Japanese Type 1 Ho-Ni I Self-Propelled Gun Papercraft In 1/48 Scale by Hakoko

Created by talented Japanese designer Hakoko, from Box Studio, this is a truly impressive paper model of the Type 1 Ho-Ni I, or 一式砲戦車 ホニI, a Japanese self-propelled gun used during World War II.

The model is in 1/48 scale and, once assembled, measures approximately 12.2 cm long, 4.7 cm wide and 5.3 cm high. The templates consist of four pages of parts, plus four additional pages intended for printing on the reverse side. The author also provides a separate assembly manual and a diagram showing the fold lines.

As we have already seen in other works by Hakoko featured here on Papermau, the level of finish is exceptional. Looking at the photos, it is easy to forget for a moment that we are looking at a model made entirely of paper. The result looks very much like a carefully assembled and painted plastic kit, especially because of the textures, realistic weathering effects, and the detailed wheels, suspension and tracks.

This is not a model for beginners. There are many small parts, especially around the running gear and gun, but the construction has been very well planned. In his building diary, Hakoko shows the internal structure of the hull, the application of the outer covering, the assembly of the fighting compartment and gun, and finally the complex suspension and track system. Interestingly, he mentions that he considerably simplified the interior area around the driver's position.

The real vehicle on which this papercraft is based also has an interesting history. The Type 1 Ho-Ni I was developed to provide Imperial Japanese Army armored divisions with a more powerful mobile weapon. Instead of designing an entirely new vehicle, Japanese engineers used the chassis and engine of the well-known Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank and replaced its turret with a 75 mm Type 90 field gun mounted behind an open fighting compartment.

One interesting fact is precisely this origin: beneath its completely different appearance, much of the Ho-Ni I was essentially still a Type 97 Chi-Ha.

Another interesting detail is that its role was not simply to hunt enemy tanks. The Ho-Ni I was also conceived as self-propelled artillery to accompany armored units, and its gun could be used against targets at considerable distances. Its open fighting compartment, however, left the crew exposed, and the vehicle did not carry a defensive machine gun, a serious disadvantage in close combat.

Finally, the Ho-Ni I was a rare machine. Only about 26 examples of this first version were produced in 1942. Some were sent to the Philippines and took part in the Battle of Luzon in 1945, while many vehicles of the Ho-Ni family remained in Japan to defend the home islands against a possible Allied invasion that never took place.

Hakoko provides the templates, assembly manual and fold-line diagram for free at Box Studio. For anyone interested in Japanese military vehicles and looking for a more detailed project, this is one of those papercrafts that shows just how far you can go with nothing more than paper, patience and a good printer.

Criado pelo talentoso designer japonês Hakoko, do site Box Studio, este é um modelo em papel realmente impressionante do Type 1 Ho-Ni I, ou 一式砲戦車 ホニI, um canhão autopropulsado japonês utilizado durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial.

O modelo está na escala 1/48 e, depois de montado, mede aproximadamente 12,2 cm de comprimento, 4,7 cm de largura e 5,3 cm de altura. Os templates ocupam quatro folhas de peças, com outras quatro páginas destinadas à impressão no verso, e o autor também disponibiliza separadamente um manual de montagem e um diagrama com as linhas de dobra.

Como já vimos em outros trabalhos de Hakoko publicados aqui no Papermau, o nível de acabamento é excepcional. Visto nas fotografias, é fácil esquecer por alguns instantes que estamos olhando para um modelo feito inteiramente de papel. O resultado lembra muito um kit plástico cuidadosamente montado e pintado, principalmente pelas texturas, pelos efeitos de desgaste e envelhecimento, e pelo detalhamento das rodas, suspensão e esteiras.

Não é um modelo para iniciantes. Há muitas peças pequenas, especialmente no conjunto de rodagem e no canhão, mas a construção foi muito bem planejada. No diário de montagem, Hakoko mostra a estrutura interna do casco, a aplicação do revestimento externo, a montagem da área de combate, do canhão e finalmente do complexo conjunto de suspensão e esteiras. Curiosamente, ele comenta que simplificou bastante a região interna próxima ao posto do motorista.

