In Box Review of Tamiya 1/48th Scale
Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-40 III Type 100
Command Recon Plane "Dinah"
Kit no. 61092:2600
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: At Section 8 Hobbies for $36.80, at Kit Linx for $36.79, at Sprue Bros for $36.99, at Mega Hobby for $37.72 and 8 places overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: At Section 8 Hobbies for $36.80, at Kit Linx for $36.79, at Sprue Bros for $36.99, at Mega Hobby for $37.72 and 8 places overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
The Mitsubishi Ki-46 was a twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Its Army Shiki designation was Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft.
the Allied nickname was "Dinah".
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 by a team led by Tomio Kubo (A 1931 graduate from the Aeronautical section of the Faculty of engineering at Tokyo Imperial University) whose aesthetic are densely infused to the aircraft.
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 the 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-26s, 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-41-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.
In July 1942, it instructed Mitsubishi to produce a further improved version, the Ki-46-III.[6] 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 as a result 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:
Role: Twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi
First flight: November 1939
Introduction to service: July 1941
Retired: September 1945
Primary user: Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Number built: 1,742
The Mitsubishi Ki-46 was a twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. Its Army Shiki designation was Type 100 Command Reconnaissance Aircraft.
the Allied nickname was "Dinah".
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 by a team led by Tomio Kubo (A 1931 graduate from the Aeronautical section of the Faculty of engineering at Tokyo Imperial University) whose aesthetic are densely infused to the aircraft.
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 the 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-26s, 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-41-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.
In July 1942, it instructed Mitsubishi to produce a further improved version, the Ki-46-III.[6] 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 as a result 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:
Role: Twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi
First flight: November 1939
Introduction to service: July 1941
Retired: September 1945
Primary user: Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
Number built: 1,742
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a "Dinah" flying over a shore-line.
It is dark-green over a light-grey under cariage, with white fuselage band and a white chevron with a large circle and 88 on the rudder.
It was with the 16th Air Group, 1st Squadron.
One side panel has a 3-view of a "Dinah" in the same color scheme as the box art. With a white fuselage band and white Japanese symbols with a red chrysanthemum on it on the rudder.
It was with the 15th Air Group, 3rd Squadron.
This is followed by a paragraph in Japanese, the 2003 copyright date and Tamiya's street address in Shizuoka, Japan and their web address.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a "Dinah" flying over a shore-line.
It is dark-green over a light-grey under cariage, with white fuselage band and a white chevron with a large circle and 88 on the rudder.
It was with the 16th Air Group, 1st Squadron.
One side panel has a 3-view of a "Dinah" in the same color scheme as the box art. With a white fuselage band and white Japanese symbols with a red chrysanthemum on it on the rudder.
It was with the 15th Air Group, 3rd Squadron.
This is followed by a paragraph in Japanese, the 2003 copyright date and Tamiya's street address in Shizuoka, Japan and their web address.
The other side panel has a 3-view of a "Dinah" in the same scheme as the other 2, with a yellow chevron with a white chrysanthemum on it on the rudder, followed by a paragraph in Japanese.
It was with the 15th Independent Squadron.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 4 light-grey trees, a clear tree and black poly-caps in 4 sealed clear cello bags, the decal sheet and instructions.
The instruction consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 6 3/4" x 10" page format.
Page 1 begins with the history of the "Dinah" in English, German, French and Japanese, with a black and white photo of the model made up in the box art scheme.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, suggested tools to use, a paint color listing and CAUTIONS in the 4 languages.
Page 3 to the top of page 7 gives a grand total of 11 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 7 has painting and marking instructions for 4 schemes.
The box art scheme and the ones on the side panels (already described above).
One that is overall khaki with a white skull and crossbones over a Japanese letter - 47 on the rudder.
It was with the Shinbu Sakura Suicide Attack Unit, Kanoya Air Base, Kagoshima Prefecture, May 1945.
The top of page 8 has a top and bottom view and illustrations of the propellers, over decal application instructions and an aftermarket service card in 3 languages, including English.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions. The do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees. Bad move Tamiya!
Light-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage, floors, nose, landing-gear legs, bulkheads, dashboard, wing inner braces, tail wheel, steering yoke, foot pedals etc. (34 parts)
This kit contains 4 light-grey trees, a clear tree and black poly-caps in 4 sealed clear cello bags, the decal sheet and instructions.
The instruction consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 6 3/4" x 10" page format.
Page 1 begins with the history of the "Dinah" in English, German, French and Japanese, with a black and white photo of the model made up in the box art scheme.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, suggested tools to use, a paint color listing and CAUTIONS in the 4 languages.
Page 3 to the top of page 7 gives a grand total of 11 assembly steps.
The bottom of page 7 has painting and marking instructions for 4 schemes.
The box art scheme and the ones on the side panels (already described above).
One that is overall khaki with a white skull and crossbones over a Japanese letter - 47 on the rudder.
It was with the Shinbu Sakura Suicide Attack Unit, Kanoya Air Base, Kagoshima Prefecture, May 1945.
The top of page 8 has a top and bottom view and illustrations of the propellers, over decal application instructions and an aftermarket service card in 3 languages, including English.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions. The do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees. Bad move Tamiya!
Light-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage, floors, nose, landing-gear legs, bulkheads, dashboard, wing inner braces, tail wheel, steering yoke, foot pedals etc. (34 parts)
Light-grey letter B tree holds: the upper wings halves, cowling fronts, exhaust pipes, elevators and separate wing bottoms (9 parts)
Alphabetizing jumps to the two identical light-grey letter D trees. They hold: cowlings, gear compartment doors, propellers, spinners, engines, wheels, pilots etc. (17 parts each)
The clear tree holds canopy parts (12 parts)
There are 2 black vinyl poly-caps.
The decal sheet has a tissue to protect its face from scratching. However, this was loose and floating around the box, so I stapled it to the sheet.
Printed inside on the bottom of the tray is IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS KIT in 14 languages, including English.
Detail is engraved. Flaps are all molded solid.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.