The Kawasaki family ‒ A pedigree of homeland defenders

[Toryu]

 

 

 

 

My 2021 production line was dedicated to Kawasaki, manufacturer of my favourite Japanese fighter series. It all began in 1967 when, as a school boy, I invested my meagre pocket money in a 1/72 Revell 'Tony', my second scale model (the first one was Revell's P-51 Mustang - more here). This sparked a life-long interest in Japanese military aviation...

 

My exhibition starts with this grey gentleman - grandpa Kawasaki -

 

 

Kawasaki  Ki-10-I  'Perry'

2^nd Daitai  1^st Chutai   Tianjin, China   1937/38

Lt Kōsuke Kawahara, 3^rd Shōtai Leader

 

The Ki-10 was an early design of Takeo Doi, a scholar of Dr Richard Vogt. It was powered by a Kawasaki Ha-9 of BMW VI origin and armed with two 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns. With Kōsuke Kawahara, son of a famous Japanese corps commander, this Ki-10 arrived in China in July 1937. Leading his flight into an engagement with a large number of Chinese I-15bis on 25 March 1938 Kawahara had just scored his ninth victory when the aircraft was hit and the aspiring young pilot fell to his death. His conqueror was presumably Lt Wei, Ting-shi of the 7^th PS, 3^rd PG, Chinese Air Force (OSPREY ACES 126 p.35).

 

This original shows my subject before modification in March 1938.

Obvious differences include balloon tyres, an antenna mast and a missing scoreboard.

 

The model is a conversion of FineMolds' Ki-10-II (2009 edition) which was my contribution to the 'High Wing' groupbuild here. This earlier version is shorter, has a reduced wingspan (top and bottom) and a different rudder and elevator hinge line. The FineMolds kit itself is a very good product which I'm happy to recommend.

 

 

 

Perry had three grandsons. The eldest one, called 'Tony', is next -

 

My 'Hien saluting Mount Fuji' is a tribute to Brian Knight's box art for the Revell kit of 1963.

 

 

Kawasaki  Ki-61-I Hei  Hien

244^th Hikō Sentai   Chōfu   1944/45

Maj Teruhiko Kobayashi, Sentai-chō (Group CO)

 

Under Major Kobayashi's leadership the 244^th Sentai gained some popularity and its colourful fighters became the subject of many photographs and models. Lesser known than his often modelled Ki-61-I Tei (c/n 4424) is this earlier Hien (c/n 3295), armed with the popular German MG 151/20 wing cannon. With this aircraft Kobayashi undertook a skillful ramming attack against a B-29 on 27 January 1945 from which he bailed out successfully to fly again the next day.

 

I built this model in the eighties OOB from the vintage Otaki kit of 1972. As my first markings were incorrect I revised the colours in 1995 and returned again last year to make an all-out renovation - cockpit, canopy, exhausts, radiator, undercarriage and whatnot. The most visible weakness of the Otaki/Arii kit is a flat canopy and nose profile which I corrected with a new bonnet (Aires 4714 from the scrap box). The camouflage received just a few touch-ups but the markings were renewed once more.

 

 

The next kinsperson is Tony's fraternal twin -

 

Kawasaki  Ki-61-I Tei  Hien

56^th Hikō Sentai   Itami   March 1945

Squadron Leader of the 3^rd Chutai

 

 

 

This picture of the 56^th Sentai, based near Osaka for air defence in the Central Army Command area, was taken in March 1945. The spinner tip of c/n 4693 appears to be yellow indicating that it may have belonged to the Chutai-chō of the 3^rd Chutai.

 

 

My model, built from the 1993 Hasegawa kit, is strongly modified. In addition to a variety of aftermarket items it is equipped with detachable cowling panels to exhibit engine and gun compartments. More in a dedicated post here.

 

 

Furthermore, there is the late-born Go shiki sentoki (Type 5 Fighter), nicknamed 'Goshikisen' -

 

 

Kawasaki  Ki-100-I Otsu

111^th Hikō Sentai   Akeno   July 1945

Lt Mamoru Tatsuda   2^nd Daitai

 

 

The 111^th Sentai was formed from the instructors' flight of the Akeno Training Air Division and, like the 56^th Sentai above, augmented air defence in the Central Army Command. Lieutenant Tatsuda was probably a deputy Chutai commander in the 2^nd Daitai, which sported Sky Blue #34 (Sora iro) as ID colour.

This Otaki kit from 1974 had been in my stash for decades. Although there is a later and better Hasegawa product I decided to test my skills and make this classic kit look 40 years younger. I used a number of aftermarket items (engine, cockpit, wing racks, landing flaps, gear doors, canopy) and added some scratch improvements like wing root fairings, wheel wells and landing light. Look here for a more detailed RFI chronicle.

 

 

Cousin 'Nick', finally, hails from the twin-engine branch of the family -

Kawasaki  Ki-45 KAI Tei  Toryu

53^th Hikō Sentai   Matsudo   November 1944

Shinten seikutai

 

 

 

At the end of 1944 all JAAF fighter groups were ordered to form an air-to-air ramming flight called Shinten seikutai. It is doubtful, however, if this Toryu, specially prepared by removing armament and rear cockpit installations, was ever used for this purpose since the 53^rd Sentai was relegated as a night fighter unit in January 1945.