O veículo real no qual este papercraft é baseado também tem uma história interessante. O Type 1 Ho-Ni I surgiu da necessidade do Exército Imperial Japonês de fornecer às suas divisões blindadas uma arma móvel mais poderosa. Em vez de desenvolver um veículo totalmente novo, os engenheiros aproveitaram o chassi e o motor do conhecido tanque médio Type 97 Chi-Ha e substituíram sua torre por um canhão de campanha Type 90 de 75 mm instalado em um compartimento de combate aberto.

Uma primeira curiosidade é justamente essa origem: por baixo da aparência completamente diferente, grande parte do Ho-Ni I continuava sendo essencialmente um Type 97 Chi-Ha.

Outra é que sua função não era simplesmente caçar tanques. O Ho-Ni I foi concebido também como artilharia autopropulsada para acompanhar unidades blindadas, e seu canhão podia ser utilizado contra alvos a grandes distâncias. A configuração aberta, entretanto, deixava a tripulação bastante exposta e o veículo sequer possuía uma metralhadora defensiva, uma séria desvantagem em combate próximo.

Por fim, o Ho-Ni I foi uma máquina rara. Apenas cerca de 26 exemplares dessa primeira versão foram produzidos em 1942. Alguns chegaram às Filipinas e participaram da Batalha de Luzon em 1945, enquanto muitos veículos da família Ho-Ni permaneceram no Japão para a defesa das ilhas contra uma possível invasão aliada que nunca aconteceu.

Hakoko disponibiliza gratuitamente os templates, o manual de montagem e o diagrama das linhas de dobra no Box Studio. Para quem gosta de veículos militares japoneses e procura um projeto mais detalhado, este é daqueles papercrafts que mostram até onde se pode chegar trabalhando apenas com papel, paciência e uma boa impressora.

Build this highly detailed Type 1 Ho-Ni I in 1/48 scale using the free templates available at the link below:

Japanese Type 1 Ho-Ni I Self-Propelled Gun Papercraft In 1/48 Scale - by Hakoko

If you enjoyed this detailed Type 1 Ho-Ni I, take a look below at four more impressive military vehicle papercrafts:

01: Polish 7TP dw Twin-Turret Light Tank Paper Model In 1/48 Scale - by Hakoko

02: Heavy Tank Destroyer Nashorn Paper Model In 1/48 Scale - by Hakoko

03: WW2`s Light Tank M3A1 Paper Model In 1/72 Scale - by Mr. Cube

04: LVT(A)-1 708th Amphibian Tank Battalion Paper Model In 1/72 Scale - by Paper Diorama

Interstellar TARS & CASE Papercraft Robots - by Shunichi Makino

At first glance, TARS and CASE might be among the least impressive-looking robots in movie history. They are basically large, dark rectangular blocks, with no apparent head, face, arms or legs. But anyone who has watched Interstellar knows that this simplicity hides two of the most interesting and charismatic machines in recent science fiction.

Japanese designer Shunichi Makino, from Design Office PASTA, transformed the two robots from Interstellar into papercrafts that preserve exactly this minimalist appearance.

Makino himself describes TARS and CASE in a rather curious way: to him, it is as if the mysterious monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey had been given functions similar to those of R2-D2 from Star Wars. It is an amusing comparison, but a surprisingly appropriate one.

In Christopher Nolan's 2014 movie, TARS and CASE are extremely advanced robots. Despite their almost primitive appearance, their bodies are formed by segments capable of separating, rotating and assuming different configurations, allowing them to walk, run, manipulate objects and perform tasks that seem impossible for such simple metallic boxes.

Another memorable feature is that some parameters of their personalities can be adjusted, including their levels of humor and honesty. This creates some of the lighter moments in the movie, especially during the conversations between Cooper and TARS.

Naturally, reproducing in paper all the complex movements seen in the movie would be another story. Makino chose to preserve the characteristic shapes of the robots in relatively simple models, and he points out that their straightforward forms also make them easy to assemble.

The papercraft comes in a three-page PDF and the templates are available for free at the original Design Office PASTA website. For fans of Interstellar, science fiction or simply robots with unconventional designs, TARS and CASE make a very unusual pair to display on a shelf.

