1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kikka" night fighter, IJN, early 1946

[Dizzyfugu]

The kit and its assembly:
This is in fact the second Kikka I have built, and this time it's a two-seater from AZ Models – actually the trainer boxing, but converted into a personal night fighter interpretation. The AZ Models kit is a simple affair, but that's also its problem. In the box things look quite good, detail level is on par with a classic Matchbox kit. But unlike a Matchbox kit, the AZ Models offering does not go together well.  I had to fight everywhere with poor fit, lack of locator pins, ejection marks - anything a short run model kit can throw at you! Thanks to the experience with the single-seater kit some time ago, things did not become too traumatic, but it's still not a kit for beginners. What worked surprisingly well was the IP canopy, though, which I cut into five sections for an optional open display – even though I am not certain if the kit's designers had put some brain into their work because the canopy's segmentation becomes more and more dubious the further you go backwards.
BTW: AZ Models' two-seater come with an extra sprue that carries a complete additional fuselage, the drop tanks and the cockpit parts for the second seta, plus an extra canopy - hence the beige parts on the otherwise grey plastic kit.


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "(51-)03" of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 251st Kokutai; Kumamoto airfield (Kyushu, Japan), early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "(51-)03" of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 251st Kokutai; Kumamoto airfield (Kyushu, Japan), early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "(51-)03" of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 251st Kokutai; Kumamoto airfield (Kyushu, Japan), early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The only personal mods is a slightly changed armament, with one nose gun deleted and faired over with a piece of styrene sheet, while the leftover gun was mounted obliquely onto the left flank. I initially considered a position behind the canopy but rejected this because of CoG reasons. Then I planned to mount it directly behind the 2nd seat, so that the barrel would protrude through the canopy, but this appeared unrealistic because the (utterly tiny) sliding canopy for the rear crewman could not have been opened anymore? Finally, I settled for an offset position in the aircraft's flanks, partly inspired by "Schräge Musik" arrangements on some German Fw 190 night fighters. Some radio antennae were created with styrene sprue material as well as with wire, which was also used for the tail bumper. Additional/finer struts were added to th elanding gear, too.

The antennae come from a Jadar Model PE set for Italeri's Me 210s, turning it either into a night fighter or a naval surveillance aircraft.


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "(51-)03" of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 251st Kokutai; Kumamoto airfield (Kyushu, Japan), early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "(51-)03" of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 251st Kokutai; Kumamoto airfield (Kyushu, Japan), early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Painting and markings:
This became rather lusterless; many late IJN night fighters carried a uniform dark green livery with minimalistic, toned-down markings, e. g. hinomaru without a white high-contrast edge, just the yellow ID bands on the wings' leading edges were retained.
For this look the model received an overall basis coat of Humbrol 75 (Bronze Green), later treated with a black ink washing, dry-brushed aluminum and post-shading with lighter shades of dark green (including Humbrol 116 and Revell 67). The only colorful highlight is a red fin tip (Humbrol 19) and a thin red stripe underneath (decal). The yellow and white ID bands were created with decal material.

The cockpit interior was painted in a yellowish-green primer (trying to simulate a typical "bamboo" shade that was used in some late-war IJN cockpits), while the landing gear wells were painted in aodake iro, a clear bluish protective lacquer. The landing gear struts themselves became semi-matt black.


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "(51-)03" of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 251st Kokutai; Kumamoto airfield (Kyushu, Japan), early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "(51-)03" of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 251st Kokutai; Kumamoto airfield (Kyushu, Japan), early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "(51-)03" of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 251st Kokutai; Kumamoto airfield (Kyushu, Japan), early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The markings are fictional and were puzzled together from various sources. The hinomaru came from the AZ Models' Kikka single seater sheet (since it offers six roundels w/o white edge), the tactical code on the fin was created with red numbers from a Fujimi Aichi B7A2 Ryusei.

Finally, the kit received a coat of matt acrylic varnish and some grinded graphite around the jet exhausts and the gun nozzles.

Background and beauty pics coming soon. 

[Old Wombat]

 

[PR19_Kit]

I hope they supplied the rear crew member with double strength ear defenders! When that rear gun goes off it's got to get VERY loud in there! 

Nicely done Thomas, but will the backstory tell us where the RW stops and the WhiffWorld begins? It looks FAR too realistic! 

[AndrewF]

Excellent work. It all makes sense.

[Doug K]

Superb, and makes complete sense!

[NARSES2]

Fantastic work Dizzy

[comrade harps]

I hope they supplied the rear crew member with double strength ear defenders! When that rear gun goes off it's got to get VERY loud in there! 

Ear muffs and a good pair of shades, because when that rear gun goes off it's also going to get VERY bright in there!

Would upwards firing cannon be much use against low flying fire bombing B-29s? They might have to revise that.

