In Box Review of Tamiya 1/48th Scale
Kyakushiki shitai III Kai Air Defence Fighter (Dinah)
Item no. 61956-2600
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1997
I paid $30.00 for my kit, at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Kit is available at 6 locations, overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1997
I paid $30.00 for my kit, at a local hobby shop that went out of business.
Kit is available at 6 locations, overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
On 12 December 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force issued a specification to Mitsubishi for a long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Mitsubishi Ki-15. The specification demanded an endurance of six hours and sufficient speed to evade interception by any fighter in existence or development, but otherwise did not constrain the design.
The resulting design was a twin-engined, low-winged monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage. It had a small diameter oval fuselage which accommodated a crew of two, with pilot and observer situated in individual cockpits separated by a large fuel tank. Further fuel tanks were situated in the thin wings both inboard and outboard of the engines, giving a total fuel capacity of 1,490 L (328 imperial gallons).
The engines, two Mitsubishi Ha-26, were housed in close fitting cowlings developed by the Aeronautical Research Institute of the Tokyo Imperial University to reduce drag and improve pilot view.
The first prototype aircraft, with the designation Ki-46, flew in November 1939 from the Mitsubishi factory at Kakamigahara, Gifu, north of Nagoya. Tests showed that the Ki-46 was underpowered, and slower than required, only reaching 540 km/h (336 mph) rather than the specified 600 km/h (373 mph).
Otherwise, the aircraft tests were successful. As the type was still faster than the Army's latest fighter, the Nakajima Ki-43, as well as the Navy's new A6M2, an initial production batch was ordered as the Army Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Plane Model 1 (Ki-46-I).
To solve the performance problems, Mitsubishi fitted Ha-102 engines, which were Ha-26s fitted with a two stage supercharger, while increasing fuel capacity and reducing empty weight to give the Ki-46-II, flying in March 1941. This met the speed requirements of the original specification, and was ordered into full-scale production, with deliveries starting in July.
Although at first the Ki-46 proved almost immune from interception, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force realised that improved Allied fighters such as the Supermarine Spitfire and P-38 Lightning could challenge this superiority, and in July 1942, it instructed Mitsubishi to produce a further improved version, the Ki-46-III. This had more powerful, fuel-injected Mitsubishi Ha-112 engines, and a redesigned nose, with a fuel tank ahead of the pilot and a new canopy, smoothly faired from the extreme nose of the aircraft, eliminating the "step" of the earlier versions.
The single defensive machine gun of the earlier aircraft was also omitted. The new version first flew in December 1942, demonstrating significantly higher speed (630 km/h (391 mph) at 6,000 m (19,700 ft). The performance of the Ki-46-III, proved superior to that of the aircraft intended to replace it (the Tachikawa Ki-70), which did not enter production.
In an attempt to yet further improve the altitude performance of the Ki-46, two prototypes were fitted with exhaust driven turbo-supercharged Ha-112-II-Ru engines, flying in February 1944, but only two prototypes of this version were built. Mitsubishi factories made a total of 1,742 examples of all versions (34 units Ki-46-I, 1093 units Ki-46-II, 613 units Ki-46-III, 4 units Ki-46-IV)during 1941-44.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 2
Length: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in)
Height: 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 32 m2 (340 sq ft)
Empty weight: 3,263 kg (7,194 lb)
Gross weight: 5,050 kg (11,133 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 5,800 kg (12,787 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Mitsubishi Ha-102 (Army Type 100 1,050hp Air Cooled Radial) 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 810 kW (1,080 hp) each for take-off , 787 kW (1,055 hp) at 2,800 m (9,186 ft)
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed metal propellers
Maximum speed: 604 km/h (375 mph, 326 kn) at 5,800 m (19,029 ft)
Cruise speed: 400 km/h (250 mph, 220 kn) at 4,000 m (13,123 ft)
Range: 2,474 km (1,537 mi, 1,336 nmi)
Service ceiling: 10,720 m (35,170 ft)
Time to altitude: 8,000 m (26,247 ft) in 17 minutes 58 seconds
Armament:
Guns: 1× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine gun flexibly mounted in the rear cockpit (not fitted to all models)
On 12 December 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force issued a specification to Mitsubishi for a long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft to replace the Mitsubishi Ki-15. The specification demanded an endurance of six hours and sufficient speed to evade interception by any fighter in existence or development, but otherwise did not constrain the design.
