track, around the corner, down the alley and over the hill but why not.

A bit of a grail kit for me so to speak. Wanted one for a while but as usual, didn't get ne when they were available.
Thankfully some helpful soul on Weevilbay had one up for a decent price so ponied up the UK beer tokens and from California to my place in a jiffy, a largish box arrived at my door.



I think this is an issue from the early 80's.
These Samurai armour model kits started life with the Minamoto no Yoshiie armour
produced by Aihara Models in Japan back in the mid 1960's.

Doyusha expanded it a fair bit with more armour kits and Daisho sword sets but the swords
were done in 1/3rd scale for some obscure reason.

Right then, what's in the box.
Well a fair bit of plastic for starters...



The required paperwork and a nice faux leather embossed
texture printed sheet for decoration on the armour parts.





Double sided sheet with a sprue list and diagrams.





All text is in Japanese but this hairy Gaijin will muddle on through as always.









First of the bits. The armour chest, decorative trim and a bag of differing thread for holding the armour together.



The plating is rather good so possibly no need for a strip down and paint which suits me just fine.



The weaved cord and thread bag.



The upright parts of the stand and some of the armour plates.




Base and armour/chest plated parts.
Again, the plating is none too shabby for a kit this old.





Parts to represent cord cross parts and threaded areas that bound the armour plates together.
And there's a few of 'em!







Arm, skirt and chest plates. X marks the spot where then faux cord crosses go.





Helmet parts and another rake of those cross thread bits.



Helmet plated parts and it's got a hell of a crest on it!





Lastly, some brass work bits and two tubes of glue.
The paintwork is going to be a tad crucial to this deal but we'll see how it goes.
I'd love to at least have a Uchigatana to go with this.

I foresee some scratch build lark happening, have to brush up on my Kamakura period swords.



And that's a wrap on this opener people.
More in the next post, honest!

[ILModels]

And so to the second round of fun and games...

Ok then, started in this for 2022 as I needed something without lights, flashing bits,
or mechanical doo-dads to get back in to the groove.

So parts pulled for the armour storage box and stand frame.
The box is a fairly straight forward affair, just a base, lid and four feet.
So feet attached and a dry fit lid on for a look see.





The stand consisted of 5 straightforward parts that fitted together very well
to the point some percussive assistance was needed is some places but got there.



Some sinkage in a few places but not something that can't be dealt with.

The base is also a simple affair but it has a rebate around the edge which, I assume,
is for a clear cover that you could purchase and that makes sense.

That conundrum is for another day however.





I have it in mind I may dig out a strip of parawood I got laying about some place and make it a planked floor instead of leaving it blank.
But again, that's for a wee bit later.
So a quick dry fit setup look see.



Now taking in the account the rather impressive crest on the helmet,
i'd say this whole deal will be in the area of 16 to 17" tall.
Which will be rather nice.

Now to the decorative touches to the armour box.
Nice plated sprue it is as well with some splendid surface detailing.




But here's the first hurdle for my own personal tastes.
It's nice but the shine and uniform plating kind of hides the surface detail to my peepers.



Now lovely tooling like that deserves to be a bit more noticeable for my tastes.
A going over with some thinned Tamiya clear orange then a drybrush with
a 50/50 mix of Vallejo white and rich gold for a final punching up.



That is more like it!
A before and after shot if you will.



Aye, that'll about do it.

A coating of flat black on the box and stand with the box just buffed up to give it a satin sheen.
A smidge of german and light grey just to give it some definition and a very sight used look.
Left the stand as matt because why not.



And fit the decorative parts to the armour box.





Ok then, what the hell and let's get the base display bit done.
Timber sliced and glued together.

I noticed where this must have originally been made up of lumps joined to make a bulk to make the strips from it has a saw tooth join in it.
Looks nicely different so sticking with that.





A measured template and the floor boarding cut.
Decided to put a bit of a twist in the line run so it's less of a staged appearance.
I just prefer things to look a smidge more natural.

A couple of coats of wax and then fitted but i'll paint to the outer edge of the base when the rest of the model is done.





And the inevitable dry fit look see as one does quite a bit.








And i do believe that I like what I see!

Well that's it for this update.

On to the armour proper next turnout and that'll be fun as there's no english translation for what will most likely be critical areas knowing my luck so i'll be trying my best to work things out.

[ILModels]

On to round three!

Time to get the helmet or Kabuto sorted. Same thinned Tamiya clear orange/white gold drybrush treatment as the armour box decoration parts got.
Just makes the detailing stand out a bit more.





Dome and parts for the top of the helmet.



Semi gloss black with some medium grey drybrushing where required and parts assembled.





One bit down, a few to go so onward!

Now to the parts that represent the cord bindings that hold the armour plates together.
On the sprue and untouched look.



