2012

This year was especially hard for all of us living in Japan but also for Greece. We would like to express our gratitude to all those who stood beside us sending messages of friendship, care and support. We hope the new year of the dragon to be better in every way than the year before.

良いお年をお迎え下さい

BEST WISHES FOR THE 2012!

ΤΙΣ ΚΑΛΥΤΕΡΕΣ ΕΥΧΕΣ ΜΑΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ 2012!

Nipponki '46: Deep Blue Fleet #6 "HARU ARASHI"

Seaplane Fighter Bomber "Haru Arashi" (Spring Storm)

Span: 12.37m

Length: 10.598m

Weight: 2675kg

Max Speed: 590km/h @ 5600m

Range: 1200km

Armament: two 20mm cannons on the wings, two 20mm cannons in the cowling, one 250kg bomb

Crew: 1

Another seaplane with retractable floats that resembles a lot the "Kyofu" and the "Shiun".

Nipponki '46: Deep Blue Fleet #5 "RAIYO"

Seaplane Attack Fighter "Raiyo" (Thunder of the Pacific)

Span: 15.2m

Length: 11.00m

Weight: 4050kg

Max Speed: 610km/h @ 6000m

Range: 3000km

Armament: one 800kg torpedo or three 250kg bombs, two 20mm cannons under the belly, one 13mm machine gun in the rear gunner position

Crew: 3

Art: Imura Shinji

 

Cover art: Takani Yoshiyuki

An interesting retractable (!!!) flotplane version of the Toryu equipped with radar and able to act as torpedo bomber. Can't figure out where the third crew member would fit.

Nipponki '46: Twin-engine Zero

In a Manga series with the title "Gale over Rabaul - Air Battle History", released '99-'00 and written by Kawamata Chiaki, a Zero of quite interesting design is roaming the skies of South Pacific.

What if the all-well-known Zero design had a pair of engines on it's wings leaving the nose free to install different kinds of cannons and machine guns? It certainly looks cool to me and I wouldn't mind experimenting with a couple kits from the spare box.

Manga cover illustration by Takani Yoshiyuki (Born 1935)

Story illustration by Wada Satoru

Nipponki '46: IJNAF Focke-Wulf Fw-200 Condor by George G. Crozier

The rumored IJNAF Focke-Wulf Fw-200 Condor with four 2000hp Homare engines borrowed from the Nakajima G8N "Renzan" (Rita) project. The Fw-200 so modified was used as an engine test bed. This particular aircraft was found damaged at the end of the war.

Model by: George G. Crozier

Nipponki '46: Deep Blue Fleet #4 "SENKI"

Carrier Tank Buster "Senki" (?)

Span: 13.8m

Length: 10.88m

Weight: 4960kg

Max Speed: 6725km/h

Range: 1360km

Armament: 1X35mm cannon, 6 air-to-ground rockets

Crew: 1 

 

The wings resemble a lot the "Ryusei" but how about the fuselage and jet engine? Any ideas? 

Nipponki '46: Deep Blue Fleet #3 "DENSEI"

Carrier Fighter "Densei" (?) Model VI

Span: 11.24m

Length: 11.20m

Weight: 4960kg

Max Speed: 750km/h

Range: 1540km

Armament: 2X20mm, 2X30mm cannons

Crew: 1

From Model V the engine changed to turbo-prop.

A carrier fighter based on the Hayate but with contra-rotating propellers, all-round vision canopy, extra armament and more. The nose of Model V reminds me a bit of the Hawker Sea Fury. 

Nipponki '46: Deep Blue Fleet #2 "SEIHO"

Carrier Strategic Combat Aircraft "Seiho" (Star Phoenix)

Span: 20.00m

Length: 15.00m

Weight: 7265kg

Max Speed: 570km/h @ 5900m

Range: 5650km

Crew: 5

Obviously based on the Yokosuka P1Y1 "Ginga" (Frances) the "Seiho" is operated from large size aircraft carriers and is equipped with various radar systems.

Nipponki '46: Deep Blue Fleet #1 - 紺碧の艦隊 (Konpeki no Kantai)

This is the first in a series of postings about Japanese X-planes, what-if and fantasy projects.

 

First up is the manga/VHS/DVD series "Konpeki no Kantai" (Deep Blue Fleet).

Story by: Aramaki Yoshio

Art by: Imura Shinji

Published by: Tokuma Shoten (1992-1996) 20 Vols.

From Wikipedia:

"In Konpeki no Kantai's first episode, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's death on April 18, 1943, still proceeds exactly as in the real event. Just before his damaged plane crashes into Bougainville Island, Yamamoto blacks out, before awakening in a ship quarters. Unclear about what has just happened, Yamamoto speaks with a crewman, and discovers that he is aboard the Japanese cruiser Nisshin. He is then informed that the date is May 28, 1905 and that Battle of Tsushima has just ended. Yamamoto realizes that he has somehow been transported back in time (or to a parallel world).

After Yamamoto decides to revert to his old name of Isoroku Takano, he vows to use his advance-knowledge of the next 38 years to ensure that Japan does not make the same mistakes as before.

Yamamoto's first priority is to spearhead a massive naval construction program. It involves building a large fleet of advanced battleships and supercarriers, nuclear submarines based on the design of the real-life I-400 Sen Toku submarine, and advanced combat aircraft that were in prototype or concept form during the late stages of the actual Pacific War.

His plan for success begins with a coup d'état against the hardline government of Army General Hideki Tōjō in late 1941, on the eve of the Pearl Harbor attack, and installing an ally, Lt Gen Yasaburo Otaka as prime minister. Otaka, who has also been transported back in time, agrees to work with Yamamoto to change history and ensure that the Japanese Empire emerges victorious against the United States in the Second World War."

First VHS of the series.

Cover of the 9th VHS.

Some sample pages from the manga.

Vintage book cover

Title: "Tatakau Riku no Arawasi" (Fighting Land Eagles)

Author: Aoki Taizo

Publisher: Shuei-sha, February 1941

Kawanishi E7K1 "Alf"

The old model with the Hiro Type 91 12-cylinder liquid-cooled engine and the four-blade wooden prop. Photo from a vintage magazine.

A dramatic shot showing the perils of lowering the floatplane from a warship. Note the guy at the far edge of the starboard wing tip releasing the attachment cable. I know I wouldn't like to be in his shoes.