Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Non-Pendraken Stuff => Topic started by: Hertsblue on 19 February 2013, 02:53:30 PM

Title: Japanese Air Power 1944
Post by: Hertsblue on 19 February 2013, 02:53:30 PM
These 1:144th aircraft are intended to support my 1944 Japanese forces. They are all kits that I found on e-Bay relatively cheaply. The "Val" is a Crown kit whilst the other two were an LS twin-pack.

They are all Nakajima aircraft, the C6N1 "Saiun" (Codenamed "Val") was a torpedo/level bomber operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The Ki-43-11 "Oscar" and the Ki-84 "Frank" were Japanese Army fighters. The Ki-84 in particular was a highly capable aircraft, well able to oppose anything in the Allied arsenal.

The Val in the centre, Frank on the left and Oscar on the right.
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0594.jpg (http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0594.jpg)

Here's the Val - usually carrier-borne but obviously operating from land for a change!
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0596.jpg (http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0596.jpg)
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0595.jpg (http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0595.jpg)
Oscar was a useful fighter, if somewhat outdated by 1944
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0597.jpg (http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0597.jpg)
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0598.jpg (http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0598.jpg)
Frank could hold its own in any company.
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0599.jpg (http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0599.jpg)
http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0600.jpg (http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN0600.jpg)
The "lizard" camoflage is a real pain in the a**e!

Oddly enough, finding Japanese WW2 aircraft in 144th is relatively easy. Finding the Burma theatre RAF planes is much harder. I've got a tropicalised Spitfire Vb, but what wouldn't I give for a tropicalised Hurricane II. Or a Beaufighter. Or a Vultee Vengeance.
Title: Re: Japanese Air Power 1944
Post by: GrumpyOldMan on 19 February 2013, 09:37:36 PM
Hi Hertsblue

Looked around for some of what you were after.

Not much luck with a tropicalised Hurricane MkII, Sweet do a tropicalised Hurricane MkI :- http://www.hlj.com/product/SWT14105 (http://www.hlj.com/product/SWT14105)
(http://www.ipmsusa3.org/reviews/Archive/Kits/Aircraft/Sweet_144_Hurricane/Sweet144Hurricane_02.jpg)

Peter's Planes do a Beaufighter Mk X :- http://petersplanes.com/avions/Beaufighter/Beaufighter.htm (http://petersplanes.com/avions/Beaufighter/Beaufighter.htm)
(http://petersplanes.com/avions/Beaufighter/BeauMkXRside.jpg)
and there's a notice on Kampfgruppe about a Mk XXI :- http://kampfgruppe144.blogspot.com.au/2009/05/1144-raaf-beaufighter.html (http://kampfgruppe144.blogspot.com.au/2009/05/1144-raaf-beaufighter.html)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_C5UAXb0bEic/Shp7uD7Wy2I/AAAAAAAADeM/M6Bef6Sb5-4/s1600/DSC00110.JPG)

Chaubet does a Vultee Vengenace :- http://jacques.chaubet.free.fr/fra1939/0a35.htm (http://jacques.chaubet.free.fr/fra1939/0a35.htm) painted here in RAAF colours
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vkmMvAOse6Q/UJqi28QuJXI/AAAAAAAAAUY/TzNfD7LVdl8/s640/Vultee+A-31+Vengeance+img2.JPG)

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan
Title: Re: Japanese Air Power 1944
Post by: Hertsblue on 20 February 2013, 10:06:39 AM
Thanks for that, Grumps. Much appreciated. I'll investigate the Beaufighter and the Vengeance.

The irritating thing about the Hurricane II is that "tropicalising" seems to consist mainly of adding a big, bulbous intake below the nose. So a basic Hurryback II wouldn't be too difficult to convert. Sadly, the only II I can find is made by - yes, you've guessed it - FOW!  :'(

And I decline to be ripped off to the tune of a tenner for a 144th model.  :(   
Title: Re: Japanese Air Power 1944
Post by: GrumpyOldMan on 20 February 2013, 09:15:19 PM
Hi Hertsblue

I share your pain at outrageous prices :o......  :'( .

The options are Bandai which are even more!! or F-toys who do a MkIIC:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/F-Toys-1-144-Wing-Kit-Collection-Vol-9-WWII-Early-Fighter-3A-Hurricane-Mk-IIc-/261124872896?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item3ccc415ac0 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/F-Toys-1-144-Wing-Kit-Collection-Vol-9-WWII-Early-Fighter-3A-Hurricane-Mk-IIc-/261124872896?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item3ccc415ac0)

(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/F-Toys-1-144-Wing-Kit-Collection-Vol-9-WWII-Early-Fighter-3A-Hurricane-Mk-IIc-/00/s/MjU0WDUwMA==/$T2eC16d,!zQE9s3stYiDBQvHB2HNHw~~60_12.JPG)

This was the cheapest I could find on a quick search.

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan
Title: Re: Japanese Air Power 1944
Post by: Hertsblue on 21 February 2013, 09:27:44 AM
Thanks, Grumps. I'm investigating the F-toys model. Even from Hong Kong it's cheaper than FOW!