From: "Submissions for ARC" To: "Dave Johnson" References: <4CD36FE7.2030804@wingnutfilms.co.nz> Subject: =?Windows-1252?Q?Re:_HLJ_-_Hasegawa=2C=2C1/48_Kawaski_Ki_45Kai_Koh_Tory?= =?Windows-1252?Q?u_=28Nick=29_=914th_Flight_Regiment=92?= Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2010 09:50:21 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="Windows-1252"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3664 Hi, I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today. Thanks again for sending it in. Steve Bamford Aircraft Resource Center http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com Live like there is no tomorrow; Love like you've never been hurt. Work like you don't need the money. Dance like nobody's watching. Sing like nobody's listening. Live like it's Heaven on Earth. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Johnson" To: Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 6:45 PM Subject: HLJ - Hasegawa,,1/48 Kawaski Ki 45Kai Koh Toryu (Nick) ‘4th Flight Regiment’ > Hasegawa > > 1/48 Kawaski Ki 45Kai Koh Toryu (Nick) ‘4^th Flight Regiment’ > > Limited Release > > Product #09836(http://www.hlj.com/product/HSG09836) from HobbyLink Japan > (http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljlist.cgi?rel=nav&GenreCode=Air > ) > > Product Article by Dave Johnson on November 2010 > > History – > > The Imperial Japanese Army Air Force ordered a development of an twin > engine, two seater fighter, due to the rapid developments in Europe in > 1937. Kawasaki Shipbuilding was proposed and assigned the designation of > the Ki-38. This design only went as far as a mockup, but by the end of > 1937 the Imperial Japanese Army ordered a working prototype of the > Ki-45. The prototype Ki-45 was fitted with 2 Nakajima Ha-20 Otsu > engines, and its maiden test flight was during January 1939. The results > from the test flight did not meet the Imperial Japanese Army > expectations, as the Nakajima Ha-20 Otsu engine was underpowered and > prone to failures. The Imperial Japanese Army insistent on having a > working twin-engine fighter,and ordered Kawasaki to continue with the > development. After many improvements the Ki-45 was finally fitted with > Mitsubishi Ha-102 engine and officially adopted for use by the army in > February 1942. Initially it was used to as a long range bomber escort > but was no match against the American single engine fighters. The Ki-45 > went through many design changes since its introduction to service in > 1942 with different fuselage and armament configurations, Towards the > end of the war, the Ki-45 were placed into an Interceptor roles against > Allied Bombers during the Japans homeland defence > > The Kit - > > The latest reissue of Hasegawa’s 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu or Nick as > the Allied’s called it has been boxed in a Limited run with schemes from > the 4^th Flight Regiment. The kit its self hasn’t changed from its > previous releases, so if you have any of the past releases you should > know what you are getting. > > Opening the box lid you are greeted with one large plastic bag > containing 147 parts on 7 medium gray and 1 clear sprues. The cockpit is > jammed packed with detail on 34 parts, depending on what version and > scheme you decide to go with. The couple ofletdowns to this area are, > there are no seat harness’s supplied as a decal or Photo Etch parts, but > there are few aftermarket options out there if you wish to add them. > The two rear side wall parts have injection pin marks that will need > to be cleaned up, these parts could havebeen easily turned and facing > the other way during the tooling process as there is no detail on the > other side. > > The engine detail is very basic and simplified. The assembly is provided > as a single drop in plug, and most of the engine detail will be hidden > away by the nacelles. The kit also includes optional exhaust pipe types > for the Thrust and Collective type of pipes and the corresponding option > of engine nacelles are provided too. > > The transparent parts are crystal clear and are free from any scratches. > Optional parts are supplied for the different versions of the Ki-45 with > or without the firing upward machine guns. Also supplied is open or > close canopy parts for the front and rear compartments. As per all > Hasegawa kits, they include the navigation lights as clear parts which > you will have to remove the molded on areas on the corresponding > locations. > > Only 2 schemes are included in the box are - > > 4^th Flight Regiment, 2^nd Attack Squadron, Lt Isamu Kashiide. > > 4^th Flight Regiment, 2^nd Attack Squadron, Ozuki Air Field, Yamaguchi > 1944. > > The decals are in good register, majority of the decal sheet contains > the yellow leading edge stripes, the white bands for identification > markings and the Hinomaru’s. The rest are for the tail unit markings and > stencils. > > Overall exterior details are fantastic with very fine recessed panel > lines and rivet with raised details for the fabric covered ribs for the > elevators and ailerons areas. The parts show no signs of molding flash, > sink marks or major seem lines, but there is a couple of annoying > injection pin locations on a couple of the parts. > > I would like to thank HobbyLink Japan (www.hlj.com) for providing this > review sample. > >