A pilot's pram -or- To the flight line in a flash

[Toryu]

 

🤔  pram (br.) = stroller (am.)  😉

My model of the Japanese Type 97 motorcycle was used by the Army Air Force to rush senior pilots from the pisto (stand-by area) to their waiting aircraft.

The Type 97 was a perpetuation of Harley-Davidson's VL series, adopted by the Imperial Army after field-testing several foreign designs and produced by the Rikuo Nainenki KK as from 1937. It was powered by a 1272 cc V-2 engine of 24 hp and had a selectable wheel drive for the sidecar.

The Hasegawa kit contains two complete bikes plus sidecar, several driver figures and comprehensive decals for Army, Navy and civilian versions. It assembles easily but lacks refinement (a PE set would be desirable). I removed the over-sized pin holes from the frame and added a few details, most noticeably wire wheel disks from Eduard (48505) and - for its special mission - a parachute pack instead of the rear seat.

 

Now let's hurry along to get airborne... Michael

 

 

 

 

References

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_97_motorcycle

motos-of-war.ru/en/motorcycles/rikuo-type-97

U.S. Motorcycles of WWII - Walk Around, David Doyle, Carrollton, 2008

 

[Pete in Lincs]

A lovely little build and a pleasure to see. Thanks for posting.

[Pete Robin]

That last photo keeps making me think of Indy and his Dad.

Cute little thing, nicely modelled, looks good.

Regards

Pete

[Toryu]

Yes, indeed. That was not on my mind. I should go and find Indy‘s hat and whip…