Kawasaki Ki45Kai Hei Toryu (Nick) with Projection Cannon '4th Flight Regiment' - 1:72 Hasegawa

[Paul A H]

Kawasaki Ki45Kai Hei Toryu (Nick) with Projection Cannon '4th Flight Regiment'

1:72 Hasegawa

The Ki45 was developed by Kawasaki in response to a 1937 Japanese Army requirement for a twin-engined fighter. The specifications called for an aircraft capable of 340mph, able to operate between 6,500 feet and 16,250 feet, and able to cruise for over four and a half hours at 220 mph. In January 1939 a prototype, powered by two Bristol Mercury engines, flew for the first time. In later aircraft these engines were replaced with Nakajima Ha-25 radials. The prototype failed to meet the required specification, mainly due to the engines. In late 1939 test flights were stopped while Kawasaki addressed the problems.

The Ki-45 was initially used as a long-range bomber escort. The 84th Independent Flight Wing (Dokuritsu Hikō Chutai) used them in June 1942 in attacks on Guilin, where they encountered and were bested by P-40s. In September of the same year they met P-40s over Hanoi, with similar results. It soon became clear that, just as with the Messerschmitt Bf110, the Ki-45 could not hold its own against single-engine fighters in aerial combat. The aircraft was subsequently deployed in different roles, including interception, ground attack and anti-shipping. It enjoyed its best successes as an anti-bomber interceptor. In total, 1675 Ki-45s were produced during the war. The aircraft enjoyed an unusual swansong, however. Three Ki-45s were acquired by communist Chinese forces after World War II. They were pressed into service in the late 1940s and were used in combat before being retired early the following decade.

Hasegawa's Ki45 Nick has been around for a few years now, although it is an original Hasegawa kit and not a tooling inherited from the now defunct Mania label. It is a well-regarded model, which is just as well because as far as I know it is the only available kit of the type in this scale. In common with similar Hasegawa kits, it is very well moulded if a little light on detail. It is made up of seventy seven parts spread across six sprues of grey plastic and a single small clear sprue. The mouldings are clean and crisp and surface detail is comprised of very nicely rendered recesses panel lines and fasteners.

Whilst I could never claim that the interior is well-detailed, enough is provided to pass muster in this scale. The cockpit itself is made up of a floor, to which an instrument panel, a control column, a seat and an armoured rear bulkhead must be added. There is no raised detail on the sidewalls or the instrument panel, with the latter part having a decal instead. The rear gunner's position is comprised of a seat, machine gun mount, another bulkhead and a part that I'm afraid I have been unable to identify. There is definitely room for improvement, but it's not a bad starting point, particularly in this scale.

Once the cockpit has been assembled, it can be sandwiched in place between the fuselage halves. Once this has been done, the wings and tail can be assembled. The horizontal tail surfaces are simple, solid pieces, but at least the rudder benefits from some nicely moulded actuators. The wings are made up of a single lower span and separate port and starboard upper spans. The rear sections of the engine nacelles, which house the main landing gear bays, are moulded in place. The bays themselves are devoid of structural detail. The nose of the aircraft is split down the middle, with the barrel of the large Ho-203 37mm cannon moulded in place.

The engines and cowlings are each made up of three parts, with the engine faces moulded in place behind the front part of the cowling. Extra details such as air intakes and the exhausts are nicely rendered, but all-in-all it's decent, simple fare. Each of the propellers is made up of three parts, with decals provided for the stripes on the tips of the blades. Whilst the landing gear bays are devoid of detail, the landing gear legs and wheels have been very nicely reproduced. Poly caps are provided for the wheels, as well as separate hubs on the external faces of the wheels.

The clear parts are well done, with clear frame lines. A gun sight for the pilot has been included, as well as a rear firing 20mm cannon, which is basic but sharp enough. One thing that you mustn't forget is to cut out the marked area on the leading edge of the wing in order to fit the landing light. Two marking options are provided, both for Ki-45s of the 4th Flight Regiment, 2nd Company, Ozuki AF, Yamaguchi, 1945. Both schemes are virtually identical, with the principal difference being the kill markings on the nose of the first scheme, which represents the aircraft flown by 2nd Lt. Sadamitsu Kimura. Both schemes are finished in the kind of mottled green finish which will test your airbrushing skills to the limit.

Conclusion

There isn't exactly a lot of competition when it comes to the Ki45 in this scale. Happily this kit is just about good enough to satisfy most modellers anyway. On the plus side, it is a well-moulded, accurate rendition of the subject. On the downside, it is rather light on fine detail. If you want a Nick in your collection, you probably won't be disappointed.

Review sample courtesy of UK distributors for