KAWASAKI KI-61 HIEN TONY

By: Tomás de la Fuente

Historic Introduction

The historical origin of the KI 61 is in the authorization obtained in 1937 by Japan for the production under license of the aero engine DB 601, from which resulted a reviewed motor and more lightened than the Japanese denominated Ha-40,  was liquid cooled and obtained 1175hp of power with 12 cylinders in invested V (the Ha-40 was ready in 1940). Around this engine the Kawasaki Kokuki Kogyo cabinet design an airplane denominated Ki-60 and later a slighter fighter, the KI -61 Hien, that in Japanese means “wanderer”; of this last model was completed a unit in December of 1941 which reach a speed of 368 mhp, later during 1942 was test in a training battle against a captured P-40 and a Bf-109 (that was sent to Japan in a submarine), being the Japanese airplane superior to the other two in all aspects. The same submarine that bring the 109 also take 800 Mauser Mg -151 cannons with which the first models of Ki-61 were equipped.  submarino que envió el 109, también llevo 800 cañones Máuser MG-151 con los que se equiparon los primeros modelos del KI-61. 

The Gifu factory construct 2.654 units between the Ki-61-I and KI-61-Ia models, this last more maneuverable model than first. His first action battle was on skies of New Guinea in 1943, where gain the nickname of "Tony" by the allies. We must make notice that it was the only Japanese airplane with liquid cooled engine.

Towards 1944 it left of the production line the Ki-61-II model that had a new cockpit and a wing of greater width, as well the new Ha-140 engine of 1450 HP, but quickly step to be constructed the KI-61-IIa model, that mounted the old wing. So only 374 units of series II was putting in service, since towards the end of the war they began to mount "Tonys" with Ha-112 radial engines, which were designated KI-100, but that are another history. We must stand out that the "Tony" finish its days as an excellent defense fighter of the Japan ground, being one of few to be able to reach the sufficient ceiling to pursue to the Americans B-29 that daily bombed Japan. This airplane had a liquid cooled engine, and erroneously was considered by the allies like a Bf-109 version, made under German license.

Characteristic: Engine: 12 cylinders in V Kawasaki Ha40 of 875 HP. Dimensions: Width 12m, length 8,95m, height 3,7m, wing sup. 20 m2. Weight: Empty 2630kg, maximum in takeoff 3470kg. Performances: Maximum speed 560 km/h, ceiling service 10000 ms, autonomy 1900km. Armament: Two machine guns and two 20mm cannons plus two 250kg bombs

THE MODEL KIT
Is a model of Hasegawa in 1/48 scale, in concrete the JT-12. The quarters is correct, neither few nor too many pieces, having all of them a perfect embroider to each other. The panel lines are recessed, being necessary the use of a very little amount of putty, so single in some union zones between the two halves of the fuselage.


ASSEMBLY 
It did not give me greater problem, in principle occupies of the cockpit sides panels, as well as the interior rest. Once closed the fuselage and after to have placed the engine radiator underneath of the fuselage (in P-51 style), I occupies of the wings, elevators, propeller and undercarriage, not without forgetting the showy fuel auxiliary tanks, these last ones yes need something of putty and sand so that the leader line of the two halves not notice.

The panel dials are decorated with diverse colors, the control panel goes in black, with the needles of the instruments in white, once all the interiors was finished and dry, goes a washing with artist oils, in a mixture of Siena toasted earth with black, as well as dry brush with Tamiya Xf-16 aluminium color and when dry time the previous thing, I apply a coat of Humbrol matt varnish.

PAINT
The manufacturer provides a decal sheet with three decorations possibility: The first is the personal mount of captain Ichikawa, pertaining to the 244 Sentai (fighter group), this decoration goes in green in all the upper surfaces and natural aluminium in the lower ones, shining several victories marks.The second its of an apparatus pertaining to the 17 Sentai in 1944 all in natural metal except for the antireflection panel of the cowling and waved lines as a camouflage that partially cover the upper surface of the wings and fuselage (this is the option that I have chosen). The third is identical to previous often by the fact that it not have the waved lines and is an airplane pertaining to the 105 Sentai in 1945.

