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In Q4 2023, ICM is to release a new tool 1/48th Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ib "Sally" kit - ref. 48195. Source: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM48195 V.P.

ICM is to release new tool 1/72nd Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally kits. - ref. 72203 - Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ib "Sally" - released https://icm.com.ua/aviation/ki-21-ib-sally-3/ - ref. 72204 - Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ic "Sally" - release expected in 2023 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ICM72204 - ref. 72205 - Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ia "Sally" - released https://icm.com.ua/aviation/ki-21-ia-sally-japanese-heavy-bomber/ - ref. 72206 - Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ia "Sally" - released https://icm.com.ua/aviation/ki-21-ia-rtaf/ V.P.

Ki-21-Ia RTAF Thailand’s Heavy Bomber (72206) 1:72 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd The Sally, as she was known by the Allies during WWII was a heavy bomber designed by Mitsubishi as a replacement for the Ki-20, in competition with Nakajima, who although they lost out on the design of the aircraft, were given the contract for the power plants, as their HA-5 engines were found to be superior to Mitsubishi’s offering originally installed. A small number of airframes were also built by Nakajima too, with a total of just over 2,000 built between them. It first flew in 1936 and was intended for long-range bombing missions against Soviet and Chinese opponents, first entering service in 1938 in operations against China. Initial experience showed that the design was lacking in some respects, extending to the crucial oxygen system that was found to be unreliable. The Ib was intended to address most of the issues, including the lack of armament and changes to the flying surfaces. It also had a remote tail gun installation, and could mount an additional fuel tank for extreme range missions. The type was pretty much obsolete by 1940, and mounting losses prompted the type’s withdrawal from front line service, and sale of some of the airframes to friendly nations. Uses were still found for the type with the Japanese forces however, and the remaining aircraft were used until the end of the war as cargo transports, trainers, troop transports and communications hacks. The later variants had improved engine performance with Mitsubishi units, some with alterations to the greenhouse behind the cockpit, which was changed to a turret on some, and removed entirely on transport variants. When the seemingly unconnected fall of France happened in Europe, Thailand approached the US to buy aircraft to assist them in reclaiming territory in French Indochina, but were rebuffed, as America felt that it could destabilise the area. Japan on the other hand was more than happy to oblige, sending several dozen aircraft of various types for their use, among which were nine Ki-21-Ia bombers that were used in action, and later reassigned to training and transport uses when their obsolescence was acknowledged. The Kit This is a reboxing of a brand-new tool from ICM, who continue to produce new kits despite the difficult circumstances in their home country. The kit arrives in a shallow top-opening box that has a captive top flap on the bottom tray. Inside are six sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue in a separate bag, decal sheet and the instruction booklet, which is printed in colour with decal profiles on the back pages. Detail is well up to modern standards, and extends to ribbing on the interior of the fuselage, full representation of the engines and a nice cockpit, plus a set of crystal-clear glazing parts. Construction begins with the fuselage halves, which have the separate tail section added to the rear, a lozenge-shaped detail insert to make the wing root recess flush, and the side windows, plus an equipment insert in the cockpit area, and a line of trunking that extends from the trailing edge of the wing to the tail. The cockpit floor is a long part, with a recessed front end for the flight crew, detailed by adding the rudder pedals for the pilot, and the two seats, which both have separate seat cushions. The twin ‘bow tie’ yoked control columns are inserted into the floor in front of the seats, and near the rear of the floor are two large tanks that attach on pins. The assembly is inserted into the starboard side of the fuselage, and a bulkhead is fixed just in front of the crew steps under the mid-fuselage greenhouse. The front bulkhead has a small circular seat glued to the side of the fuselage and additional details with instrument decals, a clear chin insert with an instrument panel, gun mount and a rack of bottles added to it during installation, with a choice of two types of machine gun for the belly window that has two spare mags nearby. The port fuselage is prepared with tail fin, wing insert and windows, plus ammo cans and forward fuselage details, more racks of oxygen bottles and a side-mounted machine gun that requires cutting out the centre of one window insert. The fuselage can be closed around the cockpit after adding the main instrument panel, which has a centre throttle quadrant and dial decals added beforehand. The mid-upper gunner’s suspended seat is also inserted into holes, but can probably be inserted after gluing the fuselage halves together by flexing the support struts. His twin machine guns are added to a mount on a bracket, with a pair of magazines on top, after which it is fitted into the insert that is then glued into the opening in the fuselage behind the main canopy. The main canopy and upper gunner’s greenhouse canopy are fixed on top of the fuselage along with the nose glazing, which has a choice of two types of machine gun inserted from the inside. Completion of the tail begins by adding the elevator fins from the sprue, which have separate flying surfaces and rudder panel, then the wings are prepared by inserting a two-part bay in each one before joining the upper and lower halves together, adding the ailerons and landing lights in the leading edges. They are then glued onto the wing root fairings on the fuselage, which have a lip to improve fit and joint strength. The wheels are installed under the wings before the engines and lower cowling are made up, starting with the tail-wheel in its yoke, and then adding the two-part wheels to the H-frame main gear, which has a support frame fitted to the front, and a long yoke with mudguard that links the strut lower to the back of the bay. Four small parts are fixed to the wing inside the bays, and the lower cowlings are made up out of two halves plus a round bulkhead, and a pair of intakes top and bottom, then sliding the lower nacelle over the completed wheels and mating the edges with the recessed lip of the lower wing. The engines are built-up on bulkheads with the cooling gills moulded-in, a separate exhaust stack underneath, and a depiction of both cylinder banks, plus the front bell-housing with push-rods, hiding the prop axle inside without glue so that the props can spin later. The finished engines are covered by two cowling halves and a separate lip, gluing them to the front of the nacelles and finishing them off by adding the three-bladed prop and separate spinner. The model is completed by installing an antenna post and D/F loop over the canopy, and a curious-looking cranked pitot probe in the leading edge of the port wing. Markings There are four options on the decal sheet, all in various schemes, with some colourful unit markings. From the box you can build one of the following: Kong Bin Noi 6 (6th Wing), Spring 1941 Foong Bin Thing Rabut 62 (62nd Bomber Sqn.) three markings alternatives, probably 1942 and 1945 No.6, Don Muang Airfield, 1945 No.9, Don Muang Airfield, 1945 Decals are by ICM’s usual partner, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. As is common with ICM kits, there is a page of the instruction booklet devoted to the masking of the canopy, using the printed shapes on the right of the page and the diagrams on the left to create your own masks if you wish. It goes up to 130 thanks to the extensive greenhouse glazing. Conclusion A nicely detailed new boxing of this short-lived (in front line service at least) heavy bomber, which should put older toolings from other manufacturers out to pasture. Highly recommended Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