The resulting design was a twin-engined, low-winged monoplane with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage. It had a small diameter oval fuselage which accommodated a crew of two, with pilot and observer situated in individual cockpits separated by a large fuel tank. Further fuel tanks were situated in the thin wings both inboard and outboard of the engines, giving a total fuel capacity of 1,490 L (328 imperial gallons).
The engines, two Mitsubishi Ha-26, were housed in close fitting cowlings developed by the Aeronautical Research Institute of the Tokyo Imperial University to reduce drag and improve pilot view.
The first prototype aircraft, with the designation Ki-46, flew in November 1939 from the Mitsubishi factory at Kakamigahara, Gifu, north of Nagoya. Tests showed that the Ki-46 was underpowered, and slower than required, only reaching 540 km/h (336 mph) rather than the specified 600 km/h (373 mph).
Otherwise, the aircraft tests were successful. As the type was still faster than the Army's latest fighter, the Nakajima Ki-43, as well as the Navy's new A6M2, an initial production batch was ordered as the Army Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Plane Model 1 (Ki-46-I).
To solve the performance problems, Mitsubishi fitted Ha-102 engines, which were Ha-26s fitted with a two stage supercharger, while increasing fuel capacity and reducing empty weight to give the Ki-46-II, flying in March 1941. This met the speed requirements of the original specification, and was ordered into full-scale production, with deliveries starting in July.
Although at first the Ki-46 proved almost immune from interception, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force realised that improved Allied fighters such as the Supermarine Spitfire and P-38 Lightning could challenge this superiority, and in July 1942, it instructed Mitsubishi to produce a further improved version, the Ki-46-III. This had more powerful, fuel-injected Mitsubishi Ha-112 engines, and a redesigned nose, with a fuel tank ahead of the pilot and a new canopy, smoothly faired from the extreme nose of the aircraft, eliminating the "step" of the earlier versions.
The single defensive machine gun of the earlier aircraft was also omitted. The new version first flew in December 1942, demonstrating significantly higher speed (630 km/h (391 mph) at 6,000 m (19,700 ft). The performance of the Ki-46-III, proved superior to that of the aircraft intended to replace it (the Tachikawa Ki-70), which did not enter production.
In an attempt to yet further improve the altitude performance of the Ki-46, two prototypes were fitted with exhaust driven turbo-supercharged Ha-112-II-Ru engines, flying in February 1944, but only two prototypes of this version were built. Mitsubishi factories made a total of 1,742 examples of all versions (34 units Ki-46-I, 1093 units Ki-46-II, 613 units Ki-46-III, 4 units Ki-46-IV)during 1941-44.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 2
Length: 11 m (36 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in)
Height: 3.88 m (12 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 32 m2 (340 sq ft)
Empty weight: 3,263 kg (7,194 lb)
Gross weight: 5,050 kg (11,133 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 5,800 kg (12,787 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Mitsubishi Ha-102 (Army Type 100 1,050hp Air Cooled Radial) 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 810 kW (1,080 hp) each for take-off , 787 kW (1,055 hp) at 2,800 m (9,186 ft)
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed metal propellers
Maximum speed: 604 km/h (375 mph, 326 kn) at 5,800 m (19,029 ft)
Cruise speed: 400 km/h (250 mph, 220 kn) at 4,000 m (13,123 ft)
Range: 2,474 km (1,537 mi, 1,336 nmi)
Service ceiling: 10,720 m (35,170 ft)
Time to altitude: 8,000 m (26,247 ft) in 17 minutes 58 seconds
Armament:
Guns: 1× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine gun flexibly mounted in the rear cockpit (not fitted to all models)
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Japan. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Dinah, that is climbing to attack 4 U.S. B-29 bombers that are above the clouds.
The Dinah is dark-green over a light-gray undercarriage. It has yellow wing leading edges, a white band around the fuselage that has a Japanese Air Force red ball insignia on it, that is repeated on the wings. The rudder has 2 white horizontal bars across it, with a red arrow that is pointed upwards over them.