Looking good though and l like all that weathering.

[Dizzyfugu]

There were German Bf 110 night fighter crew with worse "working conditions": they had a twin 30 mm cannon inside of the cockpit glasshouse, firing upwards:





Besides, here's the rest of the project:


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Some background:
The Nakajima J9N Kitsuka (中島 橘花, "Orange Blossom", pronounced Kikka in Kanji used traditionally by the Japanese) was Japan's first jet aircraft. In internal IJN documents it was also called Kōkoku Nigō Heiki (皇国二号兵器, "Imperial Weapon No.2"). After the Japanese military attaché in Germany witnessed trials of the Messerschmitt Me 262 in 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy issued a request to Nakajima to develop a similar aircraft to be used as a fast attack bomber. Among the specifications for the design were the requirements that it should be able to be built largely by unskilled labor, and that the wings should be foldable. This latter feature was not intended for potential use on aircraft carriers, but rather to enable the aircraft to be hidden in caves and tunnels around Japan as the navy began to prepare for the defense of the home islands.

Nakajima designers Kazuo Ohno and Kenichi Matsumura laid out an aircraft that bore a strong but superficial resemblance to the Me 262. Compared to the Me 262, the J9N airframe was noticeably smaller and more conventional in design, with straight wings and tail surfaces, lacking the slight sweepback of the Me 262. The triangular fuselage cross section characteristic of the German design was less pronounced, due to smaller fuel tanks. The main landing gear of the Kikka was taken from the A6M Zero and the nose wheel from the tail of a Yokosuka P1Y bomber.
The Kikka was designed in preliminary form to use the Tsu-11, a rudimentary motorjet style jet engine that was essentially a ducted fan with an afterburner. Subsequent designs were planned around the Ne-10 (TR-10) centrifugal-flow turbojet, and the Ne-12, which added a four-stage axial compressor to the front of the Ne-10. Tests of this powerplant soon revealed that it would not produce anywhere near the power required to propel the aircraft, and the project was temporarily stalled. It was then decided to produce a new axial flow turbojet based on the German BMW 003.


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Development of the engine was troubled, based on little more than photographs and a single cut-away drawing of the BMW 003. A suitable unit, the Ishikawa-jima Ne-20, was finally built in January 1945. By that time, the Kikka project was making progress and the first prototype made its maiden flight. Due to the worsening war situation, the Navy considered employing the Kikka as a kamikaze weapon, but this was quickly rejected due to the high cost and complexity associated with manufacturing contemporary turbojet engines. Other more economical projects designed specifically for kamikaze attacks, such as the simpler Nakajima Tōka (designed to absorb Japanese stock of obsolete engines), the pulsejet-powered Kawanishi Baika, and the infamous Yokosuka Ohka, were either underway or already in mass production.

The following month the prototype was dismantled and delivered to Kisarazu Naval Airfield where it was re-assembled and prepared for flight testing. The aircraft performed well during a 20-minute test flight, with the only concern being the length of the takeoff run – the Ne 20 only had a thrust of 4.66 kN (1,047 lbf), and the engine pair had barely sufficient power to get the aircraft off the ground. This lack of thrust also resulted in a maximum speed of just 623 km/h (387 mph, 336 kn) at sea level and 696 km/h (432 mph; 376 kn) at 10,000 m (32,808 ft).
For the second test flight, four days later, rocket assisted take off (RATO) units were fitted to the aircraft, which worked and gave the aircraft acceptable field performance. The tests went on, together with a second prototype, but despite this early test stage, the J9N was immediately rushed into production.


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


By May 1945 approximately forty airframes had been completed and handed over to IJN home defense frontline units for operational use and conversion training. These were structurally identical with the prototypes, but they were powered by more potent and reliable Ne-130 (with 8.826 kN/900 kgf) or Ne-230 (8.679 kN/885 kgf) engines, which finally gave the aircraft a competitive performance and also made the RATO boosters obsolete - unless an 800 kg bomb was carried in overload configuration. Most were J9N1 day fighter single seaters, armed with two 30 mm Type 5 cannons with 50 rounds per gun in the nose. Some operational Kitsukas had, due to the lack of equipment, the 30 mm guns replaced with lighter 20 mm Ho-5 cannon. A few were unarmed two-seaters (J9N2) with dual controls and a second seat instead of the fuselage fuel tank. This markedly limited the aircraft's range but was accepted for a dedicated trainer, but a ventral 500 l drop tank could be carried to extend the two-seater's range to an acceptable level.

