IJAAF and more a/c - Ganosu Airfield, Fukuoka - video

 One more NARA video, spotted in the "Showakan Digital Archive" by "Shu".

The colours of the following stills from the video were adjusted by our good friend Devlin Chouinard.

The video begins with a closeup of a bomber cockpit. I believe this is the cockpit of a Mitsubishi Ki-67 "Hiryu" (Peggy) bomber. (Actually a Nakajima Ki-49 "Donryu" (Hellen) cockpit. See follow-up post)

Then continues with an extremely rare view of the fuselage behind the pilots' seats. (Nakajima Ki-49 "Donryu" (Hellen). See follow-up post)

Note the "hairanshoku" (gray indigo or dark blue) paint prevalent on all surfaces but also the occasional green of various parts, probably manufactured and painted by subcontractors.

(Mitsubishi Ki-67 "Hiryu" (Peggy) bomber cockpit. See follow-up post)

Then the video moves on to a pair of Tachikawa Ki-9 "Akatonbo" (Spruce) trainers. 

Note that the one in the background to the right has a fuel tank in the rear seat, a clear indication that they were assigned to a "special attack" unit. Note that the paint has been completely scratched off at some parts leaving visible the bare canvas.

Suddenly we see a Showa L2D getting its engines started. There is something that looks like a kanji/name on the side of the open cockpit window but it could be just dirt. Difficult to say. 

In any case, it's a "Green Cross" aircraft but difficult to figure out what mission it flew.

Another Showa L2D in combat colours that maybe crash-landed. 

And then the camera moves to a pair of Mitsubishi A6M2-K trainers. 

Here's a b/w photo from NARA, a more clear view of the above still.

The two trainers belonged to the Genzan Kokutai, indicated by the "ゲン" (GEN) on the tail.

Note the Isuzu fuel truck, but unfortunately I can't identify the car on the right side of the photo. 

In the background, there is a good collection of IJAAF aircraft , mostly Kawasaki Ki-48 "Lilly" bombers belonging to the 90 Sentai.

After a brief return to the Showa transports...

...we get a beautiful "Hiryu" in the foreground...

...with more "Spruce" trainers in the background.

Another view of the "Hiryu", this time with a Nakajima Ki-49 "Donryu" (Helen) beside it.

Then we get a glimpse of a rather rare aircraft type...

...a Kokusai Ki-76 Command Liaison aircraft with the very unique anti-glare panel. 

The camera finally returns to the "Donryu".

The particular bomber belonged to the 95th Sentai, as indicated by the slanted band in front of the tail. The fact that it's yellow means that it was flown by the 3rd Chutai. Note the most interesting green camo with brown blotches in the middle. We have found an aircraft of the same unit with the same camo pattern in the Philippines: here. 

Note what looks like a "P" on the nose side. 95 Sentai "Helens" often had a number there to indicate the individual bomber but a P is most unusual. Perhaps it's just a scratch...

Mitsubishi A6M2 "Shikishima-tai" by Jakub "Kubrt" Vilingr

Here are few photos from my built of Eduard´s 1/48 scale A6M2 Zero out-of-the-box. All the markings were airbrushed through my own masks. I have used only Tamiya acrylics paints. My kit represented Nakajima-built A6M2 Model 21 "02-888" from 301 Hikotai, 201 Kokutai, group of aircraft around pilot Seki Yukio before his suicidal flight on October 25, 1944, from Mabalacat airbase in the Philippines.

I could finish my project with big help from my friend Jan Kanov and of course George Eleftheriou with his wife Kiri.

- Jakub "Kubrt" Vilingr -

  

KX-03

Micro Mir produced a 1/350 scale model of the proposed KX-03 flying boat to have been built by Kawanishi.  The enormity of the aircraft can be seen as displayed alongside is a 1/350 Kawanishi H8K "Emily".  Needless to say, it was never to see reality.

- Gary Wenko -

N1K2-J" George" Shiden-kai by Jean Barby

Here is my rendition of the Hasegawa kit in 48th. I have used the superlative SBS interior, riveted the model and made my own masks as the Hasegawa decals are just very poor. The Kawanishi green is from the Mr Color range, AK metal for the underside with Dead design masks for the moveable surfaces. Master canon barrels are a must too. This is a first serie « Shiden-kai » with the large rudder, piloted by WO Hiroshi Oh-hara with the 343rd Ku at Omura in April 45. The white band denotes a buntai-cho. A very pleasant project. 

- Jean Barby -