In Box Review of ARII 1/48th Scale
Japanese Kawasaki ki-100 "Tony" Fighter
Kit no. A325-800
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: 890 YEN from Hobbylink Japan
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: 890 YEN from Hobbylink Japan
HISTORY:
The Kawasaki Ki-100 is a fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service in World War II. The Japanese Army designation was "Type 5 Fighter" Go-shiki sentouki or abbreviated as Goshikisen).
No new Allied code name was assigned to this type; 275 Ki-100 airframes were built as Ki-61s before being modified to accept a radial engine in place of the original inline engine.
The emergency measure of adapting a Ki-61-II-KAI fighter to carry a Mitsubishi radial engine resulted in one of the best interceptors used by the Army during the entire war.
It combined excellent power and maneuverability and, although its high-altitude performance against the USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers was limited by the lack of an efficient supercharger, it performed better than most other IJAAF fighters.
Operational missions began in March 1945. From the first engagements, the Ki-100 performed well against the B-29 and showed itself to be equally effective against U.S. Navy carrier fighters.
A new variant, the Ki-100-Ib, was produced during the last weeks of the war in time to equip five sentai for home defense duties.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Kawasaki Kōkūki Kōgyō K.K.
First flight: 1 February 1945
Introduction to service: 9 March 1945
Retired: August 1945
Primary user: Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
Produced: 1945
Number built: 396
Developed from: Kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony"
The Kawasaki Ki-100 is a fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service in World War II. The Japanese Army designation was "Type 5 Fighter" Go-shiki sentouki or abbreviated as Goshikisen).
No new Allied code name was assigned to this type; 275 Ki-100 airframes were built as Ki-61s before being modified to accept a radial engine in place of the original inline engine.
The emergency measure of adapting a Ki-61-II-KAI fighter to carry a Mitsubishi radial engine resulted in one of the best interceptors used by the Army during the entire war.
It combined excellent power and maneuverability and, although its high-altitude performance against the USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers was limited by the lack of an efficient supercharger, it performed better than most other IJAAF fighters.
Operational missions began in March 1945. From the first engagements, the Ki-100 performed well against the B-29 and showed itself to be equally effective against U.S. Navy carrier fighters.
A new variant, the Ki-100-Ib, was produced during the last weeks of the war in time to equip five sentai for home defense duties.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Kawasaki Kōkūki Kōgyō K.K.
First flight: 1 February 1945
Introduction to service: 9 March 1945
Retired: August 1945
Primary user: Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
Produced: 1945
Number built: 396
Developed from: Kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony"
THE KIT:
ARII was a model company based in Japan. I think they've gone out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows 2 Ki-100's dog-fighting above the clouds with 2 Hellcats. One Hellcat is going down inverted and trailing smoke. Both Ki-100's are dark green over light grey undercarriages, with narrow white fuselage bands and yellow wing leading edges, a bare metal propeller spinner and a white chevron with yellow stars on it on the Ki-100 in the foreground on its rudder.
Kit was made in Japan.
One side panel has 2 color side profiles of the Ki-100. Both are dark green over light grey undercarriages, with narrow white fuselage bands. One has a white chevron on the rudder over a large white 39. The other Ki-100 has a white fuselage number 296 and a diagonal yellow band across the rudder. All the text here is in Japanese.
ARII was a model company based in Japan. I think they've gone out of business.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows 2 Ki-100's dog-fighting above the clouds with 2 Hellcats. One Hellcat is going down inverted and trailing smoke. Both Ki-100's are dark green over light grey undercarriages, with narrow white fuselage bands and yellow wing leading edges, a bare metal propeller spinner and a white chevron with yellow stars on it on the Ki-100 in the foreground on its rudder.
Kit was made in Japan.
One side panel has 2 color side profiles of the Ki-100. Both are dark green over light grey undercarriages, with narrow white fuselage bands. One has a white chevron on the rudder over a large white 39. The other Ki-100 has a white fuselage number 296 and a diagonal yellow band across the rudder. All the text here is in Japanese.
The other side panel has 8 tiny color box arts of other Japanese fighters that ARII manufactures and I cannot identify these and name them...sorry.
Below these are 8 more color box arts of a Hellcat, P-51 Mustang, P-40 Tomahawk, Spitfire, Me-109, Fw-190, Corsair and Thunderbolt.
Captions below these 16 is all in Japanese.
Captions below these 16 is all in Japanese.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 3 light-grey trees, a clear tree and decal sheet in a clear sealed cello bag and the instructions.
There are 2 instructions. The main one is a single-sheet printed on both sides in brown ink and folded to fit the box. It is 11 3/4" x 8 1/4" format and all in Japanese only.
The face side has a top and bottom view and 2 side views, repeating the schemes on the side panel, already described above, over the parts trees illustrations and first assembly step.
The reverse side gives a balance of a total of 10 assembly steps.
Light-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage halves, engine cylinders, elevators, cowling (8 parts)
This kit contains 3 light-grey trees, a clear tree and decal sheet in a clear sealed cello bag and the instructions.
There are 2 instructions. The main one is a single-sheet printed on both sides in brown ink and folded to fit the box. It is 11 3/4" x 8 1/4" format and all in Japanese only.
The face side has a top and bottom view and 2 side views, repeating the schemes on the side panel, already described above, over the parts trees illustrations and first assembly step.
The reverse side gives a balance of a total of 10 assembly steps.
Light-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage halves, engine cylinders, elevators, cowling (8 parts)
Light-grey letter B tree holds: the wing halves (3 parts)
Light-grey letter C tree holds: the propeller, cockpit tub, seat, dashboard, landing-gear legs, main wheels, drop tanks etc. (32 parts)
The clear part is the single cockpit canopy.
The second instruction sheet is 10" x 6 3/4", printed in color on just one side on slick-coated paper. It has a repeat of the 2 schemes described above on the side panel in color.
A small sheet that is 6 1/2" x 4", printed on both sides, has CAUTIONS about the kit in English on one side and in Japanese on the reverse side.
The decal sheet for the two versions completes the kit.
The kit has engraved panel lines, molded solid flaps and no pilot figure included.
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