The B-29’s are all bare-metal.
One side-panel of the box shows a color 3-view of a Dinah in the same color scheme as the box art. It has red Japanese Air Force circles, outlined in white on the fuselage sides and wing tops. The red circle is not lined under the wings. It has a white no. 24 on the rudder, followed by a white design of a winged-fan.
It was with the 16th Dokuritsu Hikotai.
Followed by a paragraph that is all in Japanese.
Tamiya is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in Japan. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a Dinah, that is climbing to attack 4 U.S. B-29 bombers that are above the clouds.
The Dinah is dark-green over a light-gray undercarriage. It has yellow wing leading edges, a white band around the fuselage that has a Japanese Air Force red ball insignia on it, that is repeated on the wings. The rudder has 2 white horizontal bars across it, with a red arrow that is pointed upwards over them.
The B-29’s are all bare-metal.
One side-panel of the box shows a color 3-view of a Dinah in the same color scheme as the box art. It has red Japanese Air Force circles, outlined in white on the fuselage sides and wing tops. The red circle is not lined under the wings. It has a white no. 24 on the rudder, followed by a white design of a winged-fan.
It was with the 16th Dokuritsu Hikotai.
Followed by a paragraph that is all in Japanese.
The other side-panel of the box also shows another Dinah in the same color scheme as the other two. It has the white bands with red Japanese Air Force circles around the fuselage and wings. The rudder has a white no. 3, followed by a white circle over 2 white horizontal stripes.
It was with the 28th Hiko Sentai. Two black bombs are also illustrated. This illustration is also followed by a paragraph in Japanese.
It was with the 28th Hiko Sentai. Two black bombs are also illustrated. This illustration is also followed by a paragraph in Japanese.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 4 light-gray parts trees, a clear tree, black vinyl poly caps and the decal sheet in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet , that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 6 ¾” x 10 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the Dinah made up in the box art scheme, over its history in 4 languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, a listing of tools and cement to use, a listing of paint colors, CAUTIONS, in the 4 languages.
The bottom of page 2 on through to the top of page 7, gives a grand total of 11 assembly steps.
Step 1 includes assembly and painting instructions for the 2 crew figures.
The bottom of page 7 is painting and marking instructions. It shows a side view of the 4 schemes already described above.
Page 8 has a 3-view at the top, that shows top and bottom views of the 3 aircraft already described above. Below is the decal application instructions and a customer service coupon, in multiple languages, including English.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions.
Light-gray letter A tree holds: cockpit interior, joystick, fuselage halves, nose, bombs, dash, seats, landing gear legs etc. (23 parts) This tree is co-joined to the letter E tree.
The kit holds 4 light-gray parts trees, a clear tree, black vinyl poly caps and the decal sheet in 3 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet , that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 6 ¾” x 10 ¼” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the Dinah made up in the box art scheme, over its history in 4 languages, including English.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, a listing of tools and cement to use, a listing of paint colors, CAUTIONS, in the 4 languages.
The bottom of page 2 on through to the top of page 7, gives a grand total of 11 assembly steps.
Step 1 includes assembly and painting instructions for the 2 crew figures.
The bottom of page 7 is painting and marking instructions. It shows a side view of the 4 schemes already described above.
Page 8 has a 3-view at the top, that shows top and bottom views of the 3 aircraft already described above. Below is the decal application instructions and a customer service coupon, in multiple languages, including English.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions.
Light-gray letter A tree holds: cockpit interior, joystick, fuselage halves, nose, bombs, dash, seats, landing gear legs etc. (23 parts) This tree is co-joined to the letter E tree.
Light-gray letter E tree is co-joined to the letter A tree. It holds the bombs and nose cone. (14 parts)
Light-gray letter B is 2 trees. One holds the wing bottom (1 part) The other tree holds: the wing tops, exhaust pipes, tail wings etc. (8 parts)
Letter C tree is the clear tree. It holds the canopy windows and light lenses. (12 parts)
The 2 identical light-gray letter D trees holds: cowlings, engines, drop tank, propellers, spinners, figure etc. (17 parts ea.)
The decal sheet and 2 polycaps complete the kit contents.
Detail is very nice.
Recommended.
Recommended.