Japanese Airfields, Equipment & more #43 - revised

Modelling 1
In this post, I'd like to present what kits and accessories are available that could help a modeller depict a Japanese Army airfield more realistically. Feel free to leave a comment if you have used any of these sets or if you know of other sets not included here.

The Edward set "Japanese Army AF personnel World War II" is another option in that scale. I purchased the set with the thought of using it with the bases of my models for this contest but, although the box art is accurate in every respect, to my great disappointment all the ground crew figures wear pilot boots. Also, instead of the very natural and correct poses shown in the box art, the three poses are much less useful to place on an aircraft and show that it is being maintained. The bicycle is a welcome addition although slightly inaccurate, but the two pilots ready to get on the plane and take off and the officer are all shown saluting. So this set gets very high points for the crisp mold and overall quality but minus points for the inaccurate crew footwear and the limited poses. I guess the mechanics could be shown in different poses after some surgery as various body parts are included separately (that's a gruesome sentence!) and also correct the footwear...but couldn't they just have the mechanics as they are shown on the box cover?

Fine Molds has released kit #48994, entitled "B-339 Buffalo "Japanese Army" w/ Ground Crew & Equipment #1".

It is the Tamiya "Buffalo" kit with extra parts like the seat belts, the ground crew and the decals from Fine Molds.

The ground crew set is particularly interesting with many different options. For example, although tinny, they give different rank badge options and headgear. The ground crew is nice but, unfortunately, they wear puttees. The ladder and the stool are especially welcome.

Fine Molds has also released kit number #48995, entitled "Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-7 "Japanese Army" w/ Ground Crew & Equipment #2".

As before it's the Tamiya kit with extra parts like the seat belts, the ground crew and the decals from Fine Molds.

The ground crew and equipment set is again very interesting with a variety of equipment. This time the mechanic is perfect!

The mechanics of these two kits were first included in the Ki-10 kits of Fine Molds.

Perhaps we will see a separate release with only the mechanics (without puttees!) and the equipment?

There is also the Jaguar set "WWII Japanese pilot & crew" with actually two IJAAF pilots, one of them tying a hachimaki around his head ready for a tokko mission. Very very accurate and fantastic in every respect although very specific as a subject.

The Tamiya old ground crew set is not bad and actually is the only one with mechanics in tropical or summer uniforms but the poses are limited.

CMK has released a set called "Japanese Army mechanics (2 fig.)"

The mechanic on the left is okay if this is a tropical uniform, the mechanic on the right is okay from the waist down, completely wrong from the waist up. I have no idea why they keep releasing figures with mechanics waving instead of more natural poses of maintaining an aircraft.

CMK has also released a set called "Japanese Kamikaze pilots (2 fig.)"

I don't know what's going on with their buts or if they are Army or Navy pilots but they look okay except for the green scarf which should be white.

There are more options in 1/72.

The best available set is from "Red Box" with 14 figures. Some are very accurate, some have the mechanics with puttees and there is a mechanic with neck cover on his field cap which is 50% correct. This is a really very nice and highly recommended set with very natural poses and good detail.

Czech Masters have a set of "Japanese Army AF Mechanics, WWII (3fig.)" accurate overall but with really bad molding that needs major surgery to bring the bodies to a more natural pose, face etc. Check the guy on the right for example carrying the tool box or the shoulders of the middle guy.

CMK has released two more sets in 1/72 "Japanese Army Pilots (2 fig.) And Mechanics WW II"

From what I can see in the illustrations, there are no mechanics, only pilots. The figure on the left (B) looks correct for an Army pilot's summer flight suit (copied from the Jaguar set?) but the color of the flight suit in the illustration is wrong, the flight suits of the other two figures (C & A) are very wrong. Maybe they were going for Navy pilots but even so their flight suits and boots are completely incorrect.

Special Hobby (or CMK?) has released a set called "Japanese Army maintenance crew with 250 kg bomb". It could be useful with the ICM/Revell "Sally" kit but some of the figures are inaccurate with mechanics wearing pilot's boots, most wear belts, their trousers have pockets, the guy on the far right is wearing a weird helmet etc.

I also spotted online photos of amazing figures in 1/72 and it seems they have been released by Orion/Haron but I've never seen them. Leave a comment if you know more about them.

CMK has released a set in 1/32 called "Japanese mechanics WW II (2 fig.)"

Quite accurate. The bucket is a possible. Useful for a Japan mainland or China airfield setting. The poses are not bad.

I also discovered these three sets of unspecified scale by "King And Country". Beautifully made but the top "mechanic" should not carry his water canteen while going to service the aircraft and he looks more like a regular infantry officer. I have no idea what possessed them to make the four mechanics with Viet Cong sandals!

On August 4, 2024, ICM released the most recent set of IJAAF pilots and ground crew, in 1/48.

The Army pilots look great and very correct with very natural poses. On the other hand, the mechanics wear pilot boots (AAAAARRRRGGGGGHHH!!!!). WHY?

The colors recommended are also generally correct for winter pilot flight suits and for the ground crew overalls. Perhaps surgery and putty can turn them into short boots....hmmm...