 

I built this model 15 years ago from a 1975 Nichimo kit. It received an aftermarket cockpit, canopy, engines and wheels, and several scratch modifications. With suchlike improvements I'm confident it can still hold its own against the later Hasegawa kit. A more comprehensive account is published here.

 

 

And then, there are these offspring -

 

 

 

Oops, they don't have wings! My apologies @Lee Chambers for 'borrowing' this picture of his wonderful Kawasaki bikes here and here.

 

ハッピーモデル構築  - Michael

 

[Vesa Jussila]

Nice collection. And nice history!

[Gary Brantley]

Very enjoyable Michael!   Great history and beautiful models; what could be better?!?  

[Zigomar]

Great presentation of some JAAF classics! Kudos Michaël.

[Wulfman]

Lovely builds and beautiful presentation !

 

Wulfman

[Volksjager]

Fantastic post. Great to get the history and your creations. Well done 

[Remus389]

Very neat japanese aircraft! 👍

[Mig88]

Nicely done all of them! Loooking forward to more 😉!

 

Miguel

[Bertie McBoatface]

Lovely set of aircraft. I like the way you photographed them to match the references. 

[Toryu]

@Vesa Jussila @Wulfman @Volksjager @Remus389 @Bertie Psmith

 

Thank you very much for your kind comments gentlemen - much appreciated! Michael

 

On 19/11/2021 at 16:51, Gary Brantley said:

Great history and beautiful models; what could be better?!?

 

Thanks Gary, trying to catch up with your creations! What could be better? - More Kawasakis of course!

 

On 19/11/2021 at 18:18, Zigomar said:

Great presentation of some JAAF classics!

 

Merci bien Jean! A deeper dive into the topic is forthcoming on our special-interest website - aviationofjapan.com

 

On 20/11/2021 at 11:09, Mig88 said:

Nicely done all of them! Loooking forward to more 😉!

 

Muchas gracias Miguel! There will be more! 😉

 

[Bigglesof266]

Very nice Michael. 👍 🔟 

Very much enjoyed your presentation appreciating the effort put into it and sharing your love of the subject.

[doxasg]

These models are perfect for the Kawasaki museum. Excellent historical presentation and making models👍.
Congratulations.

*On your next post I would like to see to create my motorbike VN Vulcan Kawasaki ...please 😊😊

 

Giannis Doxas

Edited February 26, 2022 by doxasg

[Vulcanicity]

A lovely collection and history, I think the second Ki-61 is my favourite 👍

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Great modelling and photography Michael, the history of the aeroplanes made it even more interesting.

Colin

[TonyW]

Superb models with outstanding presentation. The Brian Knight tribute is especially good.

[Mountain goat]

Good heavens this is really something unique. I am blown away by the quality and presentation of these models. The Ki-10 is my favourite. 

 

Jay

[Roberto]

I really love Japanese aircraft 😍 Beautiful works!

[neilspen]

Really nice collection. Interesting to see the development from rigged biplane to metal skinned over a relatively short time period.

[Autle]

Just brilliant in every respect, theme well and truly covered. Well done. 

[Zigomar]

You are right! Those 1/48th Nichimo kits were ahead of their time back in the 80's. I did them all and the Ki-45 with what after market available by then could be turned in to an impressive rendition like you did. To day their Ki-43 1 is still much better than its Hasegawa counterpart.A truly enjoyable post.

[Graham Boak]

Lovely models, but complete?  What about the Ki.60 and Ki.64?  Ki.96 and Ki.102?  Or indeed the KI.32 or Ki.115.  Ah, the benefits of 1/72 scale  Mind you, although I don't think that I've seen a Ki.28, I suspect there is one out there in resin..  There are others...

[corsaircorp]

Great collection and family pics Michael !!

I will restart mine as per your plans...

Congratulations !!

Sincerely.

CC

 

[Toryu]

13 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

There are others...

 

Thank you for sharing this list of other Kawasakis with us, Graham. The one I would really like to add is the Ki-28, although only a prototype it would bridge the generation gap between the Ki-10 and the Ki-61. And of course great-grandpa KDA 😀. The Ki-115 Tsurugi, by the way, is not a Kawasaki.

[Toryu]

I'm very humbled by everybody's kind comments. It's nice to read that these fine aeroplanes, put into context, find such vivid interest. A great encouragement!

 

 

23 hours ago, Zigomar said:

Those 1/48th Nichimo kits were ahead of their time back in the 80's. I did them all

 

Me too, Jean! The Ki-43 (I fully agree with your comment) and the Ki-45 have already been restored, my E13A and B5N2 will be next. A Ki-51 is still resting in the stash but I will certainly tackle it one day. Thanks for your comment!

 

 

On 26/02/2022 at 08:09, doxasg said:

Congratulations.

*On your next post I would like to see to create my motorbike VN Vulcan Kawasaki ...please

 

Thank you Giannis! For the equally attractive Kawasaki choppers you need to turn to @Lee Chambers. He is the bike specilist.

Cheers, Michael

[Graham Boak]

32 minutes ago, Toryu said:

 The Ki-115 Tsurugi, by the way, is not a Kawasaki.

Oops.  But the Ki.78 was, which I missed, despite having a model.  And even made it.  Double oops.  There was also a proposed single-engine bomber (1945), but I couldn't find the number for it.  I recall it clearly from a '50s Air Pictorial.  OK, maybe 60s.  Still haven't found it...  It is wonderful days that we can even (semi-realistically) consider a model of the Ki.28 or (ok, maybe) a KDA.