I recently bought a new ICM Ki-21 in 1/72 scale, so I thought it would be interesting to build this 1980 release from Takara/Revell for comparison. Originally released in 1975, the T/R kit has some very nice recessed surface detail, including a multitude of rivets. A trial fit of the major components this evening suggests that the fit will be reasonably good. Apart from a pair of resin wheels from Kora, and some decals from Rising, it'll be out of the box. I don't intend to provide any extra interior detail, as I doubt it will be visible. Cheers, Mark.

I open a new dedicated thread as it's now confirmed by M. Riedel himself (link) that the future Special Hobby (SH) 1/72nd Mitsubishi Ki-21-I/-II "Sally" kits have nothing to do with the similar ICM projects (thread about ICM "Sallly" projects: link). First boxing - ref. SH 72401 - Mitsubishi Ki-21-I "Sally" Sources: https://www.specialhobby.net/2021/12/sh72401-ki-21-sally-172-model-v-priprave.html https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=77712&start=7290#p2465754 3D renders V.P.

Im building Sally B in 1/32. Does anyone have any photos of the area behind the seats , bomb bay and radio room. Im pretty sure theres not alot in them! Cheers

Hi Still some Japan airplanes from my archive shelvs remains not posted yet. Today I would like to share with Mitsubishi Ki 21 II type 97, in Allies code "Sally". Markings are from 12 Sentai, 1 Chutai JAAF, China 1942. NM is sprayed from can, green spots are painted with hairy stick. Original Hinomarus cracked with years - just before posting I had to replace them by a Techmod ones. Comments welcome and regards Jerzy-Wojtek