A small number, both single- and two-seaters, were furthermore adapted to night fighter duties and equipped with an experimental "FD-2" centimeter waveband radar in the nose with an "antler" antenna array, similar to German radar sets of the time. The FD-2 used four forward-facing Yagi style antennae with initially five and later with seven elements (the sideway facing rods) each. These consisted of two pairs, each with a sending (top and bot) and a receiving antenna (left and right). The set used horizontal lobe switching to find the target, an electrical shifter would continuously switch between the sets. The signal strengths would then be compared to determine the range and azimuth of the target, and the results would then be shown on a CRT display.


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


In order to fit the electronics (the FD-2 weighed around 70 kg/155 lb) the night fighters typically had one of the nose-mounted guns replaced by a fixed, obliquely firing Ho-5 gun ("Schräge Musik"-style), which was mounted in the aircraft's flank behind the cockpit, and the 500l drop tank became a permanent installation to extend loiter time, at the expense of top speed, though. These machines received the suffix "-S" and flew, despite the FD-2's weaknesses and limitations, a few quite effective missions against American B-29 bombers, but their impact was minimal due to the aircrafts' small numbers and poor reliability of the still experimental radar system. However, the FD-2's performance was rather underwhelming, though, with an insufficient range of only 3 km. Increased drag due to the antennae and countermeasures deployed by B-29 further decreased the effectiveness, and the J9N2-S's successes could be rather attributed to experienced and motivated crews than the primitive radar.

Proposed follow-on J9N versions had included a reconnaissance aircraft and a fast attack aircraft that was supposed to carry a single bomb under the fuselage against ships. There was also a modified version of the design to be launched from a 200 m long catapult, the "Nakajima Kikka-kai Prototype Turbojet Special Attacker". All these proposed versions were expected to be powered by more advanced developments of the Ne-20, the Ne-330 with 13 kN (1.330 kg) thrust, but none of them reached the hardware stage.

The J9Ns' overall war contribution was negligible, and after the war, several airframes (including partial airframes) were captured by Allied forces. Three airframes (including a two-seat night fighter with FD-2 radar) were brought to the U.S. for study. Today, two J9N examples survive in the National Air and Space Museum: The first is a Kikka that was taken to the Patuxent River Naval Air Base, Maryland for analysis. This aircraft is very incomplete and is believed to have been patched together from a variety of semi-completed airframes. It is currently still in storage at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration and Storage Facility in Silver Hill, MD. The second Kikka is on display at the NASM Udvar-Hazy Center in the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar.


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr



General characteristics:
    Crew: 2
    Length: 8.13 m (26 ft 8 in) fuselage only
                  10.30 m (33 ft 8¾ in) with FD-2 antenna array
    Wingspan: 10 m (32 ft 10 in)
    Height: 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in)
    Wing area: 13.2 m² (142 sq ft)
    Empty weight: 2,300 kg (5,071 lb)
    Gross weight: 3,500 kg (7,716 lb)
    Max takeoff weight: 4,080 kg (8,995 lb)

Powerplant:
    2× Ishikawajima Ne-130 or Ne-230 axial-flow turbojet engines, each with 8.83 kN/900 kg or 8.68 kN/885 kg thrust

Performance:
    Maximum speed: 785 km/h (487 mph, 426 kn)
    Range: 925 km (574 mi, 502 nmi) with internal fuel
    Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,000 ft)
    Rate of climb: 10.5 m/s (2,064 ft/min)
    Wing loading: 265 kg/m² (54 lb/sq ft)
    Thrust-to-weight ratio: 0.43

Armament:
    1× 30 mm (1.181 in) Type 5 cannon with 50 rounds in the nose
    1× 20 mm (0.787 in) Type Ho-2 cannon with 80 rounds, mounted obliquely behind the cockpit
    1× ventral hardpoint for a 500 l drop tank or a single 500 kg (1,102 lb) bomb




1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Nakajima J9N2-S "Kitsuka" (橘花, a.k.a. "Kikka"), aircraft "Yo-102" of the Imperial Japanese Navy 7th hikotai, Yokosuka kokutai; Oppama airbase, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan, early 1946 (Whif/modified AZ Models kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Well, this fictional Kikka night fighter looks quite dry, but that makes it IMHO more credible. The large antler antenna array might look "a bit too much", and a real night fighter probably had a simpler arrangement with a single Yagi-style/arrow-shaped antenna, but a description of the FD-2 radar suggested the layout I chose – and it does not look bad. The oblique cannon in the flank is another odd detail, but it is not unplausible. However, with all the equipment and esp. the draggy antennae on board, the Kikka's mediocre performance would surely have seriously suffered, probably beyond an effective use. But this is whifworld, after all. ;-)

[Tophe]

Congratulations!

[Flyer]

Nice

[NARSES2]

That's terrific 

[Dizzyfugu]

Thank you! 

[Hotte]

Nice Kikka 

Hotte

[TomZ]

Great build.

TomZ

[Gondor]

Another cracking build 

Gondor