À primeira vista, TARS e CASE talvez estejam entre os robôs menos impressionantes da história do cinema. São basicamente grandes blocos retangulares escuros, sem cabeça, rosto, braços ou pernas aparentes. Mas quem assistiu a Interstellar sabe que essa simplicidade esconde duas das máquinas mais interessantes e carismáticas da ficção científica recente.

O designer japonês Shunichi Makino, do Design Office PASTA, transformou os dois robôs de Interstellar em papercrafts que preservam exatamente essa aparência minimalista.

O próprio Makino descreve TARS e CASE de uma maneira bastante curiosa: para ele, é como se o misterioso monólito de 2001: Uma Odisseia no Espaço tivesse recebido funcionalidades semelhantes às de R2-D2, de Star Wars. É uma comparação divertida, mas bastante apropriada.

No filme de Christopher Nolan, lançado em 2014, TARS e CASE são robôs extremamente avançados. Apesar da aparência quase primitiva, seus corpos são formados por segmentos capazes de se separar, girar e assumir diferentes configurações, permitindo que caminhem, corram, manipulem objetos e realizem tarefas que parecem impossíveis para aquelas simples caixas metálicas.

Outra característica memorável é que alguns parâmetros de suas personalidades podem ser ajustados, incluindo níveis de humor e honestidade. Isso acaba criando alguns dos momentos mais leves do filme, especialmente nas conversas entre Cooper e TARS.

Naturalmente, reproduzir em papel toda a complexa movimentação vista no filme seria outra história. Makino optou por preservar as formas características dos robôs em modelos relativamente simples, e ele próprio destaca que suas formas diretas também tornam a montagem fácil.

O papercraft ocupa três páginas em PDF e os templates estão disponíveis gratuitamente no site original do Design Office PASTA. Para quem gosta de Interstellar, ficção científica ou simplesmente de robôs com designs pouco convencionais, TARS e CASE formam uma dupla bastante diferente para colocar na estante.

Build TARS and CASE and bring two of Interstellar's most unusual robots to your shelf using the link below:

Interstellar TARS & CASE Papercraft Robots - by Shunichi Makino

If you enjoyed TARS and CASE, take a look below at four more sci-fi papercrafts featuring iconic spacecraft and robots from the movies:

01: Interstellar - Endurance Interplanetary Spacecraft Paper Model - by UHU 02

02: WALL-E - The Compactor Robot Paper Model - by Paper Replika

03: Star Wars - R2D2 Paper Model - by Disney Family - Rescaled To 1/6 And Custom Textures by Papermau

04: Robocop - Enforcement Droid Series 209 Robot Paper Model - by Paper Replika

Two Historic Japanese Architectural Papercrafts - Nagayamon Gate And Storehouse - by Kokubunji City

Two beautiful architectural papercrafts are available on the official website of Kokubunji City in Tokyo, Japan. They reproduce the Nagayamon Gate and Storehouse of the Former Honda Family Residence, two preserved historic buildings located at the Otaka-no-Michi Spring Garden and recognized as important cultural properties of the city.

The larger model represents the Nagayamon Gate of the Former Honda Family Residence. A nagayamon is a traditional Japanese gate incorporated into a long building, with rooms on either side of its central passage. This explains why this fascinating structure looks much more like a house than a simple gate.

It was built during the late Edo period for the Honda family, whose members served for generations as nanushi, or village administrators, in old Kokubunji. A document preserved by the family and dated 1848 contains specifications for its construction. Besides being the main entrance to the property, part of the building also contained residential rooms.

The second papercraft represents the Storehouse of the Former Honda Family Residence. Much smaller, the real building is a two-story wooden structure measuring approximately 4.5 by 3.6 meters. An inscription found in the building mentions an original construction date of 1708 and a complete reconstruction in 1900.

Both papercrafts are part of the Home Museum section of Kokubunji City's official website and are associated with the Musashi Kokubunji Temple Remains Museum. The project offers educational activities related to the history, archaeology and cultural heritage of the area.

The Nagayamon Gate is the more elaborate model, featuring many delicate parts and separate files for the building, roof, base and assembly instructions. The small storehouse is considerably simpler and fits on a single sheet. Both models are available in color and black-and-white versions, allowing builders to add their own colors.