Some paint, dark wash and a bit of drybrushing later, it's a start.



All of the ones needed removed from the double sided tape so let's get to it.



The back part of the helmet painted and a smidge of drybrushing, then the cross pieces in place, then the upright cord bindings painted and fitted.



The side pieces or Fukigaeshi to give them their proper name...I think it is anyway.
One done with the cord parts and decorative artwork.
The second one awaiting the trim to fit dept.



Both decorative bits attached with acrylic contact adhesive then the Fukigaeshi fitted.






Last bits.
A couple of decorative parts for the Fukigaeshi and that impressive crest in place.





Looking the part.
Only the ring at the back of the helmet, that was used to secure a helmet flag and the chin strap cord to add but that's for later.



Just a dry fit to the stand where it will remain untill I get around to doing more.







Yeah, fairly happy with how it's going so far.



And that's the lot for now gang!
More as and when I get around to it.

[Tim Fortuna]

What an interesting piece. Really excited to see what you do with it.

[tay666]

Holy crap!
You really don't like doing anything simple do you

That is a very interesting kit. Lots of fiddly bits.
I suppose when things are going well, it's probably pretty relaxing with all the repitition.

[Tim Fortuna]

I love that Ian was halfway done with three updates before anyone could even reply.

[ILModels]

Well it's certainly different Tim which is normally my kinda thing when I get the chance so why not I thought

Sorry about that Trev, it's just a habit of mine so what can I say fella

Certainly up there in the fiddly bit dept. and yeah, a smidge theraputic/relaxing i'll not deny mate!

I love that Ian was halfway done with three updates before anyone could even reply.

That only came from "Well i've made it this far and taken all these damn photos, maybe I should post it somewhere."

Cheers muchly fellas!

[tay666]

I love that Ian was halfway done with three updates before anyone could even reply.

That only came from "Well i've made it this far and taken all these damn photos, maybe I should post it somewhere."

Cheers muchly fellas!

I know that, all too well.
I do that a lot, take pics, but not do anything with them for a while.

[ILModels]

Apologies that there was nit much movment on this but real life got in the bloody way as usual BUT...
A done deal so here be the last bits all the way to the finish.

OK, last time the helmet was a done deal but taking another look,
I decided to punch up the red and maybe sharpen up a few things.
The helmet as it was...



Went in with the Tamiya black panel line accent,
then over it with a few drybrush coats of Gunze Sangyo Carmine Red.



A bit more shade and richer red colour, works for me!
The kinda before and after shot.



Helmet liner and chin cord added.







Time to go with the shoulder armour plates.
Tamiya semi-gloss black with Vallejo dark sea grey drybrushed.
Cord representation parts painted and fitted.





Dry fit layup look see.



Pulled out the cord ribbon that will tie them all together.



Parts paintwork done and decorative parts fitted.



One side laced together.







Both done and done.



Fitted to the stand.





Armour box secured to the stand by way of four small screws going
through the bottom of the stand and in to the feet of the box.

That's going nowhere, name plate sorted as well.





Four styrene pegs fitted so the stand will have something to grip to when in place.





Cuirass or Do parts gone over with semi-gloss black,dark sea grey dry brushed where required
and decorative faux leather sheets added.



Cording parts and decorations fitted.



Parts fitted to the stand and laced together.









All looking rather spiffy so far methinks!





Parts for the leg plates taken care of.



Laced together.



Fitted to the rest of the armour.





That lot secured to the box.





The Dragonfly knot on the back of the Cuirass to sort.
The ends have tassels and thankfully the instructions tell you how so...

Tie secure added a short distance from the end of the weaved cord.
Cord unraveled and end given a furious brushing to spread the fibers.



Fold fibers back over the tie, tie again.
The pull fibers back and secure.
Tassels we got!



Dragonfly knot sorted, rear shoulder plate ties in place.





Front shoulder plate ties also in place.



Helmet in position and that's it, we be done!









I'll post some proper pics as soon as I figure out which category on the board to sling them in

Came out looking none too shabby and me happy with it, looks good on the shelf so okedoke!

[tay666]

I forgot about this build.

Glad you completed it. It looks cool. Not my cup of tea, but still very interesting.

[ILModels]

Cheers Trev, it's off the beaten track kit wise for certain. Just another one of those kits I always wanted to have a go at so done and cross that one off the list

[bucketfoot-al]

I am continually amazed at the level of detail on your builds ... I'd be a little intimidated by it all ...

[barad_dur]

Amazing work as always!

Thank you for posting many pics and providing details on the build up !

[ILModels]

Al, BD, I thank ya!
A different kinda deal for certain and another one off the 'Wouldn't mind trying one of those out' List.
Job done!