In Box Review of Tamiya 1/50th Scale
Japanese Kawasaki Ki-100Ia Type-5 Fighter
Kit no. MA108-200
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Available one place on Ebay for $29.96
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Available one place on Ebay for $29.96
HISTORY:
The Japanese Army's Type-3, Model fighter, "Hien", could not go into action because of its liquid-cooled "Ha 140" engine and the resulting delay of production.
At the Kawasaki Aircraft Mfg. Company's plant in Kagamihara Gifu Pref., a winding line of Hien's "without their heads" was seen idle awaiting to be fixed with their engines.
To remedy the situation, it was decided to replace the failing liquid-cooled engine with the air-cooled Ha-112-II, and in December 1944 remodelling design was completed. However, an immense- amount of labour was needed to fix the Ha-112-II engine of a big diameter extending as long as 1.22m onto the Hien's fuselage with its maximum width of only 84cm.
The Hien was primarily designed for the liquid-cooled engine of small front area.
In January 1945, a test plane was completed. Compared with the Hien, the Type 5 fighter was much improved in various-points. Although its maximum speed was reduced by 30 km/h to 580 km/h, its overall weight decreased by 330 kg.
This resulted in better handling, take off and circling performances, service- ceiling too, was substantially improved.
Further, high reliability of the air-cooled Ha-112-II engine, together with sturdy fuselage greatly contributed to raise the plane's rate of operation. The air-cooled Hien was thus officially adopted as the Type 5 fighter by the Army in April 1944.
Since the adoption, the fighter has been strenuously active for the air defence over northern Kyushu, Kyoto and Osaka and Tokyo areas. However, this activity was cut short after only four months as the war ended.
Since it was a Japanese masterpiece plane well comparable to the new U.S. fighters at the time, such as the P-51's and the F-6F's, this too short a duration of its activity was not enough to display its full strength, should all the more be lamented.
Three different versions of the Type 5 fighter had been produced. They were the Model 1 kou, Otsu and the Model 2. Their main differences are as follows: The Model -1 kou, this version used the Hien's fuselage without any modification, but the latter's engine was replaced by a new one equipped with a single exhaust pipe.
The Model-1, Otsu, remodeled version of the above, its windshield was changed into a water-drop shaped one.
The Model-2 engine was replaced with the Ha-112-II Ru engine which was equipped with an exhaust turbine and a supercharger. The new engine was meant to improve its performance at high altitude so that it could well intercept the oncoming B-29 U.S. bomber, flying at extremely high altitude.
All together 3 planes of this type were constructed for trial but shortly before its full production the war ended. Since it was equipped with an exhaust turbine under its fuselage, the exhaust pipe was done away with. Also, due to the removed position of the air intake of the carburrater to the back of the left wing, its nose shape was different from that of the Model-1.
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TYPE 5 FIGHTER MODEL-1:
Overall width: 12.0m
Overall length: 8.82m
Engine: The Mitsubishi Ha-112-II air-cooled, 14 cylinder radial engine
Taking off power: 1,500 hp
Max speed: 580 km/h at the altitude of 6,000m
Full equipment weight: 3,495 kg
Armaments: two 20mm machine-guns in the nose and two 12.7 machine guns in the wings
Crew: 1
Number of planes produced: 395
The Japanese Army's Type-3, Model fighter, "Hien", could not go into action because of its liquid-cooled "Ha 140" engine and the resulting delay of production.
At the Kawasaki Aircraft Mfg. Company's plant in Kagamihara Gifu Pref., a winding line of Hien's "without their heads" was seen idle awaiting to be fixed with their engines.
To remedy the situation, it was decided to replace the failing liquid-cooled engine with the air-cooled Ha-112-II, and in December 1944 remodelling design was completed. However, an immense- amount of labour was needed to fix the Ha-112-II engine of a big diameter extending as long as 1.22m onto the Hien's fuselage with its maximum width of only 84cm.
The Hien was primarily designed for the liquid-cooled engine of small front area.
In January 1945, a test plane was completed. Compared with the Hien, the Type 5 fighter was much improved in various-points. Although its maximum speed was reduced by 30 km/h to 580 km/h, its overall weight decreased by 330 kg.
This resulted in better handling, take off and circling performances, service- ceiling too, was substantially improved.
Further, high reliability of the air-cooled Ha-112-II engine, together with sturdy fuselage greatly contributed to raise the plane's rate of operation. The air-cooled Hien was thus officially adopted as the Type 5 fighter by the Army in April 1944.
Since the adoption, the fighter has been strenuously active for the air defence over northern Kyushu, Kyoto and Osaka and Tokyo areas. However, this activity was cut short after only four months as the war ended.
Since it was a Japanese masterpiece plane well comparable to the new U.S. fighters at the time, such as the P-51's and the F-6F's, this too short a duration of its activity was not enough to display its full strength, should all the more be lamented.
Three different versions of the Type 5 fighter had been produced. They were the Model 1 kou, Otsu and the Model 2. Their main differences are as follows: The Model -1 kou, this version used the Hien's fuselage without any modification, but the latter's engine was replaced by a new one equipped with a single exhaust pipe.
The Model-1, Otsu, remodeled version of the above, its windshield was changed into a water-drop shaped one.
The Model-2 engine was replaced with the Ha-112-II Ru engine which was equipped with an exhaust turbine and a supercharger. The new engine was meant to improve its performance at high altitude so that it could well intercept the oncoming B-29 U.S. bomber, flying at extremely high altitude.
