IJAAF & IJNAF wrecked aircraft - Kawasaki Ki-61 "Hien" - 19 & 55 Sentai - References & Modelling

I was not able to find good and accurate illustrations of any of those 19 Sentai "Hien" at Clark Field we saw in the previous post. 

The only one who has released accurate decals in 1/48 or any other scale for those aircraft, is Rising Decals in their "Emperor's Eagles Pt. 1" set.

The set includes decals for the aircraft with the tail marking we identified as "88" with the yellow tail top.

Peter Scott in his "Emblems of the Rising Sun" (that should not be missing from the library of any Japanese aviation fan) includes an illustration of one of the "Hien" found at Clark Field. Unfortunately, he failed to note that ALL 19 Sentai aircraft had an individual number painted on the rudder (with only one exception as we'll see later). 

While he's correct in the caption that the wheel covers were discarded to save weight, in all the photos of the previous post, the propeller blades of all aircraft did have warning stripes.

We need to turn our attention to the "0" "Hien" we saw in the previous post that was photographed at Okinawa, not the Philippines (see more, here).

Note that in this illustration credited to none other than Giuseppe Picarella, the 19 Sentai tail marking, and the spinner are shown as yellow and the fuselage bands are white and yellow.

Personally, I don't agree with this interpretation. As you can see in the photo above, the spinner is clearly brown, not yellow, the tail marking is also clearly red, not yellow (if it was yellow it wouldn't need a white surround!) and the front fuselage band is probably just dirty not yellow. If you look more closely, you'll be able to notice the previously applied blotches (green probably) camouflage having been overpainted by a top brown (I think) coat. Or they could be just scratches from the way the US personnel handled the plane. Take your pick.

As you can see in the image below, for those who can read Japanese, FAOW#17 (1989) has inaccurately identified the location as Clark Field.

An illustration of a 19 Sentai "Hien" is also included but fails to mention/show the individual number on the rudder. 

In my eyes, the unit marking is way too thin and too intricately applied, making it highly unlikely to have been painted by the average ground crew member; more likely by a true artist. Also, I have not found any photos of 19 Sentai aircraft in overall NMF without camo.

Interestingly FAOW #17 also includes this b/w illustration and the caption mentions "Philippines, Angeles airfield".

It is an accurate depiction based on this photo from the Japanese version of the "Japanese Army Airforce Fighter Units and their Aces" by Hata & Izawa. 

The photo caption doesn't mention the location but it is definitely not the Philippines, though. More likely either Japan or Taiwan.

Model Art #733 or Profile #1 (2007) also inaccurately mentions Clark Field instead of Okinawa. 

The "0" "Hien" is depicted in top green camo but the previously applied 55 Sentai marking on the rudder is not visible making it look like an aircraft that always belonged to the 19 Sentai.

The special issue by "MARU" (2017) unfortunately agrees with the previous Japanese publications but also includes an illustration of a 19 Sentai "Hien" with yellow tail marking and a "53" on the tail. 

I have not seen any photos of such aircraft and the publication doesn't include one. The caption mentions again the Angeles Airfield in the Philippines, but a similar illustration (again without any accompanying photos) is featured in Model Art#451, explaining that "Hien" "53" was flown by 2nd Lt. Watanabe Kuniomi. Watanabe took off on April 22,1945, on a suicide mission from Yilan air base in Taiwan (not the Philippines) and attacked U.S. forces in Kadena Bay with a 100-kilogram bomb attached to his "Tony". He is credited as having hit a large ship near the Kerama Islands.

The only Japanese publication that has got it right, is Koku Fan Illustrated #42 (1988) which correctly mentions Okinawa. 

I wonder what happened since then and how Okinawa became Clark Field...

Let's see kits now.

The old Arii kit in 1/48, includes decals for one 19 Sentai "Tony" but no number. 

It could be useful if you want to depict the classic aircraft of the previous post with the tail number overpainted.

The Fine Molds kit FP24 in 1/72 includes decals for one 19 Sentai "Tony" but the unit marking is too thin and too elaborate, lacking a tail number. 

It mentions that it depicts an aircraft when the unit was based in Kameyama but I have not seen any photos to confirm it.

The Tamiya kit #60789 in 1/72 came out in 2018 and includes decals for the "Yontan Tony". 

As elsewhere, it is wrongly identified as based in the Philippines. I suppose this detail is not really important to the majority of modellers, unless they do a theme like "Okinawa Air War" or something like that. Interestingly the decal set includes the unit marking in red and yellow (Picarella influence?), the latter with the unnecessary white surround. Green is suggested for the top camo but in the color illustration featured on the side of the kit, the previously applied 55 Sentai marking is not visible leading to historically not entirely accurate models.

Before we leave the 19 Sentai "Tonys" at Clark Field and move to the next aircraft type, let's turn our attention to this 19 Sentai photo to note and add a couple things 55 Sentai related. Keep in mind that the location of this photo is currently unknown.

The "Hien" below have been positively identified as belonging to the 55 Sentai. 

Note the kanji on the tail, one of them having it in a circle.

If you take a closer look at the tail of the 19 Sentai "Tony" in the photo further above, you will notice what looks like a kanji within a circle behind the 19 Sentai tail marking. 

I think it's a suggestion that it was another plane that originally belonged to the 55th and was passed on to the 19th.

Also, although a 19 Sentai plane that, as we mentioned before, should always have a number on the rudder, this one doesn't have one. But note that the rudder is a replacement without the camo pattern of the rest of the aircraft.

This is a photo of one (or two) more 55 Sentai "Tonys". 

You can see the earlier 55 Sentai marking behind what is thought to be a later sentai marking on the tail of the plane in the foreground with the number "03". Note that the number is not only applied on the fuselage side, similarly to the aircraft in the background but it's also applied at the base of the rudder.

Going back to the "Yontan Hien", here's a detail everybody has missed. There is an overpainted/deleted number at the bottom of the rudder. Can you see it now that you know where to look?

So, if you want to build a really accurate "Yontan Hien", you'll need to show the previous 55 Sentai marking AND a number on the rudder bottom as having been overpainted, then apply the 19 Sentai markings.

UPDATE!

Radek sent over three more photos of the numberless 19 Sentai "Hien" with the replacement rudder.

As you can see it has the number "98" on only the starboard wheel cover and in the top photo the location is mentioned as Manila. A very unusual aircraft.

Also, one more photo of he "0" "Yontan Hien".

Thanks a lot Radek.

Update!

The photo below from here, mentions that the location is "Ie Shima airfield Okinawa". Hmmmm...