I could not find a stated scale or the name of an individual designer, so the safest credit is to the Musashi Kokubunji Temple Remains Museum and Kokubunji City. The creators even suggest building both papercrafts together, recreating in miniature part of this historic site that can still be visited today.

Dois belos papercrafts arquitetônicos estão disponíveis no site oficial da cidade de Kokubunji, em Tóquio, Japão. Os modelos reproduzem o Portão Nagayamon e o Armazém da Antiga Residência da Família Honda, dois edifícios históricos preservados no Jardim das Nascentes de Otaka-no-Michi e reconhecidos como importantes bens culturais da cidade.

O modelo maior representa o Portão Nagayamon da Antiga Residência da Família Honda. Um nagayamon é um tipo tradicional de portão japonês integrado a uma construção alongada, com cômodos dos dois lados da passagem central. Por isso, à primeira vista, este edifício se parece muito mais com uma casa do que com um simples portão.

Ele foi construído no final do período Edo para a família Honda, que durante gerações exerceu a função de nanushi, uma espécie de chefe ou administrador da antiga vila de Kokubunji. Um documento preservado pela família, datado de 1848, contém especificações para sua construção. Além de servir como entrada principal da propriedade, parte do edifício possuía cômodos residenciais, uma característica bastante interessante e incomum.

O segundo papercraft representa o Armazém da Antiga Residência da Família Honda. Bem menor, o edifício real é uma construção de madeira de dois andares, com aproximadamente 4,5 por 3,6 metros. Uma inscrição encontrada em sua estrutura menciona uma construção original em 1708 e uma reconstrução completa em 1900.

Os dois modelos fazem parte da seção Museu em Casa, mantida no site oficial da cidade de Kokubunji e ligada ao Museu das Ruínas do Templo Musashi Kokubunji. A iniciativa oferece atividades educativas relacionadas à história, arqueologia e ao patrimônio cultural da região.

O Portão Nagayamon é o modelo mais elaborado, com várias peças delicadas e arquivos separados para o edifício, telhado, base e instruções. O pequeno armazém é bem mais simples e cabe em uma única folha. Ambos são oferecidos em versões coloridas e em preto e branco, permitindo também uma pintura personalizada.

Não encontrei indicação de escala nem o nome de um designer individual, portanto o crédito mais seguro é para o Museu das Ruínas do Templo Musashi Kokubunji e a cidade de Kokubunji. Uma sugestão especialmente interessante dos próprios responsáveis pelo projeto é montar os dois modelos juntos, recriando em miniatura parte do conjunto histórico que ainda pode ser visitado atualmente.

If you would like to build these two little pieces of Japanese history yourself, the templates in color and black-and-white versions are available at the link below.

Two Historic Japanese Miniature Architectural Papercrafts - by Kokubunji City

And if you enjoy recreating old Japan in miniature, here are four more architectural papercrafts that deserve a place in your collection.

01: A Japanese Family House Papercraft In 1/150 Scale - by Pokara

02: Hand-Drawn Papercraft Models Of Cultural Heritage - by Suita City

03: Ancient Japanese Pit Dwellings In Paper - by Suita City Museum

04: A Lot Of Japanese Architectural Paper Models In 1/150 Scale - by Brother Japan

A Buck Rogers Papercraft Secret Hidden in Plain Sight Online Crichton Poseable Robot Figure 1/6 Scale - by Revell-Fan

Sometimes the best finds are hidden right before our eyes.

On the German website Paper Aviation there is a page dedicated to the Earth Directorate Thunderfighter, the famous spacecraft from the fictional universe of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

The Thunderfighter alone is already a good reason to visit the page, but there is a little secret hidden there.

Anyone who visits the page, downloads the Thunderfighter and leaves will probably never notice that, by simply scrolling further down, a whole collection of additional Buck Rogers papercrafts appears.

There are thirteen additional models and projects related to this universe, including different spacecraft and vehicles, accessories and other interesting creations. Some are presented as beta or experimental versions, but from what I could see, the available models appear to be perfectly buildable.

Among all these hidden treasures, I chose to highlight just one in this post: the Crichton Poseable Robot Figure, created by Marcell "Revell-Fan" von dem Berge.

