Kawanishi H6K5-L by Trumpeter

1/144 scale
Kit No. 01323
Retail: $19.99
Decals: Two versions – both with civilian registration codes, possibly pre-WWII
Comments: Engraved panel lines, basic cockpit, civilian version

History

The Kawanishi H6K flying boat (Allied code name “Mavis”) was a long range maritime patrol aircraft flown by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II, which doubled as a bomber and transport. It had its origins in a 1934 IJN 8-Shi Large Flying Boat specification, calling for a four-engined flying boat with a monoplane design, a range of 2500 nautical miles and a cruising speed of 120 knots, or 138 mph — superior to that of the Sikorsky S-42.

After gathering data during a visit to Short Brothers in England, a team led by Yoshio Hashiguchi and Shizuo Kikahura designed a flying boat with a parasol wing mounted above the fuselage and connected by two heavy duty inverted V struts, and braced by parallel struts attached low on the hull and running to half the span of the wing. It was powered by four 840 hp Nakajima Hikari 2 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines. The prototype, designated Type S, flew for the first time on July 14, 1936 with test pilot Katsuji Kondo at the controls.

Immediately after the first flight, the forward step on the hull bottom was moved back 50 cm (1 ft. 7 13/16 inches) to improve its water handling characteristics. The new plane was soon handed over to the IJN on July 25, 1936 for service trials, which showed that it satisfactorily met all specifications, except for the fact that it was underpowered — not a terrific surprise given that it was such a large aircraft.

Defensive armament consisted of three 7.7mm Type 92 machine guns on flexible mounts, one in an open bow position, one in a power-assisted dorsal turret, and the third in a non-powered tail turret. Offensive armament included either two 800 kg (1,764 lb.) torpedoes, or up to 1000 kg (2,205 lbs.) of bombs attached to the parallel wing-supporting struts.

By early 1938 four prototypes had been completed, three of which had been delivered to the IJN. Upon the completion of service trials three of the prototypes with fitted with more powerful Mitsubishi Kinsei 43 fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, and these aircraft entered service with the IJN in January 1938 with the designation Navy Type 97 Flying Boat Model 1 (H6K1). The type was simultaneously placed in full production.

The H6K5

The H6K was periodically modified with more powerful engines and different armament configurations as a successor model, the Kawanishi H8K1 (Allied code name :Emily”), was developed during 1940-41. As a safeguard against potential problems with the H8K1, in 1941 the 119th H6K to come off the production line was fitted with yet more powerful 1300 hp Mitsubishi Kinsei 53 radial engines, and the open gun position in the bow was replace by a turret housing a 7.7mm machine gun immediately aft of the flight deck. This became the prototype for the H6K5, or Type 97 Flying Boat Model 23. Total production came to 175 aircraft.

As production of the H8K began to pick up, the surviving H6K4’s and H6K5’s were modified to serve as troop carriers and relegated to military transport duties. When they were used for maritime patrol, they generally encountered little fighter opposition and were quite successful. But when employed in an offensive role, carrying either torpedoes or bombs, they were increasingly vulnerable to new fighters that Allies were developing. Earlier versions, notably the H6K2, were also modified to serve as transports.

Trumpeter’s kit, given its complete lack of armament and civil registration codes, appears to be an H6K5 that was modified for use an either an unarmed staff transport, or delivered to the Kaiyo (Ocean) Division of Dai Nippoin Koku K.K., which also operated H6K2’s on their Yokohama-Saipan-Palau-Timor, Saigon-Bangkok, and Saipan-Truk-Ponape-Jaluit air routes, until the war in the Pacific moved so far west as to render these civilian air traffic routes untenable.

The Kit

Trumpeter’s Kawanishi H6K5-L is injection molded in light grey plastic and consists of 69 parts, including 21 clear parts for the greenhouse windscreen, side blisters, cabin windows and navigation lights. In addition, there is a separate two-part clear plastic display stand. The kit bears engraved panel lines and has four three-bladed propellers, one for each of the separately mounted engine cowlings.

Holes will have to be drilled for each of the eight cabin windows in the fuselage. Despite its diminutive scale of 1/144, there is actually a cockpit assembly, consisting of five parts: the cockpit floor featuring integrally molded seats, a forward bulkhead (which in a larger scale might double as the main instrument panel), control yokes and two bulkheads. The massive wing consists of upper and lower halves — to which the engine assemblies (cowlings plus propellers) are to be cemented — and is connected to the fuselage by two rugged looking inverted V struts. The horizontal stabilizer is supported by two ventral struts and either side, and features two vertical tails, each supported by a single large strut.

Markings

The kit decals are simple, fully in register with beautiful color and a nice, glossy finish. They provide for two versions consisting of national markings and a choice of call letters “J-BGOC” or “J-BFOZ,” both of which feature a letter “J” on the tail. As these aircraft both call for a paint scheme of overall natural metal, and do not make even a rudimentary attempt at the machine guns known to be carried in the blisters in wartime aircraft of this type, the markings appear to provide for one of two pre-war aircraft, or else machines that were operated during the war in non-combat zones.

Conclusion

This large flying boat appears to be crisply engineered and distinguished by simple construction. The challenge will be selecting a paint scheme (should modelers choose to deviate from the natrual metal scheme) and doing appropriate weathering. Highly recommended.

Reference

Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by R.J. Francillon; Copyright 1970, Putnam and Company, Ltd; London.