In Box Review of Otaki 1/48th Scale
Japanese Army Ki-44 "Tojo" Fighter
Kit no. OT2-14
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1980
Available on the web at two places overseas.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1980
Available on the web at two places overseas.
HISTORY:
The Nakajima Ki-44 Shōki Zhong Kui) was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The type first flew in August 1940 and entered service in 1942. The Allied reporting name was "Tojo"; the Japanese Army designation was "Army Type 2 Single-Seat Fighter".
It was less maneuverable than its predecessor, the nimble Ki-43, and pilots disliked its poor visibility on the ground, its higher landing speed, and severe restrictions on maneuvering. Nonetheless, as a combat aircraft the Ki-44 was clearly superior overall to the Ki-43.
As an interceptor it could match Allied types in climbs and dives, giving pilots more flexibility in combat and greater pilot confidence than the Ki-43.
Moreover, the basic armament of four 12.7mm machine guns or two 12.7mm guns and two 20 mm cannons (or, in a few aircraft, two Ho-301 40 mm cannons of limited range) was far superior to the older Ki-43's two 12.7mm machine guns.
These characteristics made the fighter, despite performance restrictions at altitude, a useful B-29 Superfortress interceptor and one of the Japanese High Command priorities during the last year of war.
However, like most Japanese aircraft flown in the last part of the war, the low availability of properly trained pilots made them easy targets for experienced, aggressive, and well trained Allied pilots flying superior aircraft
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: one, pilot
Length: 8.84 m (29 ft)
Wingspan: 9.45 m (31 ft 01 in)
Height: 3.12 m (11 ft 11 in)
Wing area: 15 m² (161 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,106 kg (4,643 lb)
Loaded weight: 2,764 kg (6,094 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,998 kg (6,609 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Ha-109 Army Type 2 fourteen cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 1,133 kW (1,519 hp)
Maximum speed: 605 km/h at 5,200 m (376 mph at 17,060 ft)
Cruise speed: 400 km/h at 4,000 m (249 mph at 13123 ft)
Stall speed: 150 km/h (93 mph)
Service ceiling: 11,200 m (36,750 ft)
Rate of climb: 5,000 m--4 min 17 sec (3,940 ft/min)
Wing loading: 200 kg/m² (41 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.38 kW/kg (0.13 hp/lb)
Armament: 2× 12.7 mm (.50 in) Ho-103 machine guns synchronized cowl mounted (perhaps 657 rpm rate each). The 12.7x81 cartridge propelled the 35.4 g AP bullet 770 m/s, the 38 g HE 760 m/s, and the 33 g HE (2.2%) 795 m/s, with an effective firing range of 750 m. Not always reliable. Optional provision for two 40 mm (1.57 in) Ho-301 cannons in the wings, firing caseless ammunition.
The Nakajima Ki-44 Shōki Zhong Kui) was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The type first flew in August 1940 and entered service in 1942. The Allied reporting name was "Tojo"; the Japanese Army designation was "Army Type 2 Single-Seat Fighter".
It was less maneuverable than its predecessor, the nimble Ki-43, and pilots disliked its poor visibility on the ground, its higher landing speed, and severe restrictions on maneuvering. Nonetheless, as a combat aircraft the Ki-44 was clearly superior overall to the Ki-43.
As an interceptor it could match Allied types in climbs and dives, giving pilots more flexibility in combat and greater pilot confidence than the Ki-43.
Moreover, the basic armament of four 12.7mm machine guns or two 12.7mm guns and two 20 mm cannons (or, in a few aircraft, two Ho-301 40 mm cannons of limited range) was far superior to the older Ki-43's two 12.7mm machine guns.
These characteristics made the fighter, despite performance restrictions at altitude, a useful B-29 Superfortress interceptor and one of the Japanese High Command priorities during the last year of war.
However, like most Japanese aircraft flown in the last part of the war, the low availability of properly trained pilots made them easy targets for experienced, aggressive, and well trained Allied pilots flying superior aircraft
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: one, pilot
Length: 8.84 m (29 ft)
Wingspan: 9.45 m (31 ft 01 in)
Height: 3.12 m (11 ft 11 in)
Wing area: 15 m² (161 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,106 kg (4,643 lb)
Loaded weight: 2,764 kg (6,094 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,998 kg (6,609 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Nakajima Ha-109 Army Type 2 fourteen cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 1,133 kW (1,519 hp)
Maximum speed: 605 km/h at 5,200 m (376 mph at 17,060 ft)
Cruise speed: 400 km/h at 4,000 m (249 mph at 13123 ft)
Stall speed: 150 km/h (93 mph)
Service ceiling: 11,200 m (36,750 ft)
Rate of climb: 5,000 m--4 min 17 sec (3,940 ft/min)
Wing loading: 200 kg/m² (41 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 0.38 kW/kg (0.13 hp/lb)
Armament: 2× 12.7 mm (.50 in) Ho-103 machine guns synchronized cowl mounted (perhaps 657 rpm rate each). The 12.7x81 cartridge propelled the 35.4 g AP bullet 770 m/s, the 38 g HE 760 m/s, and the 33 g HE (2.2%) 795 m/s, with an effective firing range of 750 m. Not always reliable. Optional provision for two 40 mm (1.57 in) Ho-301 cannons in the wings, firing caseless ammunition.
