Tokyo 1946

[NARSES2]

These were my Telford builds for this years mini theme of Operation Olympic

Kawasaki Ki 78 Ken of an unknown unit based in the Tokyo region March 1946. This is the standard version armed with two 15mm mg's in the wing roots. Although quite fast the Ki-78 was not that manouverable and was mainly used in slashing hit and run attacks against the hordes of Allied aircraft attacking the Japanese mainland prior to the invasion.

[NARSES2]

This second model is of the latter variant which carried two 20mm podded canon in addition to the two 15mm mg's (although some machines had the 15mm's removed). Whilst increasing the aircrafts firepower the addition of the 20mm's had a detrimental effect on the aircrafts speed and on it's already cumbersome manouverabilty. Only 20 of this variant wre produced.

As the fuel shortage in Japan took hold most of the Ki-98's were withdrawn for Kamikaze use and whilst some were used in this way most were grounded for lack of fuel. One example remains in the Smithsonian's reserve collection and parts are held by the Imperal War Museum at Duxford.

It's the AZ Models kit which is quite nice and not a difficult build especially given it's short run nature. Markings are from the box and you get 2 complete kits in each box  

[Geoff]

Lovely build I was admiring them on the stand but couldn't get hold of the kit unfortunatly.
The "unknown unit" is 1st Chutai, 244th Sentai IJAAF which was based in Tokyo in '45. The brown one carries the markings of 302Ku Air of the IJNAF which was based at Atsugi in the home islands in '45.

[sequoiaranger]

I may just have to buy one (some) for my "He-100 and derivatives" collection. Yours do look nice!

[PACOPEPE]

I like very much HIKOKI 1946 too; specially whifies like your J9W Fugu, Craig.

Narses2; what kit the original kit for your model?. Is not it really the Kawasaki Ki 78?. I send you a photo of this real japanese project.


All the best.
Fran

[Pablo1965]

Brilliant concept, amazing position of the radiator

[NARSES2]

I like very much HIKOKI 1946 too; specially whifies like your J9W Fugu, Craig.

Narses2; what kit the original kit for your model?. Is not it really the Kawasaki Ki 78?. I send you a photo of this real japanese project.


All the best.
Fran

It is indeed the Ki-78 !!!! Many apologies people my finger slipped 

Lovely build I was admiring them on the stand but couldn't get hold of the kit unfortunatly.
The "unknown unit" is 1st Chutai, 244th Sentai IJAAF which was based in Tokyo in '45. The brown one carries the markings of 302Ku Air of the IJNAF which was based at Atsugi in the home islands in '45.

Thanks for the information Geoff and thank you gents for the comments.  Hannants still have them in stock they also have the prototype boxing

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AZM73003

[oz rb fan]

so what was the kit like to build as i have one to build,i do like the marking that come with the kit(i'd like to do the other set you didn't do but they're navy markings so they may go on an a7m2 i have in my stash  )

[PR19_Kit]

I know almost NOTHING about Japanese aircraft (as I suspect I'm about to demonstrate....) but they look remarkably like Heinkel He-100s. Was there any connection?

[NARSES2]

so what was the kit like to build as i have one to build,i do like the marking that come with the kit(i'd like to do the other set you didn't do but they're navy markings so they may go on an a7m2 i have in my stash  )

I found it quite a nice kit to build

[sequoiaranger]

>I know almost NOTHING about Japanese aircraft (as I suspect I'm about to demonstrate....) but they look remarkably like Heinkel He-100s. Was there any connection?<

Likely. When the Japanese purchased several He-100's from Germany (after Heinkel was stiffed for fighter production and sought to unload the "useless" He-100's he had), the Japanese were VERY IMPRESSED. The He-100's racing pedigree and innovation had Japan seriously thinking about building the He-100 (they had bought a license to do so) for their own forces, as a land-based naval fighter AXHei.

Several German, and especially Heinkel, aircraft found their features copied or influence incorporated into Japanese designs. The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hein "Tony" design was heavily influenced by the He-100.
I cannot speak for the DIRECT connection of the He-100 and Ki-78, but if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck....!

[PACOPEPE]

Very interesting Craig. Apparently the Ki-78 Ken was directly related with the german Me 209.

Please, search j-aircraft.org/xplanes/  . In "The Hikoki Site Areas", enter in Army aircraft, and then, in Ki-78.

At the bottom of the page, appears an interesting comparison between the two aircrafts.


Cheers
Fran

[sequoiaranger]

>Apparently the Ki-78 Ken was directly related with the german Me 209.<

I disagree. The authors of the Hikoki site (high praise for the site, by the way!) themselves made the connection with the Me-209 but have totally ignored or missed the He-100 connection. There is no record of the Japanese inspecting the Me-209, having the plans for the Me-209, or having an example of the Me-209 to study. even the Hikoki site says that "there is no evidence of any collaboration" and that "they did not share information". The Me-209 project was kept secret, but the He-100 was "out there" and public. The Germans didn't trade "secrets" readily. The Japanese had the plans for manufacturing the He-100, and examples of the He-100 on hand. The He-100 also used the same engine as the Ki-78 and Me-209. The He-100 held the world's air speed record in 1939, being finally bested by only a few mph by the Me-209, and Heinkel was FORBIDDEN to try to better it. No Me-209 went to Japan. He-100's DID. Cockpit placement on the Ki-78 is much more like the He-100 than the Me-209, among other things.  Other than SOME superficial resemblances, I see no reason to suspect that the Ki-78 had any real connection to the Me-209.

Just like our grade-school teaches hoped, we never really know where our influences came from and ANYTHING that goes into the mix might emerge some time in the future. The Japanese were very eager to incorporate the latest in world trends in aeronautics, so they may very well have borrowed from wherever they could. I am not saying the Me-209 had no influence on the Ki-78, but high-performance, world-record-holding He-100's were in Japanese hands for detailed inspection, and the Me-209 was NOT.

You can draw your own conlusions. Obviously I already have!

[PACOPEPE]

Thanks for the analysis Craig. Really, this post is getting very interesting.

As you said, here is the Heinkel He 100 V8 (Special Hobby).

Of course, the similarity between the two aircrafts is evident.

Regards
Fran

[pyro-manic]

Quite a handsome little beast, and two nice builds. Now who's going to do the version with a rocket or jet engine in the tail (intakes where the radiators are) and a couple of HUGE cannon in the nose as a point-defence bomber-destroyer?