Friday, 24 January 2025

Kawasaki Ki-102 "Randy", 3rd Sentai, Noshiro Airfield


The Kawasaki Ki-48 "Lily" equipped unit, was badly mauled during the battle for the Philippines in 1944, and the few survivors who managed to return to Japan reorganized the unit, this time equipped with Kawasaki Ki-102 "Randy" ground attackers.

Unfrotunately I can't seem to find an accurate illustration of the unit's tail marking.

Akimoto's illustration is not good.

Hashimoto's in "Japanese Military Aircraft Illustrated" is no good either.

Nohara gave it a try in Model Art#533 and KFI#42, but he seems to have been inspired by Hashimoto; so no good either.

Unfortunately, the worst is by Scott in "Emblems of the Rising Sun".

Consequently, Sword's "Randy" markings are also incorrect.

BUT, our good friend Devlin Chouinard didn't waste any time to create, what I believe, the most accurate depiction of the 3rd Sentai unit marking when it flew Ki-102s. THANK YOU D.!!! 

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