THE KIT:
Otaki is a prolific model company based in Tokyo, Japan.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a "Tojo" attacking 2 B-29's from below. It is overall silver, with a red-brown spinner, dark-blue anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen, black fuselage no. 11, followed by 6 B-29 "Kill" marks, that are gold wings with Black B-29 in the center, yellow wing leading edges and yellow triangular symbol on the rudder sides.
One side panel shows 2 color profiles of the "Tojo". One is dark-green over silver undercarriage, with a red fuselage band outlined in white, and a letter L-shaped red symbol outlined in white on the rudder, under a black tip with a Japanese letter on it.
The second "Tojo" is overall bare metal with a dark-blue anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen. It has a large black 2 on the fuselage side under the cockpit, followed by 6 B-29 "Kill" marks, that are eagles holding a half-moon in their claws with B-29 written on it. It has a red chevron shaped symbol on the rudder.
Otaki is a prolific model company based in Tokyo, Japan.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a "Tojo" attacking 2 B-29's from below. It is overall silver, with a red-brown spinner, dark-blue anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen, black fuselage no. 11, followed by 6 B-29 "Kill" marks, that are gold wings with Black B-29 in the center, yellow wing leading edges and yellow triangular symbol on the rudder sides.
One side panel shows 2 color profiles of the "Tojo". One is dark-green over silver undercarriage, with a red fuselage band outlined in white, and a letter L-shaped red symbol outlined in white on the rudder, under a black tip with a Japanese letter on it.
The second "Tojo" is overall bare metal with a dark-blue anti-glare panel in front of the windscreen. It has a large black 2 on the fuselage side under the cockpit, followed by 6 B-29 "Kill" marks, that are eagles holding a half-moon in their claws with B-29 written on it. It has a red chevron shaped symbol on the rudder.
The other side panel has 5 color box arts of other aircraft kits that Otaki manufactures: a Japanese "Jack" interceptor-fighter, a Japanese Ki-44 "Tojo" fighter (this kit), a Japanese Ki-100 "Goshiki, a Curtiss P-40 "Warhawk" and a P-51 "Mustang".
No kit numbers or scales of these kits are provided.
No kit numbers or scales of these kits are provided.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 3 medium-grey trees and a clear tree in 2 stapled-shut clear cello bags, the decal sheet and 3 instructions.l
The first instructions are all in Japanese. It is a single-sheet, folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
Page 1 has a paragraph in Japanese and an illustration of the "Tojo" in the box art scheme, over the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 2 & 3 give a total of 10 assembly steps.
Page 4 has a top and bottom view of a "Tojo" and 4 side views:
1. A "Tojo" in the box art scheme (already described above). Flown by Capt. Yoshida
2. A "Tojo" with fuselage number 2 (the one on the side panel, already described). It was with no. 70 Flying Corps, 3rd Squadron, 1945, flown by Lt. Ogawas. He belonged to Capt. Yoshida's Corps. However, he utilized the previous markings of another corps unchanged.
3. A "Tojo" with red bands, outlined in white on (also described on the side panel) It was with no. 85 Flying Corps, 2nd Squadron, 1944, flown by Capt Wakamaten.
4. A "Tojo" that is dark-green over a silver undercarriage, with red lightning bolt-like symbol on the rudder.
The first medium-grey tree holds: fuselage, engine, elevators, cowling main wheels etc. (10 parts)
This kit contains 3 medium-grey trees and a clear tree in 2 stapled-shut clear cello bags, the decal sheet and 3 instructions.l
The first instructions are all in Japanese. It is a single-sheet, folded in the center to create 4 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
Page 1 has a paragraph in Japanese and an illustration of the "Tojo" in the box art scheme, over the parts-trees illustrations.
Page 2 & 3 give a total of 10 assembly steps.
Page 4 has a top and bottom view of a "Tojo" and 4 side views:
1. A "Tojo" in the box art scheme (already described above). Flown by Capt. Yoshida
2. A "Tojo" with fuselage number 2 (the one on the side panel, already described). It was with no. 70 Flying Corps, 3rd Squadron, 1945, flown by Lt. Ogawas. He belonged to Capt. Yoshida's Corps. However, he utilized the previous markings of another corps unchanged.
3. A "Tojo" with red bands, outlined in white on (also described on the side panel) It was with no. 85 Flying Corps, 2nd Squadron, 1944, flown by Capt Wakamaten.
4. A "Tojo" that is dark-green over a silver undercarriage, with red lightning bolt-like symbol on the rudder.
The first medium-grey tree holds: fuselage, engine, elevators, cowling main wheels etc. (10 parts)
The second medium-grey tree holds the wings (3 parts)
The third medium-grey tree holds: propeller, dashboard, pilot, drop tank, tail wheel, cockpit floor, spinner, landing-gear legs, wheel pants, air intake, bulkheads etc. (43 parts)
The clear part is the canopy (1 part)
The second instructions is all in English. It walks you through the assembly steps and the paint colors. It is a single-sheet printed on one side in 11" x 8" format. Two copies of it have been put accidentally into the kit.
The third-instructions is a color and marking guide, single-sheet, printed on slick-coated paper in color on one side. It shows 2 side views of the schemes on the side panel (already described)
All the "Tojo's" are with no. 70 Flying Corps, 3rd Squadron, 1945.
The third-instructions is a color and marking guide, single-sheet, printed on slick-coated paper in color on one side. It shows 2 side views of the schemes on the side panel (already described)
All the "Tojo's" are with no. 70 Flying Corps, 3rd Squadron, 1945.
The decal sheet completes the contents of the kit.
The detail is engraved. Flaps are all molded solid.
Recommended.
Recommended.