Mitsubishi Ki-46 "Dinah"

A little known photo from the NARA collection of a Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft or Mitsubishi Ki-46-III Ko. Photos of the same plane are featured in FAOW#38 and according to the caption this Dinah was captured by US forces in Luzon's Clark airfield. Although the camouflage looks to be light green, it is actually dark brown (ankashoku) following the IJAAF orders given in Autumn 1944. Although not visible in this photo there is a bomb rack under the starboard wing for air-to-air "Ta-dan" bomb.

It does not seem to have any unit marking on the tail, unless it was a small one on the tail missing part.

Nakajima Ki-115 "Tsurugi" by Ryszard Holak

 Hello!

Another Japanese plane. This time it is the Ki-115 "Tsurugi", EDUARD 1:48.
Ryszard Holak - Krakow, POLAND

 

 

NEW RELEASES!

Two new publications were just released in Japan.

The first is a book entitled "Kaigun Suijoki-tai" (Navy seaplane unit) and is a collection of articles written by veterans who flew seaplanes and flying boats, originally featured in old MARU magazine issues. All in Japanese and most interesting to those who can speak the language.

Size: 13X19cm, 344p, 52 b/w well-known photos, published by Ushioshobo Kojinsha, Sept. 2013, p/b.  

The second is a reprint in paperback of the excellent photo album "Tatakau Zero Sen" by one of the most prolific Japanese authors Watanabe Yoji.

Original h/b

The new "Tatakau Zero Sen - Taiintachi no Shashin-shu" (Fighting Zero Fighter - Members' Photo Album), below, is published by Bungei Shunju, size: 18X25cm, 192p. 360 b/w photos, a lot of them not featured in any other publication.





p.50

p.100



The book is sold alone or accompanied by a brilliant Tamiya A6M2 in 1/72 and either version is highly recommended and should not be missed.

Both publications are available through our on-line store. Simply send us an email if interested for prices including postage etc.

Aichi D1A2

A photo from a vintage publication introducing "the latest bomber of the Navy", a Navy Type 94 Carrier Dive Bomber or Aichi D1A2. A bunch of A5Ms in the background, perhaps the photo was taken during a hokoku presentation ceremony.

Kawanishi H8K2-L RC model

Our friend Devlin Chouinard sent us a heads-up ont his amazing video of a HUGE RC Navy Type 2 Transport Flying Boat "Seiku" or Kawanishi H8K2-L.

He mentioned: "A truly BIG model, and very impressive. Not a very good landing, but at least there wasn't so much damage to where it sank!"

Unfortunately we have no further info as to who built and flew it or when. If  you know we'd like very much to let us know.

Enjoy!

Kawanishi H6K "Mavis"

Two photos from a vintage publication of a Type 97 Transport Flying-Boat or Kawanishi (probably) H6K4-L.  

A rather dramatic shot of the same plane with two crew members on the wing.

NEWS

Hi everybody,

The IPMS Austria decided to make a special exhibition about Japan, held on March 8 & 9, 2014 at the Army Museum in Vienna.

The link is: http://www.ipms.at/

For this purpose models of aircraft, ships, dioramas, figures, cars and many other modelling stuff will be shown. We also have two artists which will show Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) and Origami. If you have any good ideas do let us know. Post a comment here or send us an email: mepda@gmx.at

We also welcome modelers wishing to exhibit their work.

Even if you are in Vienna during the exhibition we'd be very happy to meet you in person.

Verena Wirnig - Vienna - AUSTRIA

Akagi Zero-sen diorama WIP#3 by Panagiotis Koubetsos

 Akagi admiral bridge

Hi guys!
After spending more than 40 days looking for information and constructing the Akagi admiral bridge is finally done..Far from being spacious, the bridge could hardly hold 6-7 officers back in 1941..Very little will be seen after the roof will be cemented but as in aeroplane cockpits this is also the case with this cramped little space!...
Cheers,
Panagiotis.

WIP#1, WIP#2 

 

Kawasaki KDA-5

As a follow-up of the previous posting of September 8, we feature today another photo of that unusual Army Type 92 Fighter or Kawasaki KDA-5.

zegeye asked: Why do you believe that ''saw teeth'' are red? Do you think that cover author colored this photo in wrong way?
Reply: from the photo above it seems that the hinomaru is basically the same colour with the "saw teeth". So, I believe the cover was colorized to show the hinomaru more prominently and make it clearly for the readers that the a/c is a Japanese one. Note that nothing else is coloured in the cover photo.

Nevertheless, our friend Yokokawa Yuichi sent us the scan below from the book "Zoku. Nihon Kesakuki Monogatari" (Tails of Japanese Masterpiece Aircraft, Pt.2) which shows that the "saw teeth" fall exactly on the plane's ribs, adding though that he has no idea why the plane looks like that. Note that no other KDA-5 in the photo looks the same. So, is it paint or something else?

IJN Cruiser "Myoko" by Jean Barby

As you probably know by now this blog is dedicated to the history of Imperial Japanese Aviation but we just couldn't resist featuring the truly spectacular IJN Heavy Cruiser "Myoko", Aoshima 1/350, that Jean Barby built in nearly a month!!!

ENJOY!

Mitsubishi B1M

A Navy Type 13 Carrier Attack-Bomber or Mitsubishi B1M1 of the Kasumigaura Ku. Marking is "カ-306" (KA-306), note how it is written under the bottom wing.
For more on the type, here.

Aikoku #6 & #7

  Aikoku #6 was a Type 88 Reconnaissance or Kawasaki KDA-2 that was donated by Nippon Keori KK (Nippon Woolen Co Ltd) (see also Hokoku #1, here) on March 13, 1932 during a ceremony that took place at 10:00 in the Joto Parade ground of Osaka. The ceremony was concluded with captain Hayashi taking the plane for a spin. He flew over Osaka, Kobe and Himeji but encountered heavy clouds on his way to Kakamigahara and returned to Osaka flying over lake Biwa.

  The plane saw action during the Pacification_of_Manchukuo and on a bombing mission on September 9, 1932 the engine cooler was hit by a/a fire. Pilot 1st Ltd Kinoshita and rear gunner Sgt Yamagi managed to safely land the plane west of Jinzhou but during the night a number of "bandits" completely destroyed the plane. No information exists regarding the fate of the crew.

     

Aikoku #7 was a Type 91 Fighter or Nakajima NC that was donated by citizens of Gunma prefecture during a ceremony that took place on March 8, 1932 in Takasaki. The serial number of the plane was "171".

Nakajima Ki-4 with twin floats by Richard Holak

Richard Holak built this excellent experimental Nakajima Ki-4 with twin floats in 1:48. The model is resin from Choroszy Modellbud. Dziękuję Richard!