Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa “Peregrine Falcon”

Allied Code Name “Oscar”  – by Fujimi

1/72 scale
Kit No. 72031
Price: $20.00
Decals: One version – Imperial Japanese Army (Major Kinshiro Takeda, Commander of the 1st Hiko-Sentai, Hanoi airbase, Indo-China (Vietnam), October 1942)
Comments: Engraved panel lines, basic cockpit, one-piece canopy, two drop tanks for wing center section

History

With the opening of the war in the Pacific, the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) shocked the Western powers with the sophistication and efficiency of its miltary tactics and equipment, most notably with a sleek, single seat fighter that had a retractable undercarriage, the Army Type 1 Fighter Model 1 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon). Nakajima’s Ki-43 Hayabusa (Allied code name “Oscar”) made its combat debut over Burma (now Myanmar) and the Malayan peninsula in December 1941 during the opening phases of the war. It would be the most numerous single seat fighter fielded by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.

Design work on the Hayabusa began in December 1937 when the IJA, dropping its longstanding policy of awarding contracts based on a competitive design process among Japanese manufacturers, instead instructed the firm of Nakajima Hikoki K.K. to design a single-seat fighter to succeed the Type 97 fighter (Nakajima Ki-27), later code-named “Nate” by the Allies. The Nate was fast when initially introduced, but by the late 1930’s there was evidence in the form of still more modern European and American fighters that a monoplane fighter without fixed undercarriage would have improved performance. The new specification called for a fighter with a maximum speed of 311 mph (500 km/hour), a climb rate of 5 minutes to 16,405 feet (5000 meters), a range of 500 miles (800 km), an armament of two 7.7mm machine guns, and maneuverability at least equal to the Ki-27’s.

A design team led by Hideo Itowaka set out to meet the stringent requirements. Within a year the first prototype was completed, flying for the first time on December 12, 1938. Together with two additional prototypes, it went through a very smooth flight test program, marked by only minor problems, and was handed over to the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) for service trials. The Ki-43 met all of the other performance requirements of the JAAF, but was criticized for failing to meet the maneuverability requirement. To many pilots at the time, the retractable undercarriage was a technical luxury, adding unwanted weight. For a time the future of the Ki-43 was in doubt; but the JAAF decided upon further testing with 10 Nakajima-built service trials aircraft from November 1939 to September 1940. The additional seven prototype aircraft were modified with a new all-round vision canopy; one of them was fitted with an experimental Nakajima Ha-105 engine with a 2-speed turbocharger, and other was armed with two 12.7mm machine guns in lieu of the lighter 7.7mm armament.

An eleventh prototype was built with the most important modification: “butterfly” flaps that could be extended in combat to increase the aircraft’s sensitivity to the pilot’s controls, provide greater lift and a much tighter turning circle. Feedback from Service pilots indicated they now liked the plane’s handling characteristics, and with the maneuverability issue resolved, the IJA ordered the new flaps incorporated into all production versions. The Ki-43 went into production with a 950 hp Army Type 99 radial engine, an improved version of the Nakajima Ha-25 double-row, 14-cylinder engine (including a single speed supercharger) that had powered the prototypes, with the key difference being an increase of 25 hp over the prototype version.

Officially designated the Army Type 1 Fighter Model 1A, the Ki-43 entered service with a fixed-pitch, two-blade wooden propeller (soon changed to a Hamilton-type metal version), and two synchronized 7.7.mm machine guns in the upper engine cowling, along with hard points under the wing center section for auxiliary fuel tanks, inboard of the main landing gear. Aircraft were delivered to the 59th and 64th Sentais (Squadrons) which were deployed to China just prior to the opening of hostilities after a training period in Japan.

Service Record

Early engagements established the Hayabusa as one of the most feared Japanese aircraft, despite its relatively light armament and lack of pilot and fuel tank protection. A technologically advanced design at the time, like the Zero it initially dominated, and for a substantial time afterward continued to hold its own against Allied fighters. The Ki-43 was initially a mystery to Western forces in the Southwest Pacific Theatre, where it was code-named “Oscar.”