All together 3 planes of this type were constructed for trial but shortly before its full production the war ended. Since it was equipped with an exhaust turbine under its fuselage, the exhaust pipe was done away with. Also, due to the removed position of the air intake of the carburrater to the back of the left wing, its nose shape was different from that of the Model-1.
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TYPE 5 FIGHTER MODEL-1:
Overall width: 12.0m
Overall length: 8.82m
Engine: The Mitsubishi Ha-112-II air-cooled, 14 cylinder radial engine
Taking off power: 1,500 hp
Max speed: 580 km/h at the altitude of 6,000m
Full equipment weight: 3,495 kg
Armaments: two 20mm machine-guns in the nose and two 12.7 machine guns in the wings
Crew: 1
Number of planes produced: 395
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 blousy shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It is 2 too long.
The box art shows 2 "Tonys" flying above the clouds.
Both are dark green over silver under-carriages, with white fuselage bands and a white chrysanthemum symbol on their rudders.
One side panel has the specifications of the "Tony" repeated and an all-black side view of it.
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 blousy shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box. It is 2 too long.
The box art shows 2 "Tonys" flying above the clouds.
Both are dark green over silver under-carriages, with white fuselage bands and a white chrysanthemum symbol on their rudders.
One side panel has the specifications of the "Tony" repeated and an all-black side view of it.
The other side panel has 4 color box arts of other aircraft kits that Tamiya manufactures: a Zero fighter "Zeke" in 1/50th scale, a Nakajima Saiun "Myrt" in 1/50th scale, a Type-4 fighter Hayate "Frank" in 1/72nd scale and a Experimental intercepter Shinden in 1/72nd scale. Kit was made in Japan.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 5 dark-green trees, a loose dark-green part that is the lower wing halves, the clear canopy and the decal sheet in 3 stapled-shut clear cello bags and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that is printed on both sides in 7 1/2" x 17" format, folded 3 times to fit the box.
The face side of the instructions begins with the history and specifications of the "Tony", with a black and white war-time photo of a "Tony" receiving- maintenance on a runway. This is over painting and decal application instructions.
Shown are a top and bottom view of "Tonys" and two side profiles and a 2-view.
The first side profile shows a "Tony" that is dark green over silver undercarriage, with a white 177 before the fuselage roundel and a white fuselage band and a red diagonal band on the rudder. Spinner is dark brown.
It was a Type-5 fighter of the 2nd Squadron of the 59th Flying Corps.
Next is the 2-view, showing both sides of a "Tony" that is also dark-green over a silver undercarriage. It has a white fuselage band and a white chevron over 92 on the rudder. Spinner can be either red or dark brown.
It was with the 5th Flying Corps.
The other side profile shows a "Tony" that also is dark-green over a silver undercarriage, with white chevron and 35 on the rudder.
It was with the 1st Squadron of the 244th Flying Corps.
The kit holds 5 dark-green trees, a loose dark-green part that is the lower wing halves, the clear canopy and the decal sheet in 3 stapled-shut clear cello bags and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that is printed on both sides in 7 1/2" x 17" format, folded 3 times to fit the box.
The face side of the instructions begins with the history and specifications of the "Tony", with a black and white war-time photo of a "Tony" receiving- maintenance on a runway. This is over painting and decal application instructions.
Shown are a top and bottom view of "Tonys" and two side profiles and a 2-view.
The first side profile shows a "Tony" that is dark green over silver undercarriage, with a white 177 before the fuselage roundel and a white fuselage band and a red diagonal band on the rudder. Spinner is dark brown.
It was a Type-5 fighter of the 2nd Squadron of the 59th Flying Corps.
Next is the 2-view, showing both sides of a "Tony" that is also dark-green over a silver undercarriage. It has a white fuselage band and a white chevron over 92 on the rudder. Spinner can be either red or dark brown.
It was with the 5th Flying Corps.
The other side profile shows a "Tony" that also is dark-green over a silver undercarriage, with white chevron and 35 on the rudder.
It was with the 1st Squadron of the 244th Flying Corps.
The reverse side of the instructions has general instructions down the left hand column, over a complete listing of the names of the kit parts and a lone illustration of one of the parts trees.
Down the right column is a total of 5 assembly steps.
The first step shows how to mount a motor to spin the propeller. However, this is not a motorized kit. I assume that Tamiya makes one though.
Trees are not alphabetized and 4 out of the 5 trees are not illustrated in the instructions. The trees do have part number tabs next to the parts on them however. Bad move Tamiya!
The first dark-green tree holds: an upper wing half, a half of the rear fuselage and half of a drop tank (3 parts)
Down the right column is a total of 5 assembly steps.
The first step shows how to mount a motor to spin the propeller. However, this is not a motorized kit. I assume that Tamiya makes one though.
Trees are not alphabetized and 4 out of the 5 trees are not illustrated in the instructions. The trees do have part number tabs next to the parts on them however. Bad move Tamiya!
The first dark-green tree holds: an upper wing half, a half of the rear fuselage and half of a drop tank (3 parts)
The second dark-green tree holds: the other upper wing half, the other rear fuselage half and the other half of the drop tank (3 parts)
The third dark-green tree holds: the pilot figure, elevator and its flaps, another drop tank and the propeller (8 parts)
The fourth dark-green tree holds: the halves of the front fuselage, cowling, propeller shaft, spinner, cockpit floor etc. (10 parts)
The fifth dark-green tree holds: wing flaps, wing tips, main wheels, tail wheel, antenna, machine guns, landing-gear legs and doors, motor collar etc. (21 parts)
Next is the loose dark-green lower wing halves (1 part)
The clear tree holds the canopy parts (3 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit's contents.
Detail is raised.
Recommended.