Crichton is the sophisticated and rather arrogant robot that appeared during the second season of the classic TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Created by Dr. Goodfellow, Crichton has a very peculiar personality and considers himself so advanced that he has difficulty accepting the idea that humans could have created a machine like him.

Marcell's papercraft reproduces Crichton in a large 1/6 scale and, best of all, it is a poseable model. The arms, elbows, wrists and other parts use small joints made from paper and laminated cardboard, allowing the finished robot to be displayed in different poses.

There are also two neck configurations, short and extended, and several interchangeable front visor displays representing different modes such as standby, talking and angry.

The standard version uses eleven parts sheets. There is also a special version designed for printing on silver or metallic paper/card, with twelve parts sheets. This second version takes advantage of the real shine of the material instead of trying to reproduce a metallic surface only with printed textures.

The download also includes a very detailed illustrated assembly guide. Marcell even created a separate five-page tutorial about working with coated silver card, using his own Crichton build to demonstrate the techniques.

An interesting detail is that Marcell credits Julius Perdana, from Paper-Replika, and his poseable Iron Man papercraft as an important source of inspiration for developing practical and stable joints for Crichton.

So, if you visit the Thunderfighter page at Paper Aviation, don't be in a hurry. Download the main model, but then keep scrolling down.

There is a small Buck Rogers papercraft universe hidden at the bottom of the page.

Às vezes, os melhores achados estão escondidos bem diante dos nossos olhos.

No site alemão Paper Aviation existe uma página dedicada ao Earth Directorate Thunderfighter, a famosa nave do universo ficcional de Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

O Thunderfighter por si só já seria um bom motivo para visitar a página, mas existe um pequeno segredo escondido ali.

Quem entra na página, baixa o Thunderfighter e vai embora provavelmente nunca perceberá que, simplesmente continuando a rolar a página para baixo, aparece toda uma coleção de papercrafts adicionais de Buck Rogers.

São outros treze modelos e projetos relacionados a esse universo, incluindo diferentes naves e veículos, acessórios e outras criações interessantes. Alguns são apresentados como versões beta ou experimentais, mas, pelo que pude ver, os modelos disponíveis parecem perfeitamente montáveis.

Entre todos esses tesouros escondidos, escolhi destacar apenas um neste post: o Crichton Poseable Figure, criado por Marcell "Revell-Fan" von dem Berge.

Crichton é o sofisticado e bastante arrogante robô que apareceu durante a segunda temporada da clássica série de TV Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Criado pelo Dr. Goodfellow, Crichton possui uma personalidade muito peculiar e se considera tão avançado que tem dificuldade em aceitar a ideia de que seres humanos poderiam ter criado uma máquina como ele.

O papercraft de Marcell reproduz Crichton na grande escala 1/6 e, melhor ainda, é um modelo articulado. Os braços, cotovelos, pulsos e outras partes utilizam pequenas articulações construídas com papel e cartão laminado, permitindo colocar o robô pronto em diferentes poses.

Há também duas configurações para o pescoço, curto e estendido, além de vários displays intercambiáveis para o visor frontal, representando diferentes modos, como espera, falando e irritado.

A versão convencional utiliza onze folhas de peças. Existe também uma versão especial preparada para impressão em papel ou cartão metálico prateado, com doze folhas de peças. Essa segunda versão aproveita o brilho real do material em vez de tentar reproduzir uma superfície metálica apenas através de texturas impressas.

O download também inclui um manual de montagem ilustrado muito detalhado. Marcell chegou a preparar um tutorial separado de cinco páginas sobre como trabalhar com cartão prateado revestido, usando sua própria montagem de Crichton para demonstrar as técnicas.

Um detalhe interessante é que Marcell dá crédito a Julius Perdana, do Paper-Replika, e ao seu papercraft articulado do Iron Man como uma importante fonte de inspiração para desenvolver articulações práticas e estáveis para Crichton.

Portanto, se você visitar a página do Thunderfighter no Paper Aviation, não tenha pressa. Baixe o modelo principal, mas depois continue rolando a página para baixo.

Há um pequeno universo de papercrafts de Buck Rogers escondido no final da página.