It was also code-named “Jim” in the China-Burma-India theatre until the Allies discovered that they were the same aircraft. The Ki-43 I continued to be modified (the Type II and Type III followed) and remained in service until the end of the war. Numerically, it was the most important Imperial Japanese Army fighter of the war, serving on all fronts in which the IJA was involved, although by 1945 it had been replaced in front-line service by newer types and was instead increasingly used for taiatari, or kamikaze attacks. The Royal Thai Air Force, under a puppet government installed by the Japanese, also flew the Ki-43 during the war.

Construction

Assembling this kit was smooth and trouble-free and for the most part its engineering would rival that of any Tamiya kit. That said, it wasn’t quite perfect. While the fit was for the most part excellent throughout, there were two flaws. First, the very basic cockpit components don’t line up well with the opening for the cockpit in the fuselage — meaning the pilot’s seat is positioned too far back for him to ever get his head up to see anything. Since there was no pilot figure included with the kit, this wasn’t a fatal engineering flaw, but I expected better given the all-around superb fit and outstanding exterior surface detail.

The two small fairings for the nose-mounted machine guns must be handled with care, for they are easily lost and are best attached to the fuselage using liquid cement. The same goes for the engine exhausts. While small, these parts add to the kit’s crisp detail. The Ki-43 had a telescopic gun sight, and that part too can be easily lost, so handle with extreme care. This was the second flaw with the kit: there is an indentation rather than a hole in the windshield to accommodate the telescopic sight. While it is a simple matter to drill the rest of the way through using a pin vise, the indentation appears to be too low as it was difficult to get the sight on the same horizontal plane as the fuselage. I tried sanding down the miniscule support that is cemented to the exterior decking forward of the windscreen to get the sight at the proper angle, and it improved but did not cure the problem. Otherwise the Ki-43 was a very enjoyable build.

Painting

All paints are airbrushed unless noted otherwise. The Ki-43’s upper surfaces were done in AK Interactive’s Olive Brown (Ohryoku Go Shoku), RC330, according to the manufacturer an authentic Japanese color of World War II. It is very close in hue to Testor’s Flat Olive and airbrushes flawlessly. The undersurfaces were done in Model Master Aluminum Plate, a buffing metallizer. Interior surfaces (cockpit, wheel wells, interior of landing gear doors) were done in Model Master Interior Metallic Blue — which may be an error, since this color was mainly used on aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the Ki-43 was an Army fighter. Decals were provided for the large white stripes but I opted to paint them as I was certain they would look better, using Vallejo’s No. 2012 acrylic, RLM 21 White. In the tail section, the rudder and elevators were done in Polly Scale acrylic Orange-Yellow, F505220. The propeller blades are done in AK Interactive’s Polished Aluminum, and the spinner in Tamiya Gloss White.

Markings

The kit provides decals for a single version, the mount of Major Kinshiro Takeda of the Imperial Japanese Army, Commander of the 1st Hiko-Sentai, operating from Hanoi airbase, Indo-China (now Vietnam), October 1942. This aircraft has Mitsubishi Green upper surfaces and Aluminum under surfaces with Orange-Yellow control surfaces in its tail section, complemented by diagonal white stripes across the upper surfaces of the wings and horizontal stabilizers; vertical white stripes (two thin and one thick) on the fuselage; and three thin horizontal white stripes overlaying the Orange-Yellow of the rudder. The two-bladed propeller has a white spinner with the front side of the blades in aluminum or natural metal and the rear side of the blades in flat black.

Conclusion

A superb kit with an unusual degree of exterior detail. Highly recommended.

Reference

Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, by R.J. Francillon, Ph.D.; Copyright 1970 by Putnam & Company, Limited; London.