The color applied in the undercarriage wells as well as cockpit interior is the RLM79 Sandgelb, Aeromaster acrylic whose reference is 1029. The panel dials are decorated with diverse colors, the control panel goes in black, with the needles of the instruments in white, once all the interiors was finished and dry, goes a washing with Titan artist oils, in a mixture of Siena toasted earth with black, as well as dry brush with Tamiya Xf-16 aluminium color and when dry time the previous thing, I apply a coat of Humbrol matt varnish. Later airbrush the movable surfaces of the airplane like elevators, rudder and ailerons in Tamiya J.A. Grey Xf-14 (acrylic that dries before and I can work quickly).

Later begins one of the most complicated workings from my point of view, that was applying an aluminum color in a convincing form; until now that I know exist two methods: or is used Bare Metal, or is painted with a good aluminium paint, and I have decided for the second option, using the magnify pigment of SNJ; the good thing that it has is that comes prepared to airbrush, covers very good on each coat but without eliminating the detail and dry very fast, being able to give another coat in 15 or 20 minutes.

Once painted all the airplane in aluminum, we come to polish it to obtain a more real metal finishing. In order to polish we can make it of two ways: either directly with a dry and clean cloth, or using the polish dusts that also provides SNJ; I have used the last method, for which I spill a little dust on the surface which I want to polish and later I energetically rub it with a cloth (very care with the energy, don´t erase something), the more time rubs the more polished is the surface, reaching amazing results.

After all this I darken some panels and registries, as well as the wings tips and the central spar that crosses them, adding a little matt black, and the wings edge is painted with matt yellow of Molak, as well as the fuel auxiliary tanks; once I have dry the entire scale model, I varnish it with Aeromaster acrylic gloss varnish, of this way I can put the national insignia (remember, Microset and Microsol), a new coat of varnish and once dry I can apply the waved lines in Humbrol M-30 green, Propeller in Tamiya chestnut red Xf- 64 and the tip of the propeller baffle plate with Tamiya matt yellow Xf-3, as between these two colors exists one narrow white strip of separation, I make this mounting the propeller on a minidrill, putting it to turn and supporting a soft white pencil in the division between both colors .
The chipped paint effects in the engine cowling and in the hinomarus are made with Tamiya matt aluminum, I obtain the paneled effect remarking the panel lines with a soft black pencil, and also with artist oil washings.

Indeed in one of those washeds made on the fuselage hinomaru, when retiring the masking tape the decal rise and broken, with which I had left several options: one of them to look in the cut box another one hinomaru to replace it, but nothing one there was, another one was to request a decal sheet to a specialized shop, that is t have to hope that the order arrived and have the scale model stopped and not be able to have lists it for the exhibition and for write this article (damn masking tape!!!), also I could paint it (with the "rages" I am not now for paint a damn hinomaru), but finally happened that the aluminum plates could be repainted on which was the happy hinomaru, like the a panels be just replaced, due to damages in the fuselage by fire of some good aim artylleryman of a B-29, and we are in war and defending the home ground and are so many attacks not gives time not even to paint the hinomaru in the panels just changed (the one of words which one invented to fix a shoddy work of a scale model), in aim that the solution convinced me because the truth was not so rare that these things happened, and I memory have even seen some photo in which similar things were seen.

By last, once resolute all the painting passages the only thing that we must do is to varnish all the scale model with Humbrol matt varnish.

CONCLUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In short, that you want that say to you, the assembly was simple, the painting phase is satisfactory and the scale model is very well as much for begginers or veterans, with instructions simple and clear to follow and painting schemes for all the taste; That yes, if some of you thinks to assembly this scale model in a future, take care with the hinomaru!!!