Discover the hidden Buck Rogers papercraft collection and download the Crichton Poseable Robot Figure at the link below:

Buck Rogers Crichton Poseable Robot Figure 1/6 Scale - by Revell-Fan

If you enjoy classic robots from movies and TV series, take a look at these four paper models below:

01: Lost In Space - Robot B9 Miniature Paper Model - by Jonathan Leslie

02: WALL-E - The Compactor Robot Paper Model - by Paper Replika

03: Star Wars - R2-D2 Detailed Paper Model In 1/6 Scale - by Paper Replika

04: Ultraman - King Joe - The Alien Robot Paper Model - by Chin Pun

GTA V Ammu-Nation Gun Shop Papercraft Revisited Test Build Almost Finished

The test build of the new version of the Ammu-Nation Gun Shop is almost complete and, this time, I gathered several photos showing a little more of the whole process, from the separate walls to the finished building standing on its base.

In some of the photos I placed a few 1/64 scale die-cast cars next to the model, including in the first image of this post. This is the classic scale used by many miniatures from Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Majorette, GreenLight, Johnny Lightning, Tomica and many others, and since the first version of this Ammu-Nation, back in 2015, one of my ideas was to create a small setting that could be used with this kind of miniature.

This test build had a very important purpose: to find out if everything I had redesigned on the computer would actually work when transferred to paper. After printing, cutting, folding, gluing and assembling each part, I can say that it does. All the pieces fit together perfectly, the proportions turned out as I expected and I found no structural problems that would require any major changes to the project.

It is particularly fun to see this model finished again because my relationship with GTA V goes back a long way. I have been playing the game practically since its release and have spent many, many hours exploring Los Santos and Blaine County, especially in GTA Online. After so much time, some places on the map become strangely familiar, almost like places in a city we actually know.

Curiously, it has been about a year since I last played GTA Online, but I think that break is coming to an end. October is almost here and anyone who has played GTA Online at this time of year knows that Halloween is one of the best times to return to Los Santos.

For a few weeks, the whole atmosphere of the game changes. UFOs begin appearing in the skies, driverless cars chase players along the roads, killers appear during the night and we can even run into a clone of our own character trying to kill us. There are also ghosts to find, pumpkins scattered around the map, special game modes, strange storms and several other surprises. Los Santos, which is not exactly a peaceful city to begin with, becomes even crazier.

I have always enjoyed the way Rockstar uses Halloween to play with the supernatural side of GTA Online. So, after almost a year away from the game, maybe this is a good excuse to bring my character out of retirement and take another drive around Los Santos. Who knows, perhaps this return will also provide some inspiration for a future papercraft?

Perhaps it is precisely because I am so familiar with the game world that I have always enjoyed turning some of its buildings into paper models. Rather than the big events of GTA V, it is often these ordinary places that catch my attention: a workshop, a garage, a warehouse, a neighborhood store or an Ammu-Nation discovered while driving around the map.

The first version of this Ammu-Nation was created in exactly this way, using images and textures that I captured directly inside GTA V. Eleven years later, it has been very interesting to return to the same building with different resources and rebuild practically all of the graphics, trying to improve the textures and add details without losing the simplicity of the original model.

Now that I know the construction works as it should and, most importantly, that all the pieces fit together perfectly, I can dedicate myself to the next stage: preparing the final templates. I will organize the parts, make the last graphic adjustments and try to make everything as clear and simple as possible for assembly.

I still have a few ideas for small things that I might add to the model before the final version, but for now nothing has been decided. As often happens with my projects, some ideas appear just when I think everything is already finished.

As soon as everything is ready, I will publish the model here on the blog for everyone who wants to build their own Ammu-Nation Gun Shop.

Aos amigos de língua portuguesa: Para não deixar este post excessivamente longo e manter as fotos da montagem intercaladas com o texto, desta vez publiquei aqui a versão completa em inglês. O texto integral em português, acompanhado de todas as fotos, está disponível no meu blog secundário no link abaixo:

GTA V Ammu-Nation Gun Shop Papercraft Revisitada - Montagem de Teste Quase Concluída

If you would like to see how this project started and follow the Ammu-Nation rebuild from the beginning, take a look at the first two posts below.

GTA V - Ammu-Nation Gun Shop Papercraft Remastered - Work In Progress

GTA V Ammu-Nation Gun Shop Papercraft Revisited - First Test Build